A Special Thank you to my Supervisor

To my supervisor,

Thank you so much for your help this semester. You were very supportive of me working and attending school full-time. No matter how busy you were, anytime I needed a question answered you made time for me. Thank you for coming in on the weekend when I needed a court report signed. We also had some great laughs with the team. I learned a lot of valuable information that I will take with me in my future endeavors. I appreciate you and everyone that made my internship there a memorable one. Thank you for everything!

Sincerely,

Jamie Gates

What I Learned this Semester

I really enjoyed my internship at the Department of Child Services. I learned so much and gained a lot of useful tools to use in the future. My goal at the beginning of the semester was to foster positive relationships with key stakeholders in the community and to help families get access to services in the community in order to keep families together. I also wanted to gain experience in being able to recognize signs of abuse and neglect. I believe I met each of my goals. I met a lot of different people from various organizations that partner with DCS. I also got a chance to meet different attorneys and judges that have a major influence on the families DCS serves. Lastly, I was able to put the parents and children I worked with in touch with various community resources to help the families get needed services. Overall, the internship was a lot of work, but very rewarding. Being able to build relationships with children and watching them grow was one of the best things about working at DCS.  

Career Services

A position with the department of child safety that I checked out was the DCS Program Specialist position. This position is responsible for conducting high profile investigations. The investigations include those towards foster homes, employees, and reports that cause conflicts of interest to a particular unit. Besides high profile investigations, there are a number of other duties that DCS Program Specialists perform. For example, they serve in special work groups, supports the unit supervisor, conducts staff trainings, and represents DCS by attending community meetings.

I think this position would be interesting and encompass many aspects. This position would have an array of tasks so that every work day would be different. This position would also be at a fast pace so work days would go by fast. This position may be one that I keep in mind for the future. I think it would be neat to work with cases that require a higher level of care when handling them. Also, this position requires working with community partners to forge positive relationships. This is important for DCS employees. DCS needs to work with communities in order to keep children safe. This is a position I would definitely look into further.

Court Reports

Recently my caseload doubled at DCS. This has been a difficult transition. It feels like the more I try to climb from under the work, the more I get piled on me. Unfortunately, when I received the cases, many of them had court reports that were due around the same time. I did not think I would be able to get done with them in time for court, but I just took it one report at a time. Generally a court report should reach the judge 15 days prior to the court hearing, but because the cases were given to me at the last minute and many need reports completed, I was not able to send some to the judge until one day prior to court. This is not good practice. This means that the judges have less than a day to prepare for the court hearing.

The plan was that after I got through the court reports for the new cases, that I would make sure court reports were completed on time going further. I hate showing up to court with a late court report. Some judges really yell at DCS workers regarding late court reports. I was blessed because I did not get yelled at by any job for the late reports. Judges tend to remember certain things about some DCS workers, I did not want the late court report to be one of them. I think with time, some of the shock from the high caseload will wear off and I will feel more comfortable managing the caseloads.

Dependency Trial

I participated in my first dependency trial. It was pretty intense. Since I did not have the case long, I did not have to testify. Instead, an investigator from my office had to testify since she was the one who originally removed the child in question from his parents. Court can be very intimidating, especially when the parent’s attorneys are trying to prove that DCS removed a child in error even if that is not the case.

As a result of going to the dependency trial, I learned some very valuable information to help me when I may have to testify. The first thing that I learned was to always take good notes and make sure I post the notes in our system as timely as possible. If there is no note or record of what happened, it is like it never happened. I also learned to make sure I watch what I say to parents during conversations because what I say can be used against me later. Lastly, I learned that it is very important to always show up prepared for trials. Even if DCS feels that we have all the proof we need to uphold a dependency, if we are not prepared for trial, it can completely dismiss the whole case.  

Strengths of my Organization

The Department of Child Services (DCS) has some great strengths as an organization. One of their strengths is that management supports lower-level employees with the decisions they make. Management allows DCS workers a huge amount of discretion when it comes to making decisions on their cases. Management will stand behind decisions made while helping to resolve potential problems if need be. Another strength is that DCS has employees who really care about helping families stay together. There are people who endure the long hours and little pay just because they enjoy helping families. In public service, that quality is very important to have. If someone is looking to get rich in public service they are in the wrong field. There is also continued training so that employees can stay up-to-date on organizational policies and best practices.

If I was in charge of a similar organization I would look into ways to keep high employee turnovers down. Employee turnovers cause a lot of strain on existing DCS employees. Because of the high turnovers, employees have to take on extremely higher than normal caseloads. Perhaps a streamlining of some tasks may help to relieve some of the pressures of high caseloads off of DCS employees. DCS employees also have to see children on their caseloads once a month which causes extra stress, especially when DCS employees have court reports to write and have to appear in court proceedings. I would have employees that do nothing but visit kids all month and share their findings with the regular assigned case manager. This will also relieve strain on case managers.

