Strolin-Goltzman, J. (2010). Improving turnover in public child welfare: Outcomes from an organizational intervention. Children and Youth Services Review, 32(10), 1388–1395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2010.06.007

Type of Study: Pretest–posttest study with a nonequivalent control group (Quasi-experimental)
Number of Participants: 82

Population:

• Age — Mean=42 years
• Race/Ethnicity — 98% White, 1% African American, and 1% Hispanic
• Gender — 82% Female and 18% Male
• Status — Participants were child welfare caseworkers, supervisors, and management; and representative units of the agency were included on the teams (CPS, foster care, prevention, adoption, etc.).

Location/Institution: United States

Summary: (To include basic study design, measures, results, and notable limitations)
The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of the Design Team intervention on intention to leave child welfare. Participants were child welfare agencies that participated in either the Design Team intervention condition or a comparison condition. Measures utilized include the Workforce Retention Survey. Results indicate that there were significant changes for three of the six organizational variables (professional resources, commitment, and burnout) and intention to leave. Additionally, all of these interactions showed a greater positive improvement for the Design Team group than the comparison group. Limitations include the lack of randomization, a small rural and suburban sample, and a lack of diversity in the sample which challenges the generalizability of the results to urban child welfare organizations.

Length of controlled postintervention follow-up: None.

The following studies were not included in rating Design Team on the Scientific Rating Scale...

Anderson-Butcher, D., Lawson, H. A., & Barkdull, C. (2002). An evaluation of child welfare Design Teams in four states. Journal of Health & Social Policy, 15(3/4), 131–161. https://doi.org/10.1300/J045v15n03_10

The purpose of the study was to describe Design Teams, which were structured in four states to promote collaborative practices among professionals and former clients. Participants were forty-eight Design Team members who completed follow-up surveys, which explored individuals’ perceptions of their Design Team involvement. Second, 22 Design Team members were interviewed directly; they were asked questions about the benefits and accomplishments resulting from their Design Team experience. Measures utilized include a brief survey assessing the overall effectiveness of the Design Team process. Results indicate that both evaluation strategies found that the Design Teams had significant impacts on promoting family-centered practice. Additionally, 95% of the Design Team members interviewed noted that the Design Team enhanced attitudes, values, and beliefs about family-centered practice. Likewise, Design Team members surveyed strongly indicated that since their participation, they had “encouraged others to value the input of parents and families.” Limitations include that the evaluation relied on self-reports, did not examine changes over time, and the lack of standardized measures. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to criteria on the Scientific Rating Scale which requires that outcome measures be reliable and valid, and administered consistently and accurately across all subjects.

Strolin-Goltzman, J., Lawrence, C., Auerbach, C., Caringi, J., Claiborne, N., Lawson, H., McCarthy, M., McGowan, B., Sherman, R., & Shim, M. (2009). Design Teams: A promising organizational intervention for improving turnover rates in the child welfare workforce. Child Welfare, 88(5), 149–168. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20187567/

The purpose of the study was to describe the results of an investigation into the effects of the Design Team intervention which is designed to address organizational causes of turnover in public child welfare. Approximately 70% of workers completed the surveys at pretest and posttest; however, this analysis is a county agency-level analysis, not an individual analysis. Participants were (1) agencies that received no intervention, and the Design Team agencies on preintervention and postintervention changes in the five outcome variables; and (2) comparison between the three self-sustaining Design Team agencies and the other agencies on the pre-post intervention changes in the five outcome variables. Measures utilized include study developed measures that assessed turnover rates prior to and following the organizational intervention. Results indicate that agency leadership influenced and determined the Design Team composition, the teams’ developmental trajectories, their improvement priorities, and their achievements. Overall, agency leaders had the power to inspire, facilitate, constrain, and impede teams. Limitations include the lack of randomization, lack of standardized measures, and the small sample size. Note: This article was not used in the rating process due to criteria on the Scientific Rating Scale which requires that outcome measures be reliable and valid, and administered consistently and accurately across all subjects.