Coaching in child welfare settings shows promise as a supplement to traditional agency-based supervision. This study investigates the perceived benefits and challenges of an innovative coaching model for social work students with child welfare internships. Focus groups were conducted with student interns, former interns, and coaches. Focus group participants perceived coaching as helpful for professional development and influential in decisions to stay in child welfare. Participants also contrasted supervision experiences with coaching experiences, finding coaching to be more supportive. Findings point to the potential of coaching and/or strengths-based supervision for fostering commitment to child welfare.
AaronsG. A.SommerfeldD.HechtD.SilovskyJ.ChaffinM. (2009). The impact of evidence-based practice implementation and fidelity monitoring on staff turnover: Evidence for a protective effect. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 77(2), 270–280.
2.
AkinB. A. (2016). Practitioners’ views on the core functions of coaching in the implementation of an evidence-based intervention in child welfare. Children and Youth Services Review, 68, 159–168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.07.010
3.
AkinB. A.BrookJ.ByersK. D.LloydM. H. (2016). Worker perspectives from the front lines: Implementation of evidence-based interventions in child welfare settings. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25, 870–882.
4.
AkinB. A.MariscalS. E.BassL.McArthurV. B.BhattaraiJ.BrunsK. (2014). Implementation of an evidence-based intervention to reduce long-term foster care: Practitioner perceptions of key challenges and supports. Children & Youth Services Review, 46, 285–293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.09.006
5.
AllenA.HaferN.BrooksS. (2020). Understanding the role of coaching in implementing and sustaining interventions in child welfare: A review of literature. Child Welfare, 98(2), 23–44.
6.
BarthR. P.LloydE. C.ChristS. L.ChapmanM. V.DickinsonN. S. (2008). Child welfare worker characteristics and job satisfaction: A national study. Social Work, 53(3), 199–209.
7.
BernotaviczF. (2013). The coaching role of supervisors. The Journal of the National Staff Development and Training Association, 7(1), 104–111.
8.
BoruckiJ. (2017). Coaching brings balance to child welfare supervision. Northern California Training Academy: Reaching Out: Child Welfare Practice, 2017, 14–15.
Casey Family Programs. (2021). How do some child protection agencies approach coaching? Questions from the Field. Healthy Organizations: Jurisdictional Scan. https://www.casey.org/child-protection-coaching/
11.
ChenS.-Y.ScannapiecoM. (2010). The influence of job satisfaction on child welfare worker’s desire to stay: An examination of the interaction effect of self-efficacy and supportive supervision. Children and Youth Services Review, 32, 482–486. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2009.10.014
12.
ClarkS.GilmanE.JacquetS.JohnsonB.MathiasC.ParisR.ZeitlerL. (2008). Line worker, supervisor, and manager perceptions of supervisory practices and tasks in child welfare. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 2(1), 3–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548730802237304
13.
Collins-CamargoC.MillarK. I. (2010). The potential for a more clinical approach to child welfare supervision to promote practice and case outcomes: A qualitative study in four states. The Clinical Supervisor, 29, 164–187.
14.
Collins-CamargoC.RoyseD. (2010). A study of the relationships among effective supervision, organizational culture promoting evidence-based practice, and worker self-efficacy in public child welfare. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 4(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548730903563053
15.
Collins-CamargoC.SullivanD. J.WasheckB.AdamsJ.SundetP. (2009). One state’s effort to improve recruitment, retention, and practice through multifaceted clinical supervision interventions. Child Welfare, 88(5), 87–107.
16.
DasA.ConnellyM.JohnsonB. (2021). Learning from the field: Dynamics of coaching within family and children’s services. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance, 45(1), 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1080/23303131.2020.1850588
17.
DillK.BogoM. (2009). Moving beyond the administrative: Supervisors’ perspectives on clinical supervision in child welfare. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 3(1), 87–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548730802695105
18.
GreenoE. J.TingL.WadeK. (2016). Transfer of learning to the field: A follow-up with child welfare MSW students after an intensive clinical training. Field Education, 6, 1–15.
19.
GundersonL. M.WillgingC. E.Trott JaramilloE. M.GreenA. E.FettesD. L.HechtD. B.AaronsG. A. (2018). The good coach: Implementation and sustainment factors that affect coaching as evidence-based intervention fidelity support. Journal of Children’s Services, 13(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-09-2017-0043
20.
HuntS.GoddardC.CooperJ.LittlechildB.WildJ. (2016). “If I feel like this, how does the child feel”? Child protection workers, supervision, management and organisational responses to parental violence. Journal of Social Work Practice, 30(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2015.1073145
21.
JacquetS. E.ClarkS. J.MorazesJ. L.WithersR. (2007). The role of supervision in the retention of public child welfare workers. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 1(3), 27–54. https://doi.org/10.1300/J479v01n03-03
22.
KadushinA.HarknessD. (2014). Supervision in social work (5th ed.). Columbia University Press.
