A qualitative analysis of child protection professionals' challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: Child Protection Professionals (CPPs) play a key role in providing insights into the child protection system and how it can best support children's right to personal security, particularly during trying times like the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative research provides one potential tool to tap into this knowledge and awareness. This research thus expanded earlier qualitative work on CPPs' perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on their work, including potential struggles and barriers, into the context of a developing country. METHODS: A total of 309 CPPs from all five regions in Brazil answered demographics, pandemic-related resilient behaviors, and open-ended questions regarding their profession during the pandemic. RESULTS: Data went through a three-step process of analysis: (1) pre-analysis; (2) category creation; and (3) coding of responses. Five categories emerged from the analysis: the Pandemic's Impact on CPPs' Work; the Impact of the Pandemic on CPP-Involved Families; Occupational Concerns during the Pandemic; Politics and the Pandemic; and Vulnerability due to the Pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Our qualitative analyses showed the pandemic resulted in increased challenges for CPPs across several fronts within their workplace. Although each of these categories is discussed separately, they all influenced one another. This highlights the need to continue efforts to support CPPs.

Resilience during times of enduring challenge: Brazilian Child Protection Professionals' resilience and psychological distress one year into the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Child Protection Professionals (CPPs) was widespread. Evidence regarding how those professionals dealt with the pandemic adversities and consequences for their wellbeing are scarce. OBJECTIVE: We sought to analyze whether predictors of resilience had changed one year into the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Specifically, we explored the resiliency of CPPs as the stress of the pandemic evolved from an acute stressor to a more chronic and persistent stressor. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 263 CPPs from the five regions of Brazil engaged in this study. Participants had a mean age of 40 years and, on average, 13 years of experience in their field. METHODS: CPPs were recruited between March and April of 2021 via professional social media outlets to complete an online survey. CPPs answered questions regarding their perceptions of their work conditions, psychological distress, and resilience. Survey questions were adopted from a prior survey distributed in 2020. RESULTS: We replicated findings from our earlier study in the pandemic: A model of CPPs' resilient behaviors showed good indices of fit even one year into the pandemic. Despite this, paths related to individual importance for personal resilient behavior were not significant in this model. Unmet resilient needs significantly predicted general psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: CPPs revealed some changing resiliency needs as the pandemic progressed. Results revealed that meeting resilience-related needs is key to decreasing the psychological distress of this population. This work adds to the literature on the understudied topic of CPPs' psychological distress and resilience during international challenges.

Brazilian Child Protection Professionals' Resilient Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic deeply affected child protection professionals. One potential area of concern is whether and how the pandemic has dampened these individuals' ability to engage in the resilient practices that are so vital to their wellbeing. OBJECTIVE: Within the unique and understudied context of a developing economy facing the strain of an international pandemic, this study sought to expand our theoretical understanding of the individual and socio-ecological predictors of whether child protective services professionals engage in resilient behaviors. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Three hundred and nine professionals working in child protection related fields (e.g., psychologists, social workers, professors, pediatricians, nurses, and other clinicians). METHODS: Participants were surveyed as to their demographics, current work conditions, their engagement in resilient behaviors, and potential individual and socio-ecological predictors of those behaviors. RESULTS: Both job support for and individuals' beliefs of the importance of resilient behaviors predicted their engagement in such behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Child protection professionals' resilience must be fostered by socio-ecological contexts, such as their workplace and employers, and additional supports are needed during the trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic.