Child welfare workers satisfaction and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of agency staff in Ohio

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of children and families, created additional stressors, and increased risks for maltreatment. The pandemic has changed the way child welfare agencies operate, requiring changes to policies and practice. Minimal research has considered the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on child welfare workers wellbeing and job satisfaction.Objective: This mixed-methods research study seeks to understand CPS staff satisfaction, variables impacting satisfaction, and challenges that increased since the pandemic began for child welfare workers in Ohio.Participants and setting: A sample of staff members (n = 267) from 50 CPS agencies across Ohio participated in the study. Methods: This mixed-methods study used logistic regression, chi square analyses, and thematic analysis to analyze the data from a survey sent to child welfare agencies in Ohio.Results: Caring for minor children, primary role at work, and years in child welfare were significantly associated with job satisfaction. Those working in foster care/placement, adoption/permanency, family support/visitation, kinship were 7.57 times more likely than those doing intake/ investigation work to be satisfied with their job (p = .007). Thematic analysis of staff issues that increased during the pandemic resulted in six themes: Stress and Anxiety, Feeling Overwhelmed, Burnout, All, Motivation, and Isolation and Disconnection.Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has created additional stressors for child welfare staff. Practice implications are discussed to help increase job satisfaction, staff wellbeing, and mitigate turnover.