While social workers should always be celebrated for the difficult and critical work they do, March is Social Work Month, a special time to share gratitude. The theme for this year’s national celebration is “Compassion + Action.”
The compassion DCYF social workers have for their communities is turned into action every day whether it’s providing a family with the resources they need to thrive, petitioning a court for removal, or elevating youth voice during a Shared Planning Meeting.
“There are not enough words to describe the impact social workers have on the lives of others,” said DCYF Assistant Secretary of Child Welfare Natalie Green. “They consistently use advocacy, empathy, and hard work to help those feeling hopeless, unworthy, and lost, putting their compassion and expertise into action to be a change agent, problem solver, and to support social justice for all.”
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) employs more than 2,000 people who work in child welfare, supporting children and youth, so they grow up safe and healthy — thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community.
Social workers make up a large part of that workforce and serve in several departments and in a variety of positions across child welfare such as:
- Child Protective Services (CPS) Investigations: Performing advanced-level work in the investigation of child abuse and neglect allegations, and specialized case management in the CPS unit.
- Family Assessment Response (FAR): Focusing on children and youth safety while providing resources to safely keep the family together. FAR is an alternative CPS pathway for families with low and moderate allegations of child abuse or neglect.
- Family Voluntary Services (FVS): Working together with families to complete an assessment of strengths, needs, and child safety. Then connecting them with specific services such as family parenting education, counseling, or treatment.
- Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS): Providing a variety of strategies to achieve permanency for children.
- Extended Foster Care (EFC): Assisting youth 18 to 21 years old with placement services and opportunities to learn independent living skills support a successful transition to independence.
- Adoption: Finding permanent homes for youth unable to return home and supporting families as they adjust, adapt, and care for a new family member.
Other areas include After-Hours, Intake, Family Reconciliation Services, Missing from Care, facilities, and Child Health and Education Tracking (CHET), and Juvenile Rehabilitation. Just in this past year, DCYF social workers have:
- Supported parents like Joon in sobriety
- Helped moms and dads like Brandon and Pearl graduate family recovery court and create a bright future for their daughter
- Empowered foster parents like Nick and Lydia to have healthy relationships with biological families
- Reduced the trauma of removal (whenever possible) by placing children and youth with kin
“Working in child welfare can be difficult, but incredibly rewarding,” said DCYF Secretary Tana Senn. “What I’ve seen during my years in the legislature and my time so far with DCYF is the unwavering dedication social workers have to Washington children and families. Thank you for all you do.”
If you’d like to share your gratitude for a DCYF social worker, please send an email to dcyf.recognition@dcyf.wa.gov.