It Shouldn't Hurt to be a Child.

This is and has always been one of my favorite weeks of the year... U93 is hosting it's annual Roofsit to promote awareness and raise money for child abuse. Recently, I have not exactly been a fan of U93, only because the music they play is not always what I want to listen to. That being said, I have made it a point to listen more this week because they always have representatives from local non-profit agencies that discuss their efforts to prevent child abuse. I work closely with many of these agencies and love what they stand for. Today, a couple volunteers with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) spoke on air about what they do in regards to child abuse/neglect. I personally love CASA. When I'm done with family social work, I have every intention of becoming a CASA volunteer. These people do a lot of what I do, but without pay. (Many people would argue that I practically work for free as well, but that's not the point...) Their job is to learn EVERY aspect of the case, often getting information from teachers, therapists, parents, foster parents... anyone who knows these kids. They typically visit the kids a few times a month and then advocate for them in court. One of the volunteers said something that really resonated with me... a CASA's mission is to speak for those who can't speak for themselves. They are truly selfless, incredible people and I appreciate everything they do for our children.

Currently, I have 34 kids ranging from 3 months old to 18 years old. One thing I love about this job is that each day is a new adventure. My good friend Allison (who is way more brave than me and works for CPS) summed it up pretty well in her latest blog post: Thank Goodness I Work With Social Workers. The life of a social worker can be rough. When I tell people I'm a social worker, I typically get one of two responses: "Oh, I could never do that." or "Ohhhh, so you take people's kids away."

Ahem.

The last response is my favorite. Most often, it's said with a tone of voice that is NOT supportive or encouraging, but rude and accusing. I went through four years of school to be a social worker and NEVER did I encounter a fellow social work student who chose this profession because they wanted to "take people's kids away." We never wake up in the morning and think, "Gee, I wonder how many kids I'll have the privilege of removing today!" Now, I am not currently in a position where I actually remove children from their homes. I come in shortly after children are removed and work with the parents on what they need to do to get their kids back. My mission is to reunite children with their parents. That's everyone's goal in each case. We're not evil people who find joy in removing children and never giving them back. We do EVERYTHING we can possibly do to make things safe for the child and to get them back with their parents. I often teach parenting education, budgeting, hygiene, coping techniques, stress management, and I support/encourage them in their sobriety efforts. I empower them and advocate for them when needed. There is such a negative stigma surrounding the social work profession, especially when people like Terry Sturgis come into the picture. Truth is, hundreds of kids each year die from child abuse. It's a sad reality, especially when you consider that it could have been prevented. However, it would be nice to also consider the number of kids who have been saved from these tragedies as a result of DCS and other service providers stepping in and removing children from potentially harmful situations. There are currently 34 kids who are depending on me to try and make their lives better, because they can't possibly do it themselves.

No pressure.

Honestly though, I absolutely love what God has given me the opportunity to do. I'm so incredibly passionate about social work. I have the utmost respect for everyone in this profession and enjoy the connection we all have to each other. It doesn't matter where we work or which population/issue we specialize in, all social workers have this bond just because we can all relate to each other. We lift each other up and provide support and encouragement when no one else can empathize with what we're dealing with. We may not have capes or supernatural powers, but in my mind (and in the minds of the children we serve), social workers are superheroes.