Mentoring and Social Workers’ Job Satisfaction and Intention to Remain Employed in Child Welfare.

RM 215-218

This study explored the relationship between mentoring and social workers’ job satisfaction and social workers’ intention to remain employed in child welfare. This study was conducted in Children Family Services (CFS), San Bernardino. 96 child welfare workers completed the survey using the JSSCW and the IRE-CW instruments. A quantitative research design was utilized to analyze the data. Specifically, an Independent Sample T-Test was used to determine differences between the social workers who had a mentor and those who did not. Additionally, a Pearson R Correlation Test was conducted to analyze the relationship between mentoring and the different factors influencing the dependent variables. The present study revealed no correlation between informal mentoring and social workers’ levels of job satisfaction and their intentions to remain employed in child welfare in San Bernardino County. The study also revealed that although child welfare workers were highly satisfied at their jobs they still intended to leave child welfare if they were presented with a better job opportunity. These findings cannot be generalized because this study was designed specifically for San Bernardino County and the validity and reliability of the JSS-CW is unknown. Further research on mentorship, more specifically formalized mentoring programs, is recommended.