Abstract
During the 2007-2008 fiscal year in Sacramento County, California, Child Protective Services (CPS) Emergency Response (ER) social workers investigated nearly 20,000 reports of suspected child abuse, and some workers carried caseloads of 40-60 families. CPS social workers experience many complex stressors, such as high caseloads and high risk cases which could result in the death or severe injury of a child. Secondary trauma, copious amounts of paperwork and unsupportive management also add to stress. Staff turnover due to stress and burnout is an ongoing problem. When staff members leave, a vicious cycle of high caseload, burned out staff and turnover is perpetuated. Self-care and active coping strategies have been found to minimize the cumulative effects of secondary trauma and burnout and to promote staff well-being and retention. In the present study, ten Emergency Response social workers from Sacramento County were interviewed regarding their coping strategies. It was found that workers all fall somewhere on a spectrum of self-care. A few coping strategies noted were finding humor, honing time management skills, avoiding gossip and negativity, and taking a vacation. Poor self-care mainly consisted of poor boundaries between work and personal life. Suggestions and advice for management and new social workers were also offered.