We Are Child Welfare

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We all must work together to improve outcomes for children, youth, and families in our communities. Together, we can create a system that supports the conditions for strong and thriving families and communities where children reach their full potential. Learn about the important role child welfare plays and what you can do to support your community members.
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What motivates you to do this work?
To keep it short: Let’s all do what is necessairy to make sure every child can play, be safe, learn and be taken care of. I want to contribute to that.

I love being able to navigate our foster families through the child welfare system.

I love about child welfare because it gives me the opportunity to help less fortunate familes and give back to the community. I love translating for them and advocating for them. Making a difference in the community motivates me to worker harder everyday. I feel my work makes a big positive difference in the community by helping my clients graduate from high school, by giving courage and word of hope to the parents of challenging teenagers. I help teem mom care better for their children.
Ana Duran, New York
I am renewed to see caring delivered on a daily basis to those in our community that need it! I am very proud of the Social Workers at New Hanover County DSS. They are making a positive impact on helping build a culture of safety, permanence and wellbeing in our community.
Brian Bocnuk, North Carolina
Children are the future of society and our world and need advocates to assist and intervene when necessary to guide them in their journey! Knowing that our work may have a positive and successful impact motivates me and the dedication and concern of the workforce to the betterment of others is amazing!
Brian Calo, New York
Being true to myself and families
Candy Warner, California
Change a child's life one at a time and give them the opportunity to flourish with a stable, safe and loving family!
Cathy Franklin, Michigan
Child welfare is a mission field. People don't "stay" in child welfare to make money, to get rich, or famous, or achieve great accolades . . . .people STAY in child welfare because of their LOVE for their brethren (children, older adults, poor, down-trodden), we stay because we care.
Cindy Holman, North Carolina
Child Protective Services has been a huge part of my personal life mission, and is a necessary and needed service in every community in the United States . . . . including our beautiful Carteret County. The many stressors on families . . . physical, fiscal, emotional, substance-involved . . . create environments where we are needed and required to step in and assist or protect our most valuable and most vulnerable resource . . . our children, our future. Staff here work tirelessly 24/7 - 365.
Cindy Holman, North Carolina
I love watching families make great changes and overcome their biggest obstacles.
Crystal Arnett, Colorado
I am very new to this and want to experience ALL THE THINGS. I absolutely love the job and see growth in families. I enjoy making a difference each day.
Darian Roberts, North Carolina
Being a part of the CASE National Training Initiative (NTI) has truly made me realize just how important this work is to the field and how adoption competency is critical in enhancing the lives of youth and their "forever" families. Child welfare and mental health professionals from State, Territories, and national organization express how this training has impacted their work and how they are applying the knowledge and skills gained......it's making a difference.
Edna Brown, Maryland
Every time I go out into the community I realize as I work with family units that this family was and could have been mine. These moments are humbling as I identify with many, if not all the families. These moments motivate me to be understanding and pray I can make however small, a positive change in their lives.
Esther Polanco, New York
What motivates me to work in child welfare is the connection were able to make with families each day. Being able to support families in any capacity, encouraging and recognizes that each individual is unique. Developing healthier relationships means a healthier families
Evelyn Beal, New York
Making a difference every day!
Geri Derner, Iowa
I love child welfare because it is a real life opportunity to help those who cannot help themselves. It is the most vulnerable of those among us who seek those of us who holds their voice!! I do this work because I was once in their similar shoes yet I narrowly escaped the system. This work makes a positive difference because we are being the voice to these children that have been silent for far too long.
Gina Bennett, Georgia
I’m motivated when parents overcame their barriers and have their children back.
Hae Lee Cho, Indiana
As a parent who has reunified with my children multiple times in the child welfare system, I want to use my experience and hope to help other parents successfully navigate the system. I want to positively impact the system and be a part of the solution.
By sharing my experience and ideas, I have the power to dispel stigma and shift bias. My goal is to improve the quality of the lives of individuals who work and live in the system and to help children by helping their parents.
Heather Cantamessa, Washington
Being able to support workers, families and children is amazing. Together we can all make a difference to ensure safety, well being and permanency for those we serve.
Ivy Bloom, Nebraska
Helping family and children.
Janice Craft, South Carolina
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What do you appreciate about the child welfare workforce?
I absolutely love to work with children and families in an attempt to overcome and change the behaviors in which led to our involvement. I have told my staff as well as myself if you are able to help one child, you have made a difference. Although this field is easily viewed as negative and can make the workers negative, I have strived to find something positive in each and every interaction with the families I serve to encourage them to overcome the difficulties of their situation.
Alberta Gunter, Oklahoma

Child welfare workers provide a safety net for children and families while working to support families in our communities. They are on the front line, often risking personal safety to ensure the safety of children. Child welfare workers make a difference every day in the life of families. They do this often at their own personal sacrifice.

