Reprofessionalizing child welfare services: An evaluation of a Title IVE training program

Objective: Test the effectiveness of a Title IVE training program for preparing practitioners for public child welfare employment. Method: The sample consisted of all workers (N = 266) hired between June 1994 and June 1997 at a public child welfare agency. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires, a follow-up phone interview, and a review of personnel records. Results: Title IV-trained workers scored higher on a test of child welfare knowledge, and they expressed more confidence in their ability to perform basic child welfare tasks than did other workers. Eighty-nine percent of IVE workers were still employed at the study close. Overall, 76% of workers were still employed at that time. Contrary to expectations, IVE workers were not more satisfied with their jobs than other workers. Conclusion: The retention finding is encouraging because it may mean that the staffing crisis in child welfare may have a solution in programs like IVE. However, IVE-trained workers may not stay unless the unsatisfactory working conditions are corrected.