Kontakt 2025, 27(2):179-184 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2025.027
Work-life harmony strategies of child protection authority workersSociální vědy ve zdraví - původní práce
- 1 Youth Home and School Canteen Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic
- 2 Masaryk University, Faculty of Social Studies, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Brno, Czech Republic
Introduction: The topic of work-life harmony of Child Protection Authority (OSPOD) workers is crucial, not only for their personal well-being, but also for the long-term sustainability of this demanding profession. This article focuses on developing a deeper understanding of the strategies that workers use to maintain work-life harmony, and provides insights into the role of organizational support in this process.
Methods: The research was conducted through interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) and qualitative semi-structured interviews.
Results: The results show that employees use a variety of individual strategies such as self-development, mindset, networking, time management and personal space for relaxation. They perceive support from the organization mainly through supervision, flexible working hours, professional training, and employee benefits. An interesting finding was that workers did not pay attention to the development of spiritual needs, which are an important aspect of wellbeing.
Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of systematic organizational support in the field of work-life harmony and recommends measures that can contribute to the development of wellbeing of workers and their sustainability in the profession.
Klíčová slova: Child protection; Resilience; Social work; Work-life harmony
Granty a financováni:
Masaryk University, the Czech Republic, funded the grants for this study. Grant number: MUNI/A/1748/2024.
Střet zájmů:
The authors are not aware of any conflict of interest relating to the above contribution. They confirm that they participated in the preparation of this article.
Vloženo: 7. únor 2025; Revidováno: 9. duben 2025; Přijato: 29. duben 2025; Zveřejněno online: 10. červen 2025; Zveřejněno: 23. červen 2025 Zobrazit citaci
Reference
- . Beddoe L, Ferguson H, Warwick L, Disney T, Leigh J, Cooner TS (2022). Supervision in child protection: A space and place for reflection or an excruciating marathon of compliance? Eur J Soc Work 25(3): 525-537. DOI: 10.1080/13691457.2021.1964443.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Beníšková G, Punová M (2020). Postoje pomáhajících pracovníků působících ve veřejné správě k zátěžovým situacím. Sociální práce / Sociálna práca 20(3): 69-83.
- . Boiarintseva G, Richardson J (2019). Work-life balance and male lawyers: A socially constructed and dynamic process. Pers Rev 48(4): 866-879. DOI: 10.1108/PR-02-2017-0038.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Brown LE (2023). The inclusion of spirituality/religion in child welfare practice: Strengths and barriers. J Public Child Welf 18(1): 135-157. DOI: 10.1080/15548732.2023.2171525.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Campbell E, Holtzhausen L (2020). Compassion Fatigue and Resilience among Child Protection Service Workers in South Africa. South Afr J Soc Work Soc Dev 31(1): 1-18. DOI: 10.25159/2415-5829/6309.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Canda ER, Furman LD, Canda HJ (2020). Spiritual diversity in social work practice: The heart of helping (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press, 624 p.
- . Clark CS (2000). Work-family boundary theory: A new theory of work-life balance. Hum Relat 53(6): 747-770. DOI: 10.1177/0018726700536001.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . de Guzman A, Carver-Roberts T, Leake R, Rienks S (2019). Retention of child welfare workers: staying strategies and supports. J Public Child Welf 14(1): 60-79. DOI: 10.1080/15548732.2019.1683121.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Dimmrothová R, Křivánková M, Navrátil P, Hendrychová V (2024). Risk factors contributing to crossing professional boundaries in the context of COVID-19 in the Czech Republic. Br J Soc Work 54(3): 976-994. DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/bcad215.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Figley CR (1995). Compassion fatigue as Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder: An Overview. In: Figley CR (Ed.). (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized. New York: Routledge, pp. 1-20.
