Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

McAllister, Carolyn

Abstract

This proposed study would examine secondary traumatic stress among employees at Children and Family Services, addressing the growing concern that child welfare professionals experience significant emotional strain from ongoing exposure to client trauma. Although trauma-informed care initiatives often focus on improving outcomes for children and families, less attention is given to workforce well-being, which directly impacts service quality, case management, and organizational stability. This quantitative study would use a cross-sectional correlational design and collect anonymous survey data with the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale, along with selected workplace and demographic variables, including perceived workplace support, length of employment, weekly work hours, age, and gender. Data would be analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, t-tests, and multiple linear regression. The findings would inform trauma-informed organizational practices and contribute to social work efforts to enhance workforce sustainability, supervision practices, reduce burnout, and employee wellness initiatives within child welfare systems.

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