Child welfare workers’ experience of short-term online reflective consultation

Child welfare workers are at high risk for burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Reflective consultation is designed to support coping with job stress and promote effective work with children and families. In this study, 40 child welfare workers participated in six sessions of virtual reflective consultation (RC). Pre- and post- surveys were conducted, which included the Reflective Supervision Self-Efficiency Scale, Reflective Supervision Scale and Professional Quality of Life Scale, as well as qualitative questions. Self-reported reflective skills increased across the study period. Participants found RC valuable and were able to identify specific components they found beneficial. Overall, this study suggests that RC could positively impact the sustainability of the workforce. More research is needed to further explore implementation parameters and potential outcomes.