About social services and child abuse . . . ?

Has anyone ever wondered how social workers feel about child abuse and the system to protect children and the red tape and the problems and the media portrayal of high profile cases . . . ?





Personally . . . I have worked with children and families for 8 or so years (in youth offending) I have had regular contact over the years with social workers on CP issues and have been frustrated by the limitations of the system, so much so that I am being sponsored by my employer to undertake my masters in social work and will soon be qualified myself.


I am very frustrated at how easy it is for families to abuse children and hide this and how little power social workers actually have to intervene in cases where proof is limited and families are good at covering things up and avoiding contact.





the lack of funding, staff and resources compound the issues and make it a very difficult job and bashing social workers in the media is not the answer. Bash the governement and the legislators maybe?

About social services and child abuse . . . ?
i had a visit from them many years ago





a neighbour reported me after i got a bit too friendly with her boyfriend , they were brilliant i offered to show them around my house and speak to my children , even look for bruises





they did not bother me again as i was honest and upfront with them , i had nothing to hide
Reply:In the U.S., social services IS child abuse.
Reply:I agree with you that some social workers get a bad rap. However, you have to consider all the issues on both sides. Yes they are limited to what they can do, but just because they are overworked they cannot afford to miss something that might cost a child his life. They chose this profession and knew that most social workers are over worked and these issues were there. None of this is new, it has been going on a long time. They knew what they were walking into and now have to deal with it, it was their choice.
Reply:I agree that it is not an easy job but you knew that going in, didn't you?





And some social workers are a**holes. We got investigated when one of our kids complained that it was cold in our house.





I told her (the social worker) that if she or the kid wants to pay the bill we may consider changing the setting but, in the meantime, 1/ our kids are provided with shirts and sweaters but if they can't stand to wear more than a t-shirt in winter that's their problem, 2/ our house is warmer in winter than most houses are in summer and he doesn't complain about that and, 3/ go stuff herself.





Never heard from her again. Maybe if they learned to differentiate between stupid complaints and serious ones, they'd be able to do more for kids seriously at risk.
Reply:You don't really seem to have a question here. However, it sounds like you might be a part of title IVE (that is getting an MSW through the system and and having to give back by working in child welfare). This program is one of the critical ways that the federal government is both trying to professionalize child welfare and improve services.





Most people do not realize that many (and in some areas most) employees in social services and child welfare, may have a job title of "social worker" but are in fact NOT social workers. This is to say that they do not have a BSW or MSW in social work. Almost all states except state positions from title protection. This would be like the state calling someone a nurse or a medical doctor without any education. They do receive "training" but this training actually is much more about the bureaucracy than serving youth and families. This does not mean they are not good people, but education does make a difference.





It is great that you are getting your MSW as the more true social workers in child welfare the more it will change.





DA
Reply:you bet ye.
Reply:I agree. I was a social worker for five years, three of those with foster care children. The pay was horrible, we were on 24 hour call, and often I worked for nothing. Worse, I had a supervisor who liked to play "tricks" on her employees, such as leaving pornographic material on their desks, switching their office assignments at the last minute, turning the air conditioning down to almost freezing, etc. I was injured on the job in her car, and had a four year fight to get the case settled, losing my home in the process. The state wasn't even going to pay my hospital bill from the accident until I got an attorney in a major city and sued them!