Stretched Thin
Large Caseloads and Stress
Stretched Thin: Large Caseloads and Stress
Early intervention practitioners are frequently confronted with considerable, often hard to identify, demands. The cumulative impact of managing large caseloads, meeting administrative requirements, and providing tailored support to families all contribute to persistent stress, and at times, burnout. This accumulation of pressures can negatively impact workforce morale, increase staff attrition, and hinder the quality of care provided to infants and toddlers with disabilities. As a result, families may face obstacles in accessing services and achieving optimal outcomes. Addressing burnout calls for a re-examination of workloads, strengthened support systems, and the integration of mental health and wellness initiatives within workforce development.
“High stress levels, large caseloads, inadequate support, and poor compensation were major concerns impacting retention and service quality.”
- Friedman-Krauss, Barnett, & Garver, 2024 Source
Ms. Monroe: Large Caseloads and a Lack of Work-Life Balance
Learn from Ms. Monroe as she addresses systemic gaps in support and infrastructure to create a more supportive and manageable environment for early intervention providers, improving work-life balance, well-being, and overall job satisfaction.
Toolkit 1: Reclaiming Work-Life Balance
Explore strategies that research and best practices highlight, along with short, medium, and long-term solutions, essential to address large practitioner caseloads and decrease burnout.
This tool was developed in partnership with the Early Childhood Intervention Personnel Center, a federally funded technical assistance center working to build the capacity of higher education, state agencies, professional organizations, territories, and tribal nations to increase their capacity to attract, prepare, and retain a qualified, competent, interdisciplinary, and effective workforce in early childhood intervention.