Assessing the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children’s social work from an economic, administrative data, and service user perspective

Paula McFadden; Justin MacLochlainn; J. Mallett; Mary McColgan; Emma McGinnis; Gillian Martin; Susan McGrory; Rachel Naylor

Assessing the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children’s social work from an economic, administrative data, and service user perspective

Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report › peer-review

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Abstract

This report presents evidence from three complementary strands of research: the lived experiences of care leavers, parents, foster carers and advocacy organisations; a large-scale employment level examination of administrative data analysis of children involved with social care services in Northern Ireland; and an economic analysis of the costs of workforce instability. Together, the findings demonstrate that social worker turnover is not simply a work-force issue. It is both a moral issue affecting children’s well-being, safety, identity and trust, and a fiscal issue creating substantial costs for public services and society.

Original language	English
Publisher	Ulster University
Number of pages	122
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 29 Jul 2026
Event	NISCC Lunchtime Seminar: The Moral and Fiscal Costs of Social Worker Turnover in Child Protection Social Work - Norther Ireland Social Care Council, Belfast, Northern Ireland Duration: 11 May 2026 → 11 May 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjPCkmDknqw&t=8s

Funding

This research was funded by the Health and Social Care Research and Development Division, Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland [HSC R&D Award File Reference: TL/5827/24]. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funders, i.e., the HSC R&D Division NI

Funder number
???publication-publication-funding-organisation-not-added???	TL/5827/24

Keywords

social work
child protection
turnover costs
turnover impact
moral costs
fiscal costs

Access to Document

Report on Moral and Fiscal Impact of Social Worker TurnoverFinal published version, 2.63 MBLicence: Other

Cite this

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title = "Assessing the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children{\textquoteright}s social work from an economic, administrative data, and service user perspective",

abstract = "This report presents evidence from three complementary strands of research: the lived experiences of care leavers, parents, foster carers and advocacy organisations; a large-scale employment level examination of administrative data analysis of children involved with social care services in Northern Ireland; and an economic analysis of the costs of workforce instability. Together, the findings demonstrate that social worker turnover is not simply a work-force issue. It is both a moral issue affecting children{\textquoteright}s well-being, safety, identity and trust, and a fiscal issue creating substantial costs for public services and society.",

keywords = "social work, child protection, turnover costs, turnover impact, moral costs, fiscal costs",

author = "Paula McFadden and Justin MacLochlainn and J. Mallett and Mary McColgan and Emma McGinnis and Gillian Martin and Susan McGrory and Rachel Naylor",

year = "2026",

month = jul,

day = "29",

language = "English",

publisher = "Ulster University",

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note = "NISCC Lunchtime Seminar : The Moral and Fiscal Costs of Social Worker Turnover in Child Protection Social Work ; Conference date: 11-05-2026 Through 11-05-2026",

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T1 - Assessing the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children’s social work from an economic, administrative data, and service user perspective

AU - McFadden, Paula

AU - MacLochlainn, Justin

AU - Mallett, J.

AU - McColgan, Mary

AU - McGinnis, Emma

AU - Martin, Gillian

AU - McGrory, Susan

AU - Naylor, Rachel

PY - 2026/7/29

Y1 - 2026/7/29

N2 - This report presents evidence from three complementary strands of research: the lived experiences of care leavers, parents, foster carers and advocacy organisations; a large-scale employment level examination of administrative data analysis of children involved with social care services in Northern Ireland; and an economic analysis of the costs of workforce instability. Together, the findings demonstrate that social worker turnover is not simply a work-force issue. It is both a moral issue affecting children’s well-being, safety, identity and trust, and a fiscal issue creating substantial costs for public services and society.

AB - This report presents evidence from three complementary strands of research: the lived experiences of care leavers, parents, foster carers and advocacy organisations; a large-scale employment level examination of administrative data analysis of children involved with social care services in Northern Ireland; and an economic analysis of the costs of workforce instability. Together, the findings demonstrate that social worker turnover is not simply a work-force issue. It is both a moral issue affecting children’s well-being, safety, identity and trust, and a fiscal issue creating substantial costs for public services and society.

KW - social work

KW - child protection

KW - turnover costs

KW - turnover impact

KW - moral costs

KW - fiscal costs

UR - https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/en/publications/9924a67d-5dcf-49e7-8512-73e48d95eb07

M3 - Commissioned report

BT - Assessing the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children’s social work from an economic, administrative data, and service user perspective

PB - Ulster University

T2 - NISCC Lunchtime Seminar

Y2 - 11 May 2026 through 11 May 2026

ER -

Assessing the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children’s social work from an economic, administrative data, and service user perspective

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Calculating the fiscal costs of social worker turnover

Calculating Social Work Safe Staffing Caseloads in Children’s and Older People Services in Northern Ireland: A policy development approach

Implications of workforce turnover in child protection social work: The ‘CARERS framework’ conceptualized by the voice of those with lived experience

The effects of child protection social worker turnover on children and families: A scoping review addressing a critical gap in social work turnover research.

Cite this

Assessing the moral and fiscal costs and impact of workforce instability in children’s social work from an economic, administrative data, and service user perspective

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Activities

Calculating the fiscal costs of social worker turnover

Research output

Calculating Social Work Safe Staffing Caseloads in Children’s and Older People Services in Northern Ireland: A policy development approach

Implications of workforce turnover in child protection social work: The ‘CARERS framework’ conceptualized by the voice of those with lived experience

The effects of child protection social worker turnover on children and families: A scoping review addressing a critical gap in social work turnover research.

Cite this