South Carolina Child Welfare Caseworker Turnover Rate At 22%, State To Implement Improvement Plan

As part of a plan to improve the performance of South Carolina’s child welfare system, the South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS) seeks to reduce its child welfare caseworker turnover rate and to implement caseload limits. The turnover rate is currently at 22%, and is attributed to high caseloads and non-competitive wages. In June 2014, DSS implemented new standards setting a maximum caseload for child welfare workers, and in July requested approval to hire about 200 more caseworkers. The new standards limit investigators to a caseload of 24 at any given time and from 14 to 20 . . .