23.
KayeS.DePanfilisD.BrightC. L.FisherC. (2012). Applying implementation drivers to child welfare systems change: Examples from the field. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 6(4), 512–530. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2012.701841
24.
KobulskyJ. M.GoeringE. S.LeeB. R.GrayC.MoonC.BrightC. L.GoodwinB. (2020). Virtual coaching for child welfare workers—A tool to promote learning. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 14(4), 458–476. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2019.1628867
25.
KothariB. H.ChandlerK. D.WaughA.McElvaineK. K.JaramilloJ.LipscombS. (2021). Retention of child welfare caseworkers: The role of case severity and workplace resources. Children and Youth Services Review, 126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106039
LietzC. A. (2018). Infusing clinical supervision throughout child welfare practice: Advancing effective implementation of family-centered practice through supervisory processes. Clinical Social Work Journal, 46(4), 331–340. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-018-0672-7
28.
LietzC. A.HayesM. J.CroninT. W.Julien-ChinnF. (2014). Supporting family-centered practice through supervision: An evaluation of strengths-based supervision. Families in Society: Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 95(4), 227–235. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.2014.95.29
29.
LietzC. A.Julien-ChinnF. (2017). Do the components of strengths-based supervision enhance child welfare workers’ satisfaction with supervision?Families in Society, 98(2), 146–155. https://doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.2017.98.20
30.
Mor BarakM. E.LevinA.NisslyJ. A.LaneC. J. (2006). Why do they leave? Modeling child welfare workers’ turnover intentions. Children and Youth Services Review, 28(5), 548–577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2005.06.003
31.
Mor BarakM. E.NisslyJ. A.LevinA. (2001). Antecedents to retention and turnover among child welfare, social work, and other human service employees: What can we learn from past research?Social Service Review, 75(4), 625–661.
32.
Northern California Training Academy Center for Human Services. (2013). The coaching toolkit for child welfare practice. University of California, Davis.
33.
OlaniyanO. S.HetlandH.HystadS. W.IversenA. C.Ortiz-BarredaG. (2020). Lean on me: A scoping review of the essence of workplace support among child welfare workers. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 287. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00287
34.
PecukonisE.GreenoE.HodorowiczM.ParkH.TingL.MoyersT.BurryC.LinsenmeyerD.StriederF.WadeK.WirtC. (2016). Teaching motivational interview to child welfare social work students using live supervision and standardized clients: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the Society for Social Work and Research, 7(3), 479–505.
35.
PerraultE. L. J.ColemanH. D. J. (2004). Coaching within social work field education. The Clinical Supervisor, 23(2), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1300/J001v23n02_04
36.
RadeyM.StanleyL. (2018). “Hands on’ versus ‘empty”: Supervision experiences of frontline child welfare workers. Children and Youth Services Review, 91, 128–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.05.037
37.
SaldanaJ. (2021). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (4th ed.). Sage.
38.
Salminen-TuomaalaM. (2021). How can simulation coaching improve emotional intelligence skills and situational awareness in child protection professionals?Athens Journal of Health & Medical Sciences, 8(1), 67–86. https://doi.org/10.30958/ajhms.8-1-4
39.
SmithB. D. (2005). Job retention in child welfare: Effects of perceived organizational support, supervisor support, and intrinsic job value. Children and Youth Services Review, 27(2), 153–169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2004.08.013
40.
SnyderE. H.LawrenceC. N.WeatherholtT. N.NagyP. (2012). The benefits of motivational interviewing and coaching for improving the practice of comprehensive family assessments in child welfare. Child Welfare, 91(5), 9–36.
41.
TrawverK. R.BrociousH. (2023). A statewide integrated child welfare coaching and mentoring program: Mentored workers’ perception of quality, impact, and satisfaction. Journal of Public Child Welfare. https://doi.org/10.1080/15548732.2023.2182397
42.
TriggsS. (2020). Making a difference again: How using coaching enabled children’s social workers to enhance their practice & fulfill their vocational aspirations. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 14, 77–87. https://doi.org/10.24384/IJEBCM/S14
43.
WalkerJ. S.BairdC. (2019). Using “remote” training and coaching to increase providers’ skills for working effectively with older youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions. Children and Youth Services Review, 100, 119–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.02.040
44.
WestbrookT. M.EllisJ.EllettA. J. (2006). Improving retention among public child welfare workers: What can we learn from the insights and experiences of committed survivors?Administration in Social Work, 30(4), 37–62. https://doi.org/10.1300/J147v30n04_04
45.
WilliamsN. J.GlissonC. (2013). Reducing turnover is not enough: The need for proficient organizational cultures to support positive youth outcomes in child welfare. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(11), 1871–1877. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2013.09.002
46.
ZinnA. (2015). A typology of supervision in child welfare: Multilevel latent class and confirmatory analyses of caseworker-supervisor relationship type. Children and Youth Services Review, 48, 98–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2014.12.004
