A chance to do some good in the world: An inquiry into front line children's welfare workers in the climate of change created by welfare reform

Disenchantment with work through the loss of moral meaning often occurs when people choose poorly paid work in non-profit organisations. The motivation to make a difference or do some good in the world can be thwarted by policy, budgets, greedy organisations and oppressive leaders, or simply the difficulty of making sense of harsh realities. If children are part of the work landscape, moral distress can be amplified. This book looks at the kinds of frustration, stress and organisational attrition that can be linked to moral distress - the loss of moral meaning at work. This book deals specifically with front line children's welfare workers in Australia who are responsible for both the protection of children, and the preservation of families. At times the two objectives are in conflict with one another. Welfare workers often feel that they are in a no-win situation: they betray the parents when they give evidence against them to protect a child. Children's welfare workers are also stressed by media vigilance and scape-goating, inadequate resources,and the compromised identity of faith-based organisations competing for sparse secular funding.