Job Reds & Blues

[blacken]

Being a survivor myself, and working with child survivors in my job (foster care services), is of mixed results.

My childhood experiences certainly have helped me to form a special insight into my young clients pain & suffering. But it also seems often to be a wasted insight. I know, that some of my clients are far more overwhelmed with their abuse than is apparent. But it takes awhile for me to document the proof of what I have already figured out, to get additional services in place. Even then, I have to badger & bitch.
And I really don't want my childhood Hell openly known.

It may be surprizing, but my client's abuse does not & has not been a source of triggers. I can keep it separate. But the fustration is in not getting the services in place that I know they need. There is so much Red Tape that gets in the way. M-O-N-E-Y is a major pain. The "Powers At Be" don't like spending money on additional services. So that means the kids (and everyone else) have to suffer a whole lot before anything gets approved.

So lately, the last few months, I feel like I'm being sent to a gun-fight without bullets.
Well, there goes the sound of my my work pager again.....its back to the gun-fight.

 

[Wuamei]

There is so much Red Tape that gets in the way. M-O-N-E-Y is a major pain. The "Powers At Be" don't like spending money on additional services. So that means the kids (and everyone else) have to suffer a whole lot before anything gets approved.

 

[Lloydy]

Blacken

Being a survivor myself, and working with child survivors in my job (foster care services), is of mixed results.

But even though you're starved of money I bet the good days, and the success, far outweigh the political bullshit you must go through.

It's a proffession to be proud of.

Dave

 

[Muldoon]

Blacken
Thank you for being there for the children we need more people like you out working for the good of children. I don,t think that the people in power have any idea of what the effects of SA has on the children who are victims. Keep up the good work and don't let the red tape get to you. Muldoon

 

[blacken]

My job is getting extreamly fustrating.
I'm still upset about an All Staff meeting on Monday. When the administrators ask for innovative ideas to better serve our clients, I spoke up.

I brought up that we need to change the way we are currently handling some of our young clients. The "5%", as I called them. 5% of our clients, are in desparate need of comprehensive services, immeadiately. There needs to be a Fast Track, or Hot List, or whatever name U want, to indicate the kids that are at risk. Kids that are not YET Doing Major property damage, not YET hurting themselves, not YET hurting others, but that are heading that way. (Any service I might try to implement, is iniciated AFTER the poor kid has crossed the 3 major behavior lines described above).

This suggestion was met with policical gibberish, vaugness, cries about lack of funds-(which to me doesn't excuse the need but seem to be all "they" need to discount it), attempts at changing the subject & administrators hurring out the door!

The children I work with have been abused and neglected. And not to belittle the suffering of the former, but to emphasize the the need, The 5%, are usually the ones that have had experienced horrible events. The sexually abused, the brutally beaten and many other horrors no human should have to endure. Yet, they often linger on the edge, or fall into the "Great Canyon of the Overlooked". Where desparation is fostered, where mistrust of The Helping Hand, and Hatered of Self grow each day.

Each day, I see may young clients struggling to get through another day, another hour. Struggling against the terrors. Overwhelmed by the confusing world around them, doing the best they can, the best they know. The finely tuned survival skills they had used in their home, have become the traitor to stab them in the back. Now, the skills they had perfected don't work. It takes a long time, and a lot of love & patience, to help these children heal.

The "Don't spend money untill you absolutely have to" which also equates, " do the least unless there are lots of other professional telling you(in writting) you have to do more" attage, seems to be the motto today.

There is more I could say, but I need to clear my head.
Blacken

 

[The Dean]

Blacken, it is good to see your passion. Money is a problem. We all know that it does not need to be, but we have other priorities than caring for broken Americans.

These things happen everywhere. I teach in a college bound high school. We have AD/HD kids and LD kids and they need so much more than we give them. The difference is, that we could give the help if we wanted to. Lots of frustration there.

Keep plugging away. Let the kids see your care and passion in their behalf--that seems to have a certain healing power all it's own.

