Exploring Data to Uncover Workforce Needs

The QIC-WD is working with eight sites to explore a variety of data sources to better understand the root causes of turnover and other prevalent child welfare workforce issues. Our process is data driven. This means we start with a series of questions and use an agency’s human resources data and knowledge from their staff to dig deeper. The answers we get to our initial questions will suggest others, and we will continue to mine the data until we arrive at an answer or exhaust the available sources of information.

Our team is using a mix of existing human resources data, surveys, and interviews with child welfare and human resources staff. In each site we are surveying child welfare caseworkers to gain information on agency culture and climate, as well as staff readiness to engage in a change effort. In some sites we are also asking them about the impact of secondary trauma on their work. Each site has assembled a team of child welfare and human resources professionals to guide their QIC-WD project. We are meeting regularly with these teams to ask questions and gain their insights on workforce issues such as recruiting, hiring, and retaining staff.

The exploration of the QIC-WD’s site’s human resources (e.g., hiring, and turnover) data began during the site selection process. We expect this work to continue throughout the first half of 2018. Our goal is to use this information to understand what type of workforce intervention is most appropriate for each site. Interventions will be selected based on the needs of the agency, the timeline of the project, and the evidence behind the intervention. The information gathered through this exploration process will inform an implementation and evaluation plan that will guide our work in each of the QIC-WD sites.