[Redangel]

Dont get me wrong I have had some wonderful caseworker's. They pat attention to detail when returning children home, Then I have some try to push kids back home faster than they should be just to lighten thier work loads or moving into different jobs with in the agencie. I feel like I am always raising hell with some of them to try to make them realize how this might be unsafe. So far I have been right every time. Why am I seeing redflags and they are not, these are children not paperwork. I ask myself why do I get involed with the birthparents? And just drop the kids off at the back door not ever meeting them. In only 2yrs of foster parenting I would have to say the the children have been far easier than watching caseworkers handle thier cases. Just wondering how you all feel.

Thanks a bunch

[dadfor2]

hmmmmm.....interesting.....to be honest..i find both have challenges...the kids with their behaviours and the case workers helping us to get services for their issues...

no matter which way i weigh it out....i cant really say which is easier..

dadfor2

[sharkey]

You see red flags when caseworkers do not because you are involved daily with the children and their families and they are not. I have great cw's but they really only see the kids 10-15 minutes a month if that. Fortunately, they agree that I'm the one that knows the kids because they live with me. Unfortunately, realizing the kids might be unsafe and proving it to get the court to agree can be extremely difficult.

[2bemama]

I agree with Sharkey. We see the children pretty much 24/7 whereas the CW only see the kids briefly each month. My husband and I have had many concerns over the past 3 years that we have been fostering with the kids that we were fostering at the time. We verbalize it to the CW, GAL, SW, .....they probably hate to hear another message on their answering machine from us!!! But unless we advocate for these children...who will??/ We also document EVERYTHING about our foster children. Even though we as fp have concerns and major red-flags....it is hard to prove it in court.

[Gryph]

I find the case workers good to work with but their agencies often difficult. Most front line workers are energetic and caring while many higher ups are burned out and inflexible.

[AlbanyKaren]

Ok, feeling a bit beaten down here. I am a caseworker. In lieu of getting defensive, I want to point out some facts. These relate to my experience currently in Oregon as a caseworker, but I was also in child welfare in Florida and in Illinois, and the trend is the same.

1) Every year, legislators budget less money for child welfare.

2) Every year, the number of children coming into foster care goes up.

3) I am currently tracking 56 kids from 23 different families. The national standard is 25 kids to provide quality casework.

4) I am required to conduct a face to face with each child every 30 days. Typically, the work month is 20 days long. So, that 2.5 kids I need to see everyday on average. I don't spend less than one hour per visit with the children on my caseload. They make demands on me.

5) I receive approximately 30 phone calls a day from attorneys, foster parents, parents, service providers, probation officers, etc. They make demands on me.

6) I go to court on each case approximately every 4 months. They make demands on me.

7) Every six months that a child is in foster care, there is a Citizen Review Board hearing, which is like court, but from a community review panel. They make demands on me.

8) In addition to the children, I work with the parents. In some cases, I have three children with three different dads. Each parents gets services which I am required to provide for them, or at least to refer for services. In the next year, I will be required to meet with them every 30 days, as well. They make demands on me.

9) I know that as soon as I close a case, I will get two new ones. I would rather work with a family I know than be introduced to some new hell with some new family. If I ever have any doubt about a child's safety, I will NOT close a case.

Caseworkers are BUSY people. I wonder why the heck I'm doing this approximately three times a week, and it's usually when the job IS about paperwork and I can't go see the kids as a result.

If you have concerns about the children's safety or have a red flag moment, please contact the kid's attorney in addition to the CW. And when you call your caseworker, give as much detail as possible - if I get a call that says, "hey, call me", I will not respond as quickly as the call that says, "Hey, Tommy came back crying from his last visitation and said his mommy hurt him again. Please call so we can discuss this."

If you have a problem with your caseworker, ask for a meeting. Usually, it's a communication misunderstanding because, just as I know you are, we are extremely busy!

Happy foster parent appreciation month!

[shell4fosterkid]

I have been blessed with case workers. My problem area is with the Children's Mental Health System. They are extremely overbooked and took 12mo. to see our boys, then 11th hour see them and know nothing about them at all. They believe though that they are the ones to make decisions about what is best for the boys after seeing them a few months and hour a week. YIKES...They seem politically at odds with SSD and anything that I say is due to , yet another foster mother taking things personally. Sheesh. Thank goodness our workers have listened to us. I have even written letters to some supervisors about unethical behaviour of the CMHS. Sadly, their letters/recommendation hold sooooo much weight in court.

This is my only pet peeve regarding the system here.

[Withay]

I've had 6 fc in and out of my home in the last 1-1/2 years and one thing I do to keep the cw up-to-date (and also cover my own tail should any allegations ever arise - which fortunately have not) is to email them each Monday with an update of each child. I include things like: new tooth, behavior issues, dr appts, how the child reacted to visitation with bio-family, anecdotes, etc. Without fail, every caseworkers has said that this makes things much easier for them. You aren't trying to get hold of them via the phone and they have a written record of a childs progress while in your care. The cw can also read email at a time that is more convenient for them. If I have a real concern and need to talk directly with the cw I'll call them. They usually know that if I call, it is something I am very concerned about.

Another thing I do is to include a picture of each child with the email once a month. This makes sure that there is physical evidence of how the child is and also puts at least an electronic picture that can be printed in each childs casefile. These pictures can be printed if and when a child is available for adoption.

I have found that when a new child is placed in my home that if I ask the cw for their email address and explain why I want it, they are so grateful. They know that they will be getting regular updates. I also let the cw know that I welcome their visits and try to have everything the cw will want to see readily available when they come (ask them in your weekly email what they will want to see). Making sure that the little ones have had their naps and a snack before the cw comes will allow the visit to go smoother as you aren't as apt to have to interrupt to take care of these things. Simply ask yourself, if you were a cw and were making your 30-day visit, what could the fp do that would make it go more smoothly.

[ellia3]

Sometimes it is hard for Sw because agencies and the state are soo understaffed. This really makes their jobs difficult.

[Gwen]

I find that when the caseworker has had a chance to work with me and realize that my ONE goal is the best interest of the child, they really do come around. I try to do alot to make there job easier by making sure I only ask what I ABSOLUTELY NEED!!!! Does it take forever to return a call ...YES! Does it take them forever to visit or sign a paper..YES! Remember it is not bc they are incapable but bc they are often unable to met unrealistic demands put on them due to case load.