A Comparison of Caseworker Characteristics in Public and Private Foster Care Agencies

Background and Purpose

With a beginning literature on economic realities associated with the privatization of foster care (Blackstone, Buck, & Hakim, 2004; Unruh & Hodgkin, 2004), the question of differences from a totally public system occurs. The Midwestern state in which this study was piloted provided the research advantage of a dual system. This paper reports results of a comparison between caseworkers in the two systems on administrative characteristics, attitudes, and beliefs. The study is important since caseworker characteristics have been found associated with child welfare outcomes (Ryan, Garnier, Zyphur, & Zhai, 2006; Smith-McKeever & McRoy, 2005). Questions addressed were: What differences exist between public and private contract agency caseworkers? What are the implications for services to children and families?

Methods

This study was part of a larger study examining predictors of parental adherence to reunification plans. With agency support and release time and following approval of human subjects research, we used a sample consisting of 82 caseworkers from one metropolitan, one mid-sized, and one small county or regional agency and five private (contract) agencies. The individuals voluntarily participated, at office locations, in 30- to 45-minute in-person, audio-taped interviews containing open-ended and closed-ended questions. Racially, 50% were Caucasian, 38.5% African American, and the remainder of other racial or ethnic groups. Education ranged from bachelors' (75.6%) to graduate degrees (24.4%)—34.2% in social work. Salaries ranged from below $20,000 to over $60,000 (median $37,500). Participants had a mean 4.52 years of experience prior to the present agency (3.66 years at the current agency), 3.37 days of training in the past 12 months, and an average caseload of 20.85. Descriptive and independent samples t-test analyses were conducted. Dependent variable was agency auspices: public or private. Independent variables and measurement sources were: worker characteristics (Lieberman, Russell, & Hornby, 1988); worker observations and beliefs about child welfare practice and families (Daniel, 1999); worker attitudes toward drug use and parenting, adapted to include measurement of alcohol use and mental illness (Macaskill & Ashworth, 1995); and workers' preferences and beliefs about parents' preferences for parental participation in developing reunification plans (adapted from Strull, Lo, & Charles, 1984). Statistically significant results for measures with acceptable or marginal reliability are reported.

Results

Compared with private agency workers, public agency workers had significantly more years of experience and higher salaries. Public and private agency workers also differed significantly in response regarding the role of social context and family problems in routine child welfare referrals, the risks and needs that are associated with parental mental illness, and the importance of a family's culture in the assessment of “good enough parenting.” Statistical trends were in directions similar to findings obtaining significance.

Conclusions and Implications

While public and private agency workers were similar on most variables, the presence of significant attitudinal and ideological differences and a newer, less experienced private agency workforce provides support for a need for further research on effects of these differences and for worker-specific training practices.