Exploratory Study on Caseworkers' Identified Challenges and Workarounds in Engaging Families Having Limited English Proficiency

Background and Purpose:

Although state child protective agencies (CPAs) are required to provide language access for families with limited English proficiency (LEP), it remains a significant barrier to their service delivery. Given that this affects caseworkers’ ability to engage LEP families in the child protective process meaningfully, it is imperative to understand how caseworkers work with these families despite this barrier. However, a dearth of research on this critical issue necessitates immediate attention. Therefore, we conducted a study exploring caseworkers' experiences engaging with LEP families in a service-rich state CPA that enforces legally compliant language access policies to understand the gap between the state’s efforts and caseworkers’ experiences. The CPA’s opportunities for improving language access and its implications for practice, policy, and research are discussed.

Methods:

This work is part of a larger study examining the factors related to chronic involvement in the child welfare system. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of 21 caseworkers from two urban offices in a Northeastern state. Caseworkers were eligible for the study if they worked with any low-risk family with or without multiple subsequent reports (SR). The interviews were conducted either via video conferencing or in-person, at the participants’ preference, by two trained research assistants. We analyzed the data utilizing a reflexive thematic analysis approach. A team of four researchers initially coded transcripts using open coding method and developed a codebook. Then, two researchers re-coded the data deductively based on the codebook. Themes were identified, and relationships between the themes were explored. Individual reflective journaling and peer debriefing were employed throughout the analysis to ensure the rigor and credibility of the findings. The findings emerged inductively and were not anticipated at the study's outset.

Results:

Two main themes emerged, including worker-identified challenges and their strategies to address them. The challenges include workers’ limitations in meaningfully engaging LEP families in assessment and planning, such as missing out on the family’s cultural context, technical difficulties in using interpretation services, like working with an interpreter in a crowded family meeting, gaps in the service ecosystem like the lack of interpretation services in schools, and specialized service needs, such as the need for bridge services for families migrating from other countries. Workers’ strategies included consulting with bilingual caseworkers and redirecting families to external resources, such as community support through churches.

Conclusions and Implications:

The study findings reframe language access as a complex issue affecting caseworker-family engagement rather than a mere technical issue solvable through interpretation services. Addressing this issue requires more than just the CPA's efforts. While recommendations such as recruiting a representative workforce could enhance the CPA’s capacity, regulating language access across service providers is beyond their control. These systemic shortcomings leave LEP families disadvantaged in accessing services and being highly visible among other organizations like schools, thus increasing their risk of being chronically reported. To address this, additional community-based support programs are needed. Research on language access in child protective services is crucial for understanding LEP families' challenges and improving service delivery.