THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE STUDY

The core tenants of occupational social work theory have been described in this study to understand the influence of supervision as a mediating construct in relation to voluntary staff turnover. Occupational social work theory: “is a call to focus on the interface or goodness-of-fit between employees/families/communities and the workplace/organisation/corporation”

(Van Breda, 2009, p.286). Occupational social work theory argues that there is a reciprocal relationship between each element and draws on the ecosystems approach and the notion of person/environment fit (Mor Barak, 2008). Johnson and Yanca (2007, p.128) state that an ecosystem: “includes the person, all of the systems with which the person(s) interacts, and the larger environment, along with the transactions among the person(s) and systems”. Utilizing this framework will enable a researcher to understand the way that the environment (organisational climate and culture, resources, challenging work) interact and is determined by an individual to produce an outcome like voluntary staff turnover. In addition, this understanding highlights the relationship between child protection organisations; supervision;

social workers and clients and the reciprocal relationship that this continuum ultimately has to South African society.

Occupational social work theory argues for binocular vision of situations (Van Breda and Du Plessis, 2009). This entails the use of a lens through which to view the everyday problems

61 and struggles involving individuals and families while simultaneously using a lens to see the larger picture that involves the macro forces at play in a situation (Van Breda and Du Plessis, 2009). In the context of this study, binocular vision allows for a simultaneous view of the macro forces that affect voluntary staff turnover and supervision such as funding polices, neo-liberal principles, and the challenges facing South Africa as well as a view of the challenges and everyday practice of supervision and social workers’ lived experiences of working in the child protection field.

Finally, occupational social work theory allows a researcher to prioritize and use a variety of theories to understand the workplace and in so doing prioritize the person-as-an-employee.

Van Breda (2009, p.287) defines person-as-an-employee as a client system that focuses on the: “occupational needs of employees, such as their ability to cope with work-related stress, interpersonal conflict in the workplace and the negative spill over of work stress into the family”. This focus aligns closely with the supportive function of supervision and as such using this concept as a framework for understanding the responses of research participants adds depth to the study.

Mor Barak (2008) argues that occupational social work theory has evolved to an understanding of the role of work in human life and prioritizing this much neglected space in social work theory. This strategy makes occupational social work theory a useful framework for drawing together social work supervision and its impact on social work and social workers in the child protection field.

3.7. CONCLUSION

Social work supervision is recognized as an important mediator of an employee’s intention to leave an organisation. Cahalane and Sites (2008), in their research with social workers based in the United States, note that supervision is a key issue for social workers. Many social workers in their study indicated that they left roles because they did not feel supported by their supervisors. This finding is supported by Fakunmoju et al’s. (2010) argument that low supervisory support is positively correlated with a social worker’s intention to leave his/her current position. These researchers argue that supervision has a significant relationship to job stress and that when employees are experiencing high levels of job stress, quality supervision is able to decrease the stress levels (Fakunmoju, 2010). Findings by Barak, Levin, Nissly and Lane (2006) also note that social workers mentioned quality supervision as one of the reasons they would remain in a position.

62 This chapter contextualised the practice of social work in South Africa by drawing on research into the key challenges facing South African society. Particular attention is paid to the challenges facing social work, namely a shortage of social workers, high workloads, dangerous working conditions and concerns around remuneration. The literature review has also examined the key components of the child protection field in South Africa arguing that various international and national legislation and agreements made intervening to protect children a legal obligation in South Africa, however, the quality of this intervention is questioned. This section also discusses some of the features of child protection organisations in South Africa and looks at previous research into the factors that prompt employees to leave their current positions.

This chapter also explores the variables that previous researchers have suggested lead to job dissatisfaction and briefly identifies the three turnover models. These variables are linked to previous research on voluntary staff turnover in the social work field. The reactions of employees following becoming dissatisfied with their role are discussed in relation to organisational commitment, engagement and job involvement. Finally, the decision making process involved in deciding to exit an organisation is explored. It is noted that the traditional views of turnover, present a picture of employees who becomes dissatisfied with their work, their organisational commitment, the decrease in job involvement and engagement, and the decision making process based on a cost benefit analysis. Finally, international literature and the Department of Social Developments Recruitment and Retention strategy (n.d.) show the different retention strategies in child protection organisations.

63 CHAPTER FOUR

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY