Child welfare workers‘ perception of colleague support in Norway

Abstract

Frontline child welfare workers (CWW) and the child welfare services have often been criticized for decisions they make concerning children and families in their care. Some of these criticisms (may be valid) often fail to take into consideration the working conditions among this work group, the high work pressure, and the constant heavy workload that comes with the job as CWW. More importantly, the working conditions and the amount of workload that most of the CWW must deal with often lead to negative experiences like sick leave, intention to quit, and turnover. The current study has examined two things, first, what are the common challenges CWW are exposed to in their line of work? And second, how does support help CWW cope (in terms of resources) with the numerous work pressure and the impact of these experiences? An in-depth interview of sixteen CWW make up the data for the present study. Thematic analysis of the data produced three distinct themes; “complexities attached to the roles as CWW”, “challenges with the system”, and “being in the same boat”. The employment of Hobfoll s Conservation of resources model allows for a deeper and broader understanding of the nature of work among these CWW. Findings point to the importance of encouraging a supportive work environment through dedicated tasks and organizational health interventions.