For Immediate Release
Thursday, November 19, 1998
New Report Finds Nation’s Child Welfare Workers Face Workplace Violence, Rising Caseloads, Lack of Training
Washington, DC —Terre Stech, a child welfare worker in Hennepin County, Minnesota, still vividly recalls the day two years ago when two assailants put a gun to her head and demanded the keys to her car. After stealing her purse, her money, and her car, her attackers left her stranded in one of Minneapolis’ most dangerous neighborhoods. As a 14-year veteran of Hennepin County’s Department of Children and Family Services, Stech understood the dangers of her job. Nevertheless, the attack was horrifying. Two years later, she still lives with the memory and with the knowledge that once again she could become the victim of violence on the job.
Terre Stech’s experience is not unique, according to a new report released today by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), AFL-CIO. The report, called "Double Jeopardy: Case Workers at Risk Helping At-Risk Kids," cites the threat of violence on the job, along with rising caseloads, inadequate training and low wages, as top issues facing child welfare workers.
"This report raises concerns about the working conditions faced by our nation’s child welfare workers, and the impact those conditions ultimately have on children in need," said AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee. "These workers face dangers every day on the job, but unfortunately their work is only highlighted when the system fails and a child is hurt. When that happens, caseworkers are used as scapegoats to account for shortcomings in the child welfare system.
"We don’t blame emergency room physicians when they treat patients and those patients are later harmed through no fault of the doctor, and we shouldn’t blame social workers when children and families fall victim to systemic problems that are beyond social workers’ control," McEntee said. "This report takes an in-depth look at a number of problems that make it difficult for caseworkers to perform their jobs, and makes recommendations for solving those problems."
The AFSCME report, based on input received by union leaders from child welfare workers in ten states, is the first national survey to address workplace problems faced by child welfare workers. AFSCME represents some 100,000 social workers around the country. Among the report’s key findings:
- Over 70% of union affiliates responding to the survey reported that front-line workers in their agencies have been victims of violence or threats of violence while in the line of duty.
- The average caseloads in 60-80% of agencies represented in the report exceeded recommended caseload guidelines.
- The wages paid these professional workers -- virtually all of whom must have a minimum of four years of college -- are not commensurate with the job demanded of them. Most entry-level salaries fall in the mid-$20,000 range.
Vikki Warren, a social worker in Delaware and president of AFSCME Local 3365, said she hopes the report will help focus attention on the excessive caseloads handled by social workers. "The recommended caseload for workers who investigate allegations of abuse or neglect is, at most, 12 active cases per month," she said, "but many caseworkers handle cases that far exceed this amount. Here in Delaware we’ve been working with administrators and our union to reduce the number of active cases that workers are handling. We’re making progress, but there is still much to be done, and caseworkers in other areas still are often overwhelmed by the number of active cases they’re handling and they’re constantly faced with the awareness that something -- or someone -- could fall through the cracks."
The report highlights a number of ways AFSCME has been working to reduce caseloads, increase safety for workers and retain employees in this difficult work.
Nada Hanes, a social worker in Belmont County, Ohio, said she fears that plans to privatize parts of the Belmont County Department of Human Services will result in lower wages for caseworkers and will lead to high rates of employee turnover. "It is absolutely vital that county administrators recognize the important role caseworkers play in administering social services," she said. "In Belmont County, our workers are paid a decent wage, and we have almost no turnover among caseworkers in our department. But in other Ohio counties, caseworkers often don’t earn wages that are commensurate with their level of education or with the amount of work they do, and in these counties we’re seeing a much greater level of employee turnover. Our experience shows that the best way to maintain a qualified workforce in child welfare is to make sure that skilled caseworkers are fairly and adequately compensated for the work they do."