- . Greenhaus J, Powell NG (2006). When work and family are allies: A theory of work-family enrichment. Acad Manag Rev 31(1): 72-92. DOI: 10.5465/amr.2006.19379625.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Griffiths A, Royse D, Culver K, Piescher K, Zhang Y (2017). Who stays, who goes, who knows? A statewide survey of child welfare workers. Child Youth Serv Rev 77: 110-117. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2017.04.012.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Hill EJ, Allen S, Jacob J, Bair AF, Bikhazi SL, Van Langeveld A, et al. (2007). Work-family facilitation: Expanding theoretical understanding through qualitative exploration. Adv Dev Hum Resour 9(4): 507-526. DOI: 10.1177/1523422307305490.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Lizano EL, He AS, Leake R (2021). Caring for our child welfare workforce: A holistic framework of worker well-being. Hum Serv Organ Manag Leadersh Gov 45(4): 281-292. DOI: 10.1080/23303131.2021.1932658.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . McFadden P (2020). Two sides of one coin? Relationships build resilience or contribute to burnout in child protection social work: shared perspectives from Leavers and Stayers in Northern Ireland. Int Soc Work 63(2): 164-176. DOI: 10.1177/0020872818788393.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . McFadden P, Mallett J, Campbell A, Taylor B (2019). Explaining self-reported resilience in child-protection social work: The role of organisational factors, demographic information and job characteristics. Br J Soc Work 49(1): 198-216. DOI: 10.1093/bjsw/bcy015.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . McMillan SH, Morris LM, Atchley EK (2011). Constructs of the work/life interface: A synthesis of the literature and introduction of the concept of work/life harmony. Hum Resour Dev Rev 10(1): 6-25. DOI: 10.1177/1534484310384958.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Miller JJ, Donohue-Dioh J, Niu C, Grise-Owens E, Poklembova Z (2019). Examining the self-care practices of child welfare workers: A national perspective. Child Youth Serv Rev 99: 240-245. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.02.009.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Molakeng MH, Trutter E, Fouché A (2021). Resilience of child protection social workers: a scoping review. Eur J Soc Work 24(6): 1028-1050. DOI: 10.1080/13691457.2021.1901660.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Munro E (2011). The Munro Review of Child Protection: final report, a child-centred system. The Stationery Office, 175 p.
- . Navrátil P (1998). Sociální práce jako sociální konstrukce. Sociologický časopis 34(1): 37-50.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Navrátil P (2015). How to develop and manage a participative organization in social services with children and youth? In: Pech M (Ed.). The International Scientific Conference INPROFORUM 2015. University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Economics, pp. 87-92.
- . Navrátilová J (2015). Life coaching as a means to build the identity of young people. In: Proceedings of the 9th International Scientific Conference INPROFORUM: Common challenges - Different solutions - Mutual dialogue. University of South Bohemia, pp. 93-98.
- . Navrátilová J, Navrátil P, Punová M (2021). The Well-being of Children and Young People: The Context of Social Services from the Perspective of the Capability Approach. Clin Soc Work Health 12(4): 49-61. DOI: 10.22359/cswhi_12_4_06.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Nissen L (2020). Social work and the future in a post-COVID-19 world: A foresight lens and a call to action for the profession. J Technol Hum Serv 38(4): 309-330. DOI: 10.1080/15228835.2020.1796892.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Ong HLC, Jeyaraj S (2014). Work-life interventions: Differences between work-life balance and work-life harmony and its impact on creativity at work. Sage Open 4(3): 1-11. DOI: 10.1177/2158244014544289.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Punová M (2022). Resilience and Personality Dispositions of Social Workers in the Czech Republic. Practice 34(3): 207-222. DOI: 10.1080/09503153.2021.2021166.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Punová M (2024). Strengthening the resilience of students and social workers. In: Baikady R, Przeperski J, Sajid SM, Islam R (Eds). The Oxford Handbook of Power, Politics, and Social Work. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 792-808. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197650899.013.43.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Punová M, Kreuzziegerová D, Navrátil P (2022). Resilience factors of social workers working with families in need. Sociální práce / Sociálna práca 22(4): 99-110.
- . Rose S, Palattiyil G (2020). Surviving or thriving? Enhancing the emotional resilience of social workers in their organizational settings. J Soc Work 20(1): 23-42. DOI: 10.1177/1468017318793614.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Smith AJ, Flowers P, Larkin M (2009). Interpretive phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 232 p.
- . Stanley LHK, Lutz S, Sabuncu BC, Magruder L, Wilke DJ (2023). Child welfare workers' self-care activities and impacts on health and well-being. J Workplace Behav Health 39(4): 418-439. DOI: 10.1080/15555240.2023.2274075.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
- . Wilkins D (2023). Seven principles of effective supervision for child and family social work. Practice 36(3): 213-229. DOI: 10.1080/09503153.2023.2261148.
Přejít k původnímu zdroji...
Tento článek je publikován v režimu tzv. otevřeného přístupu k vědeckým informacím (Open Access), který je distribuován pod licencí Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), která umožňuje nekomerční distribuci, reprodukci a změny, pokud je původní dílo řádně ocitováno. Není povolena distribuce, reprodukce nebo změna, která není v souladu s podmínkami této licence.