National Social Work Month

06 Apr National Social Work Month

Ever wonder what it is like to be a social worker? How does someone decide that this is the right career path for them? How does one find their way into being involved with foster care? Well, get these answers from this interview I had with a lovely lady who has done it all: fostering and social work!

Journey to Social Work

Q: How did you begin your journey with foster care and social work? 

Foster care and social work did not come to my attention until I was around 17-18 years old. I started my undergrad to be an elementary school teacher. After my freshman year, I felt the Lord tell me to change to social work, so I did. As soon as I graduated, I started working with Lifeline and was a foster care worker. I taught foster care TIPS classes, performed trauma-informed care, and conducted home studies for new foster parents trying to get licensed. I worked at Lifeline for 2 and a half years and then got a job working at an independent living program (ILP) where I helped with youth aging out of foster care. 

I worked there for about a year, being their first social worker for hire. I did therapy and resourcing for the youth, I took them to doctor appointments and grocery stores, and taught them life skills. I loved what I was able to do there. I had been volunteering with Created Ministries (CM) during this time, as well. Through CM, I did social work, counseling, coached participants and volunteers, trauma training, helped with life skills in our traverse training class for aging out/aged out youth, and more! 

Q: Did you have any prior knowledge about foster care and social work before college?

I did not have any background experience with foster care and social work before entering the field and before becoming a foster parent myself. My first experience with foster care was when I served at a camp for 3 years in Montana for Native American children who were in foster care. It opened my eyes to the foster care world. I saw how people, like me, had no idea what needs they had and what could be done about them. 

My heart holds a special place for all kids in foster care, primarily foster youth, because I feel they are the most neglected group. I am very passionate about getting the church to step in and fill the gap. I was able to do some of this while working with Lifeline. Sometimes people want to just throw money at problems, but they do not understand there are actual needs they could help with.  

Q: What was your impression of social work when you first started?

I had no idea what I was doing when I first started with social work. A degree doesn’t mean you know what you are doing; it just means you are capable of being taught how to do the job. That is how it was for me when I first started. As far as I knew, social work meant just being a resource. Boy, was I wrong. It is so much more than that. 

Q: What is an experience that has stayed with you in your time during social work?

One experience that has stayed with me is a reminder of how the smallest moments often carry the most meaning. I had been invited to attend a foster youth’s high school graduation, and I didn’t realize until I got there that I was the only person there for him. When he walked across the stage, I was the only person who cheered for him. When he found me after the ceremony, his whole face changed – he looked shocked and excited, like he didn’t expect anyone to show up. He was at a loss for words that he mattered to someone. He couldn’t believe that someone had come just for him. That moment stuck with me because it showed me how much simply being present can mean. 

Q: What are the hardest parts of your job?

It’s hard to see the brokenness, the hurt families and children, their stories, and wishing that someone could have been there for their parents when they were kids, themselves. A lot of people don’t realize it is a generational cycle. I also wish the church were more involved.

Q: What are some moments that remind you it is worth it to do what you do?

My line of work is so worth it, and I get to see why all the time. When one of my clients has a lightbulb moment, and I’ve been working with them for so long to see them get to that point, it is amazing. I love getting to watch people heal and find Jesus. Watching others see that they are truly loved and cared for is truly a blessing. A lot of foster youth in care think their life doesn’t matter, but if you show up and be consistent in their lives, the shock that they have that someone would be consistent for them is heartbreaking. But it is also liberating, as they are breaking the cycle, and that is hard to beat. 

Q: What is something you wish people knew about social work?

A misconception about social work is that we are DHR. We are not. We get a negative connotation because people think we are coming to take their children away. They often think we are there to judge or that we are harsh. That has never been my role. I have always wanted to help and be a resource for people. Most social workers go into it with a heart and passion to help people. Case workers are not social workers, either. Most case workers do not have a social work degree. 

Q: What are some needs in the system that you see through your line of work?

One of the biggest needs in the system right now is more foster parents. Not just any foster parents, but individuals and couples who can be patient with a young person’s behaviors, can advocate for the child’s needs, and can give them a safe and stable environment where they feel loved. There is an even bigger need for foster parents who will take in teenagers and children with special needs.  

Becoming a Foster Parent

Q: When did you know you wanted to be a foster parent?

As soon as I started schooling and was introduced to the needs foster children have, I knew I wanted to be a foster parent. I told myself that once I turned 25, I wanted to start fostering. I started the training, and I only planned to do respite care at the time since I was a single parent and not fully on my feet yet. I also did not have the time or capacity to provide more than that due to my job at the time. 

One night, I received a message about a 13-year-old girl who needed respite care. She was so precious, sweet, and innocent. After that night, they asked me to take care of her through Christmas because she had nowhere else to go. Of course, I said yes, because no child deserves to be alone during Christmas. After the holidays, I was told she had 3 brothers, and I found hope that she might get placed with her family. Sadly, they could not find a home that would take her to be with her brothers, and I was told she would be taken to a group home instead. 

I have some experience with group homes. I have seen the struggles that come with it. The thought of her going to a group home broke my heart, so I decided to keep her in my care. Three months later, she is still with me today. We have definitely grown closer to where we can truly be ourselves. When she gets an attitude with me, it makes me happy because it shows me she is getting comfortable with me. 

Q: What is something people may not know about foster care?

Half of the placements could be prevented if people were supporting the families living in poverty as a whole. 50% of children enter foster care due to neglect, and oftentimes that neglect is because a parent can’t pay the power bill, doesn’t have enough money for food/clothes, or doesn’t have childcare for their younger children. The most unique thing about being a foster parent is understanding that you are only a temporary parent, and you have to help support the child in returning home to their parent if that is the permanency goal. 

Something I have noticed in my journey is how God’s timing works in everything. The timing of ending my last job right before she came around was certainly God’s plan in motion. I was not aware she was medically fragile, so we have spent many days in the hospital on and off. The first night we stayed in the hospital, I ran into a foster parent I had met before. He was struggling, and I met with him and shared the gospel. He was five doors down from where we were staying. It was like, “What are the odds that God put that into motion?” It has certainly taught me that no matter what plans I have, God has his own, and I have learned to trust it and depend on it. 

Final Thoughts

Q: What is something you want to leave our readers with about foster care and social work?

If you’re feeling pulled toward social work, that usually comes from a genuine place — just know it asks a lot of your heart as well as your strength. Social work can be incredibly meaningful, but it’s important to understand that it often involves dealing with emotionally heavy situations and  navigating complex systems. It’s definitely not a job for someone who is looking for easy money, especially since it is a lower-paying job, but the small wins you get to celebrate with a client make it worth it. If it’s not you who is going to enter this career, then who?

Meaningful support for foster families isn’t just about stepping in during a crisis; it’s about building a steady, reliable system around them so they don’t feel like they are carrying everything alone. Support for a foster family can look like people who offer childcare every once in a while, others who bring a meal once a month, and some who sit and listen to the emotional needs of a foster family. Meaningful support is holistic care that is offered to a family.

You may not be called to social work. You may not be called to be a foster parent. However, if you are a believer, you are called to love your neighbor. There are so many other ways to support foster care. Find one way that you can serve and assist these people in your community and neighborhood. 

Visit fostercoalition.org to learn how YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.