Hope for the child welfare system

IN RESPONSE to David Bliven's letter, "Caseworkers aren't our allies" which comments on the article "Criminalizing Caregivers," this letter is based upon my experience working within child welfare (foster care).

I would like to give my perspective on the child welfare system, as a social worker, a woman and a minority.

Mr. Bliven has several good points regarding how the system has "failed" families across the board. However, he fails to look at the bigger picture. There are a lot of flaws with child welfare, but there are a lot of hard-working, working-class people fighting for changes within the system. Caseworkers are constantly fighting against those who claim that they know how to fix the child welfare system, but lack experience working on "the front line of the battle."

I do agree with Mr. Bliven that some caseworkers are hired without having the proper credentials and background. Often, agencies have to hire people without the proper credentials due to the lack of resources and respect.

At times, those who have not studied social work or a related field lack the tools, including social work ethics, that the job desperately requires from caseworkers. Those without the proper tools and ethics, such as empathy for their clients, and who lack the knowledge and drive to advocate for their clients are the "bad apples" within the system.

I don't mean to say that there are no exceptions to the rule. That is just it--for Mr. Bliven to generalize and claim that all caseworkers are fighting against these families is not only deplorable, but it minimizes the important work that many caseworkers and other workers do within the child welfare system!

I have come across many injustices within the system. I have seen clients not receive the proper services due to long wait lists, I have had to work to fix the negligence of previous caseworkers, and I have seen Latino clients shortchanged due to a lack of bilingual services.

However, seeing many clients appreciate the work that is done for and with them by a competent social worker is rewarding, and it gives me a sense of hope for the child welfare system. Most caseworkers feel frustrated, burned out, tired, disrespected and helpless. But with the support of their co-workers, they are able to overcome these feelings and can act as competent caseworkers.

Instead of Mr. Bliven's harsh criticism against "caseworkers" in general, he should think of ways to work with caseworkers within the child welfare system. There is no need to point fingers at and scapegoat caseworkers for problems that are complex and not their fault.

Yes, the system is failing as a whole. There are a lot of reasons for this, some of which I referred to earlier. Perhaps it would be best to come together with other workers, including caseworkers, and work toward a solution, and not pick fights.
Diana Lopez, Chicago