Lunchtime Seminar - The Moral and Fiscal Costs of Social Worker Turnover in Child Protection Social Work

Presented by Paula McFadden, Professor of Social Work and Gillian Martin, Senior Economist, Ulster University.

This Lunchtime Seminar examines the implications of social worker turnover is an under-researched area, requiring urgent attention. For children and families engaged with statutory child protection systems, the loss of a social worker is more than a staffing issue, it is often the loss of a trusted relationship in a time of deep vulnerability.

Drawing on a comprehensive literature review, the consequence of turnover is found to contribute to placement disruptions, delays in achieving permanency, and emotional distress among service users. Repeated relational losses through moves, case handovers (or none), and broken attachments compound the trauma many children and families already face. The review also considers how organisational factors, such workload and supervision, can mitigate or exacerbate these harms. Emerging findings from research in Northern Ireland on service user perspectives on turnover demonstrates how critical retention is for service continuity and outcomes for children. Additionally, an economic analysis of the cost of social worker turnover is included.  This outlines the fiscal loss related to social worker turnover, related to economic inefficiencies and a waste of already scarce public funding.  So turnover is not just problematic for the service of vulnerable individuals and families but also for governments and employers, grappling to stretch resources in challenging times.