Child Welfare is a challenging field, but it is rewarding to see the difference made with the families in overcoming their challenges through the solution focused skills building engagement. The community outreach in building and strengthening bonds and creating sustainable goals in addressing the many challenges faced by communities members.

Child welfare workers are heroes. Plain and simple!

I really appreciate the dedication of our Child Welfare Workers in a job that has very difficult and challenging times. During this pandemic our Child Welfare Workers have done an amazing job at adapting to the times and continuing to do their job and make sure the kids in our community are safe.
Beverly DeFazio, Ohio
I have been working for the Division for 32 years now. The work we do is vital in the protection of children. I appreciate those that choose this as a professional as it can be both very challenging and very rewarding. You have to find that balance and believe that the work being done is making a difference in the lives of children and families.
Beverly Dubiel, New Hampshire
I love working with children and families. What motivates me is just being able to help others and provide resources and be a support. This worker makes a positive difference because we are always working on obtaining permanency for children. I appreciate when we can all work together as a team for the children and families.
Carissa Bollhoefner, Kansas
Child welfare frontline staff are some of the hardest working and most caring people around; it is a heartfelt commitment to act on behalf of children and their families when you enter this field. So proud of all CW staff for battling such tough winds.
Christy Levine, Illinois
I have been so impressed with the collaboration of parties in the child welfare system coming together and finding solutions to challenges brought on by the pandemic in an effort to better serve our families.
Cindy Bricker, Washington
Child welfare is one of the most important careers we will ever have. I love how we can help families make meaningful changes that last a a lifetime and can break the cycle of abuse and neglect. The CW workforce amazes me with how adaptable and resilient you are. Thank you for all you do!
David Shaver, Pennsylvania
After 20 years as a Child Welfare worker, i still love helping and making a difference in the lives of children and families. One of the things i appreciate most about the child welfare workforce is their continued dedication and sacrifice for children and families. They show up day after day working hard to make a difference despite all the adversity and barriers that they face.
Donna Valandingham, Tennessee
Child welfare workers are amazing, resourceful, resilient, courageous, and caring!!
Erin Dowler, Colorado
Each and every day, our child welfare workforce across the country is engaged in critical work that makes a difference in the lives of children, families and the communities in which we live. We do this work because of our strong commitment to social justice and because we know that even one small intervention on behalf of a child and family can have an impact that is greater than we may ever know. We are catalysts of change and purveyors of hope. We do this work to make a difference in life.
Helen Cahalane, Pennsylvania
For 20+ years I have said that child welfare workers have one of the hardest jobs on earth and I can't even imagine how hard the job must be during a pandemic. I appreciate all of the hard work our frontline child welfare professionals do every day to ensure safety, permanency and well-being for our most vulnerable children and families.
Jennifer Justice, Ohio
Children are the future. They are our greatest asset. Every effort should be made that each child is given equal opportunity to success. The child welfare workforce does heroic work in difficult circumstances.
John Norton, New York
I am always amazed at how a family can open their door to a stranger and share some of the hardest moments in their life, and at times when they are having the biggest struggles. There is nothing more humbling than to be the listener in those brave conversations. This true engagement allows us to form a partnership for positive change in the most unique of ways. Very special humans enter into that work with a passion for helping and serving others. I appreciate this moment to honor them.
Josie Berry, Colorado
Child welfare workers across the nation are building family capacity while helping children. There is no more worthy cause in this two generation work. Tireless, dedicated and visionary workers help families achieve their goals while aiding their children. Unsung heroes across the nation, we celebrate you!!!’
Katharine Briar-Lawson, New York
I am always in awe of the creativity, passion and resilience of our child welfare workforce.
Kati Makelky, Colorado
I grew up discussing foster care and adoption in my family. My uncle and father were both adopted and my mother grew up with many foster siblings (her parents were foster parents). I have always felt called to this field personally which lead me to adopt my wonderful son from foster care. I love children and truly believe they are the change. I do believe that the work we do has powerful impacts on not just the children but our community. I love how dedicated this field is for a better tomorrow.
Kimberly Brusewitz, Texas
I love that I am surrounded by individuals that work hard for the safety of children and families. I am motivated by the growth and change that children and families experience with services. Children and their families are provided opportunities that they may not otherwise have access too. Children are in safer situations so that they can heal from their trauma. I appreciate the dedication and devotion of DHHS to grow and change with the research on trauma and the impact it has on families.
Kortney Aishe, Michigan
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