Machine Washable Gladiators

Believe it or not, there was a time when I didn’t work for public non-profit child welfare.

I had a starter career in the bank. I liked it. Especially when I got to do extra cool things like fly on the company plane to exotic places like Cresent City to train people. But it didn’t seem like it was the kind of job to spark my soul. I got serious about the college thing, found psychology classes to be captivating, and yada yada yada was working near child welfare, but not quite in it.

As a foster family agency social worker, I would have infrequent need to unearth some court clothes and go to hearings with children, parents, and foster parents. I remember very clearly when THE social workers would arrive. The ones from the County who had direct involvement in whatever matter was at hand. I know it will sound cheesy and fake, but they seemed so cool to me. They’d walk up the stairs in a group typically and it wasn’t a far stretch to for my imagination to see a theatrical slo-mo walk accompanied by music that indicates they’re bad. Ass!

I wanted to be a part of it. The difference between private and public child welfare is that the worker is more directly involved in cases. They are the ones who report recommendations directly to the court. In child welfare social work, if the court becomes involved, every major decision is made by the court based on the social worker’s reports of the work by parents. It’s important to remember that it IS the parents who do the incredibly hard work required of participation. They will succeed because of themselves. But the worker also works very hard. They cheerlead, have difficult talks, direct towards things that can help, hold accountability, and have a level of responsibility that is intense. It sounds straightforward enough, but it’s actually quite complex.

It’s by design that that our system has people in everyone’s corner. This is intended to give balanced information by which incredibly important decisions are to be made. Differing perspectives lead to conflicting ideas about what the right thing to do with a family may be. And it’s in those times of conflicting ideas that social worker determination is tested hardest.

I’ve worked with a lot of workers in my time, and every single one has taken on the task because they genuinely want to help kids and families. They may have varying approaches for how that happens, but it is their purpose.

So, when you take someone who really believes they’re making the best recommendations and enter them into a gauntlet of criticism, it can take a toll on a social worker. Common are the moments for social workers in which no matter what steps they take, they know someone will be outraged.

Add to this the unending stack of demands from all angles, feelings, and seemingly unreasonable expectations and it can become a stew only the strong can stomach.

And they do.

Each social worker can without a moment’s hesitation recall stories of things that went so well they can give you goosebumps. I don’t know if for all of the workers if it’s those moments that get them through times that seem unreasonable, but I know those stories are what keeps me going.

Baby social worker me was very confused about the amount of influence those action hero county workers had. I imagine every social worker goes through a developmental milestone of their own when that realization hits. Nevertheless, they persist because it’s what they believe in.

I wish our system didn’t need to exist. But it does for good reason. And when I can think about any number of incredible things that happen every day, I’m more than inspired to continue. I’m fiercely dedicated it in a way that’s probably considered a pathological loyalty. And to the rest of the machine washable gladiators that also signed on to do the same honorable work, thank you! If you have an idea for what the slo-mo walk up song to department 11 should be, let me know.

Thanks for reading!