Bob

 

[Ken Singer LCSW]

Hello Blacken:
Your posts stir up a lot of memories and feelings for me. I started my work in child abuse with child protective services in NJ in 1972. By 1979, I was in a position to develop innovative services to families who experienced incest. I continued to work in this agency for 12 years, including 10 years working part time at the state child abuse hotline. I continue to work in the sexual abuse field to this day as a licensed clinical social worker in private practice and consult and train with public agencies.

My daughter, now 23, got her first professional job four months ago with Ohio child protective services in the western part of the state. I hear her frustration and anger with the system... same as you. I hope she can continue to do this since the work is SO important. However, it takes its toll on her (I hear her venting almost daily to her mother/my wife, who is also a social worker in this field.)

Child protective services and the related organizations working with abused and neglected kids is difficult and tough work. You don't get appreciated by the parents you try to help and often times even by the kids whose lives you may actually be saving. (Kids usually want to be with their parents even when they abuse them or can't provide for them.)

The administrators want to keep things moving along as smoothly as possible. Don't make the papers with some serious problem, have to close cases to save money, protect kids/reunite families, etc. It's a crazy job. But someone has to do it.

The system is set up to burn out those who care deeply and get frustrated by the contradictory messages and mission. The incompetant often stay in their jobs and sometimes, by longevity or passing civil service tests, make it through the ranks to supervisors and administrators.

Those who stay in their posts with the craziness of the system often have to numb their feelings to the horror around them (suffering clients) and the lack of creative solutions to problems that are far beyond the scope of what caseworkers can do.

Coincidentally, there is a two part special on Public Broadcasting (PBS) tonight. Frontline, an award winning documentary program is doing a show on child protective services tonight and next week. Check your tv listings for the time and station. As I'm writing this, it's running in our local PBS station. You may be able to catch it tonight or find someone who has taped it. Also check out part 2 next Thurs.

Ken

 

[Mike Church]

Blacken:
Thank god for people like you. Unfortunately the plight of Survivors, regardless of their age, is only front page news with very little substance after. We are like Survivors of a drunk driver who gets, generally, a slap on the wrist for the damage they do. The gernal consensus there is "There but for the grace of God go I". I our case, I suspect that after the moral indignation and posturing, the feeling is that we could have prevented it and we are like dirty laundry; not to be shown in public. When I think of all of us who have suffered I am enraged that so many "NORMAL" people are doing this to us and it "NEVER" stops with suceeding decades. I am a lapsed catholic and they show, I believe, the same characteristics. No one wants to face the problem. The Church has said they will no longer allow gay men to become priests. I all my years I have not encountered one gay priest who was anything but a great human. THEY DO NOT REALIZE THAT FOR THE MOST PART IT IS THE "NORMAL PRIESTS" WHO DO THE DAMAGE. I suppose that every male who now wants to enter the priesthood will have to take a lie dector test. GOD THEY ARE STUPID. And that goes for the bureacracy that adiminiistes any programs for us. They just do not get it. Sorry for ranting on and on but I feel stronly about survivors; especially the younger ones, who, if they got really help quickly, would

 

[blacken]

mattandrew,
It seems that I have conveyed the wrong message to you. I do NOT and NEVER concidered a single one of my young clients to be "a number".

"5%" is a term I used in the context of this particular meeting, when speeking to administators.

I currently have 19 individual children I work with, and I know each and every one. Each one is unqiue, with individual feelings, ideas, & concerns that deserve my utmost attention and hard work. I could talk for hours & hours about those children. I am committed to doing my best, and continue to strive to do better to meet thier needs. I am a determined advocate. I can often be found at schools, counseling, churches & community centers advocating for a sevice, addition, toutoring, participation, patience. Whatever I'm able to get for the child. I'm often held up by the Red Tape, or someone elses refusal to go "The extra mile" to help the child.

I still believe that around 5% of my clients are in danger of "falling into the cracks" of the current system. I am trying desperately to keep that from happening. And I'm just venting my concerns and fustrations here.

Thank you for pointing out that I was misunderstood, and for voicing your opion. I will try to be more careful and explain things more clearly.

Blacken...