Do the majority of Social Workers really care?

How many times have you heard a foster parent complain about their children’s social worker? If your county's foster care system is anything like ours, then probably too often, unfortunately. It has been our experience during 16 years of foster parenting that social workers do not stay at their job for very many years. Many are young, fresh out of college, without children of their own, when they start. They are full of ideas about changing the system or making a difference. They are confident in the parenting techniques they have learned at college and expect you to follow.

Then reality sets in. Within a couple of months, their caseloads are filled to an overwhelming capacity because of government cutbacks, vacancies, leaves, and transfers. There isn’t any way they can do the job by the book and only work the 40 hours a week for which they are compensated. Children are returned because of their errors, abused, and returned to care, or worse. They see parents and children who do not respond to treatment regardless of the caseworker’s best efforts. They listen to the parents’ complaints, foster parents’ complaints, and the judges’ complaints.

After a while, they put in for a transfer to another position or leave social work all together. Who can blame them? Yet, we all know who suffers.

I just wish we could get workers that were in it for the children, and not just a job.. I understand they need a job. But if they can be in it 100% for the child, why do it>??????????? I have this oen worker that has been a worker for 6 years, and he is good. When he speaks his heart, he is degraded for it, and they try and wash it away.. why?????? If its' going to hender a child, yes. But if its' for the better of a chil, listen.. But most of the time they don't even listen to fosterparents, let alone workers..

sorry that's a sore subject for me..
God bless, DawnSu

During my fostering years i eventually realised that most F/C were not like myself and at the end of the day, money was the No 1 reason for fostering the child came bottom of the list. The department seemed to let them get away with so much it is unbelievable.

My main reson for retireing from fostering was the stress caused ,not particularly from the child but mostly from the Social Services and Social Workers. Even though in theory its all about the child in practice is all about making life easy for the departments. Once the Good F/C starts to put accross whats in the best intrests of the child the department feel threatened and start making life difficult for that carer:aghh: