Professionals’ Working Conditions and Turnover Intentions in Norwegian Child Protection Institutions: A Comparison Across Ownership Models

This study compares the working conditions and turnover intentions of professionals in Norwegian residential child protection institutions across public, for‑profit, and non‑profit ownership, using survey data from 870 professionals. Apart from work-family balance, professionals in for‑profit institutions report less favourable conditions across key risk dimensions—notably, weaker collegial support, lower‑quality professional leadership, and greater work pressure. Turnover intentions are significantly higher in for‑profit institutions, which is largely attributed to a more limited scope for professionalism. These findings are discussed in light of institutional theory. In sectors where organisations compete for users, investment in professional expertise may be a strategy to enhance attractiveness. By contrast, in contexts where users are allocated providers, as in residential child protection, competition for public contracts may incentivise cost-cutting, flexible staffing, and selective bids for target groups that place particular demands on staff—dynamics that potentially heighten work pressures while reducing investment in professional competence.