Editorial Vol 18(1)

We received a generous response to the initial call for papers for this special issue, which extended the anticipated timeframe for publication. We thank all of the authors and reviewers for their patience in working with us throughout the publication process. We would also like to thank Margaret Adamek, Kadie Booth, Valerie Decker, and Michael Hernandez for their help in bringing this issue to press. Although we were unable to include all of the submissions in this issue, we were impressed with the scope of work being done in this field as well as the compassion, creativity and dedication of individuals working in this area. We look forward to the continuing evolution of our understanding of trauma and effective ways of addressing trauma and hope that this issue contributes to that process

Common Elements Across Evidence-Based Trauma Treatment: Discovery and Implications

The social work profession is facing a critical gap in its provision of effective services to an increasingly large number of clients who are affected by trauma. To explore for the presence of common components in evidence-based trauma treatments, a qualitative content analysis of 8 trauma treatment manuals was undertaken. Analysis resulted in the identification of 35 Intervention Objectives and 59 Practice Element codes. These were further organized into nine domains: trauma assessment, safety, engagement, attachment, core treatment interventions, attention to the social context, trauma processing, post trauma growth, and therapist self-care. Future work for the profession may involve synthesizing and integrating what has already been learned, and translating that knowledge into the classroom. Significantly, three domains which stress activities with the client in their social context were found to be common to trauma treatments, including safety promoting activities. Implications for social work education, practice, policy, and research are discussed

Job satisfaction in a stable state child welfare workforce: Implications for staff retention

The findings of this study build on and extend previous research on factors that contribute to job satisfaction in public child welfare agencies. Because the study agency has stabilized its workforce, it provides a unique opportunity to examine other organizational and environmental factors that may make a more subtle, yet just as deleterious contribution to staff dissatisfaction. Based on survey responses from 927 respondents, five research questions were addressed: 1) How does job satisfaction compare to staff in other human service organizations nationally? 2. Are differences in staff characteristics related to job satisfaction? 3. Are there particular areas of job difficulty that predict job satisfaction? 4. Are there differences by job category in job satisfaction? 5. What staff or job-related factors predict job satisfaction overall? Study findings were consistent with others that have examined organizational dynamics, particularly role stressors, supervision, and performance recognition and rewards. Results indicate that length of employment, being a supervisor, and experiencing difficulties with working conditions, supervision, and the lack of external client resources predict the highest levels of job dissatisfaction. Implications for public child welfare organizations are discussed, including strategies for attending to those organizational factors that negatively affect employees' perceptions of organizational support.Child welfare Retention Workforce issues

Supporting Child Welfare Traineeship Students through an Online Peer Network

This article describes the implementation of a peer network for social work traineeship students pursuing or continuing careers in child welfare. Literature on the best principles and practices for online community building reviewed and an explanation of how these best practices were utilized to build the online community is provided. Initial program design is described as well as program developments that occurred over four years of the program. The article then examines how the program’s evaluation was carried out and reviews some of the evaluation data. The article concludes with a discussion about the successes and challenges experienced in building the peer network and how other social work or traineeship programs, or agencies, might use an online peer network to support social work students and professionals