[Forever_family]

I have purchased gifts for our birth mother and for the interim foster care mother and got to thinking, do you get a little gift of thanks for your adoptive Social Worker or is a thank you card enough?

BTW I bought a beautiful birthstone necklace and a Willowtree angel box to put it in for our birth mother and for the foster mom I just got her a nice lotion gift basket. I hope that was enough for foster mom?

[Steph-Jason]

We just recently sent our SW a thank you card that included several pics of DD. Just yesterday I got a card back from her! She said that was the first time in her several years that someone did that & it made her cry when she saw our finalization pics! She said that she never gets to see the end product & loved seeing that. Perhaps some great pics would do??

[finallyamom0310]

We have tried several times to get our HS Social Worker to activities as thanks for her assitance. She came to DD's christening and then didn't return a single call after finalization when I tried to thank her. BTW - she changed jobs during the post placements so we had a hard time getting her for anything.

[takingtheplunge]

I've thought about this a lot.
This is what I am doing:

When we are finalized, I'm giving my SW an adoption annoucment card with a handwritten message of thanks.

I am also making a donation in the SW's name for the SW to distribute as needed. I hinted about what was needed and was told diapers, clothes, educational toys, etc. I was told that diapers go quickly when they get donations. So, to benefit other children & foster parents on budgets, I am going to buy one stipend check's worth of diapers via internet and have them delivered to the SW's office. It's the least I can do since the adoption cost me $0.

[Forever_family]

Thank you for all the wonderful ideas!!! I love the picture ideas, loved even more the diaper donation. Wish I would have thought of that on our finalization of our son, we adopted through the county for Everett.

[bromanchik]

There are some ethical considerations when considering gift-giving and invites to social invitations.

Here is what the National Association of Social Workers say about these issues in their Code of Ethics,

"(c) Social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. In instances when dual or multiple relationships are unavoidable, social workers should take steps to protect clients and are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries. (Dual or multiple relationships occur when social workers relate to clients in more than one relationship, whether professional, social, or business. Dual or multiple relationships can occur simultaneously or consecutively.)


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(c) Social workers should not solicit a private fee or other remuneration for providing services to clients who are entitled to such available services through the social workers’ employer or agency.

I put in the latter because it effects the amount of the gift. Small tokens are fine (One client gave me a wind-up toy... I collect them) or a donation of something for the office that would benefit the clients (I got a theraputic game once). Written notes and pictures are cherished as well. I have kept all of the notes I have gotten from clients.

Hope this helps....

[DannieAS]

Originally Posted by bromanchik

There are some ethical considerations when considering gift-giving and invites to social invitations.

Here is what the National Association of Social Workers say about these issues in their Code of Ethics,

"(c) Social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client. In instances when dual or multiple relationships are unavoidable, social workers should take steps to protect clients and are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries. (Dual or multiple relationships occur when social workers relate to clients in more than one relationship, whether professional, social, or business. Dual or multiple relationships can occur simultaneously or consecutively.)


*******************
(c) Social workers should not solicit a private fee or other remuneration for providing services to clients who are entitled to such available services through the social workers’ employer or agency.

I put in the latter because it effects the amount of the gift. Small tokens are fine (One client gave me a wind-up toy... I collect them) or a donation of something for the office that would benefit the clients (I got a theraputic game once). Written notes and pictures are cherished as well. I have kept all of the notes I have gotten from clients.

Hope this helps....

As a service provider in another field, I also have a code of ethics, however, I've always cherished any token of appreciation that a person may have given me...

code of ethics is simply to ensure that a person in 'power' over a service doesn't manipulate the situation...I don't think it has to do with tokens of appreciation or the thought of an invite.

Just my 2 cents as ASHA has their own code of ethics for myself to follow.

[4everyellowskz]

As a former social worker in the adoption field, I would have to say a simple thank you card and photo goes a long way. A number of my families would send cards at Christmas or after finalization and they definately put a smile on my face when I received them. Like Brenda I have kept all my written notes from families and I would be very careful too about providing something beyond a small token since we (social workers) do follow a code of ethics.