Shhh…. I have a secret

*Note: I was someone that work with children with behavior issues. Specifically, foster children that were in their last ‘family home’ before being institutionalized. I like working with kids, and I can deal with all most all kids of behavior issues. But, the agency I worked for was the WORST!

which is where this post comes in.

Archive for April, 2011

The pink elephant in the room…

When there is an issue that no one wants to talk about but it is around any way, it is often called the pink elephant in the room. Why? Hell if I know!

I am faced with issues everyday that present themselves the exact same way- they are there and need discussed, but no one wants to admit they are real. What do you do? Push them aside and try to forget that they are there or admit that they are there and talk about them.

As a social worker it is my job to bring the pink elephants into the light. I am supposed to ‘suggest’ to people that they might want to deal with this ‘issue’ in a manner that won’t cause them to lose custody of their kids, or in the case of foster kids, so they won’t lose their placement. unfortunately, people don’t like to listen to what we social workers have to say. Especially if we are court appointed and don’t have a police officer standing behind us.

I wish that people would understand that in most cases I don’t want to take the child from the home, I want to help the parents learn how to manage their anger/drinking/drugging/domestic violence/etc so that the child(ren) can stay in the home safely. Instead of being looked at as help or a person that can help them access desperately needed services, we are “the ENEMY”.

I’m not. Honest.

However, if I see that you are abusing your spouse/child/animals/drugs/alcohol I will not hesitate to make the decision to put your child in foster care until you can straighten up and become a safe parent for that child.

Just DO IT! I can help you.

If you aren’t willing too, then you don’t deserve to have that beautiful child in your life, and I will recommend that he/she/they be removed on a permanent basis.

I believe that children belong with their bio parents, unless the parents are unfit. Show me you care more about your child than yourself and I will bend over backward to help you. SHow me you would rather get high/drunk or smack your spouse/children around and I will become ‘the ENEMY’ to you and the savior of the child(ren).

It is my job and my moral obligation as thinking human adult.

Deal with it or I will.