Child welfare workforce turnover rates across private and public child welfare agencies are concerning. Although research about the causes of child welfare workforce turnover has been plentiful, empirical studies on the effects of turnover on child outcomes are sparse. Furthermore, the voices and experiences of youths within the system have been largely overlooked.The purpose ofthis study was, first, to explore the experiences and opinions about child welfare workforce turnover and retention of youths in the child welfare system; second, to explore a relationship between the number of caseworkers a youth has had and his or her number of foster care placements; and third, to harness the suggestions of youths in resolving the turnover problem. Youths in the child welfare system (N = 25) participated in focus groups and completed a small demographic survey. Findings suggest that youths experience multiple effects of workforce turnover, such as lack of stability; loss of trusting relationships; and, at times, second chances. The article concludes with suggestions for caseworkers, state trainers, local and state administrators, and social work researchers on engaging with youths in relationships that facilitate genuine systems change around social work practice and the child welfare workforce crisis.

The efficacy of Real Life Heroes (RLH) treatment was tested with 119 children in 7 child and family service programs, ranging from home-based family counseling to residential treatment. RLH is a sequential, attachment-centered treatment intervention for children with Complex PTSD that focuses on 3 primary components: affect regulation, emotionally supportive relationships, and life story integration to build resources and skills for resilience. Results included statistically significant decreases from baseline to 6 months in child behavior problems on the CBCL (Internalizing and Total Behavior), the Anger subscale of the TSCC, the UCLA PTSD Index-Parent Version (Reexperiencing, Avoidance, Hyperarousal, and Total Symptoms), and the UCLA PTSD Index-Child Version (Avoidance and Total Symptoms). Significant reductions were also found with repeated measures at 3-month assessments from baseline to 9 months on the CBCL, the UCLA Parent and Child Versions, and the PTSD subscale of the TSCC. Children receiving RLH did not have placements or psychiatric hospitalizations, a positive, but not significant trend, compared with trauma-informed "treatment as usual" provided by RLH-trained practitioners in the same programs. The study supported the efficacy of implementing trauma and resiliency-focused treatment in a wide range of child welfare programs and the importance of providing sequential attachment-centered treatment for children with symptoms of Complex PTSD.

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