Monthly Staffings

Each month I staff cases with my supervisor. During the monthly Staffing we talk about how cases are going and any new findings on the case. We also discuss services in place for parents and children. We also discuss how the parents and children are doing with the implemented services. This is a good time for me to have any case specific questions answered and get my supervisors opinion. As a DCS case manager, we get some discretion when it comes to making vital case decisions. This is why it is important for me to be on the same page as my supervisor so if I have to make split-second decisions, I already know how my supervisor would want me to proceed. Therefore, monthly staffings have really helped me get a better grasp on the DCS processes.

Demonstrating Public Service

My organization demonstrates public service by being committed to not only help children in need but also the parents of the children. In order for a child in DCS custody to be placed back in the care of their parents, the parents are required to complete services tailored to the parent’s needs. Our organization goes above and beyond many times to make sure the parents with children in our care are receiving everything they qualify for. Our organization also provides transportation for the parents to see their children and get to services such as counseling.

Anyway that we can help the parents, within our means of course, to achieve their goals, we will help. We realize that there are thousands of kids in DCS care and do not want to take any more kids in unless it is absolutely necessary. DCS tries to stay as unbiased as possible when making critical decision. DCS also probes parents to make sure that the programs they’re participating in actually fits the parents needs and not just some random program.

Turnovers affecting other workers

I previously discussed turnovers within the Department of Child Services. I would like to now discuss how the turnovers affect other employees. Due to a number of recent turnovers, many new employees have received a considerable amount of child abuse and neglect cases. High turnovers affect other employees negatively and can cause an enormous amount of employee stress. It seems like it’s a vicious cycle. For example, employees leave, and cause extra stress on other employees and then those employees leave and cause even more stress on the next employees that will inherit the cases.

I believe what needs to happen is that DCS needs to be evaluated as far as operations and efficiency. Improvements to the current system and improvements to the current processes should help stabilize employee turnovers. Right now training for a DCS case manager is 3 weeks field training, where you mainly observe, and 6 weeks classroom training. I believe new employees are thrown into case management way too prematurely. Part of the reason this occurs is because of the high turnover rate. If the turnover rate decreased, it would give new employees more time to adjust to their current positions. There are many suggestions that can help DCS improve its approach.

High Turn Overs

There is a huge problem throughout the Department of Child Services. The organization has a high employee turnover rate. According to exiting employees, one of the main reasons they are leaving DCS is due to not feeling supported by their supervisors. This is shocking because the first thing people think of when they think of DCS is that employees have too high caseloads and have to deal with some awful situations. However, these are not the main reasons why people leave DCS.

It is true that when you start working for DCS you are quickly thrown into the whirlwind of never ending work. However, when speaking to other DCS employees, they love their jobs. They love helping and interacting with children every day. Those that are leaving due to not feeling supported by their supervisors have unfortunately been placed in a unit where communication is not good. Communication is key for any successful organization. Without great communication it is hard for any organization to thrive.

Free Write

This week has been pretty hectic. I started an extra class at night once a week. The first night was fine, except I was running late due to having to finish some things at work. This week I have had 3 child placements disrupt and have had a hard time keeping set appointments while trying to get the kids situated and complete required paperwork for their moves. Removing kids from a placement is not easy. Sometimes it is hard to see beyond the chaos to the greater purpose of things. All you can do is try to prevent more trauma from happening to a child and pray that you’ve made the best decisions at the end of the day. Many times I think there is a misconception with DCS. Some people think DCS just wants to remove people’s kids from their homes. The reality of the situation is that in most cases I see, the kids are not removed from the home until several chances are given. The only time I’ve seen children removed with no chances for the parents to correct their wrong is when the situation is so bad that there is no way we can’t remove the child. Ensuring the safety of children is not the hard part of working for DCS. The hard part is all the legalities that come with it.  

Leadership Opportunities

Leadership plays a role in my internship because I have to have leadership qualities when working with families in the community. In the role I am in I have to make important decisions regarding parents who have kids in our custody. I have to monitor the parents and make sure they are complying with their community services which are sometimes court ordered. I also have to make sure they are attending visits with their children and ensure they are making progress towards their family goals. Therefore, fostering good relationships with those in the community and community stake holders is vital. The same goes for my co-workers. They also have to do the same duties and must manage their time wisely. Multi-tasking is also important to meet organizational deadlines.

Interview

My supervisor’s main duties are to monitor the individuals in her unit. Not only does she need to monitor the individuals, she also has to make sure she does monthly meetings with each individual in her unit to ensure they are on task.  My supervisor has to make sure she is meeting deadlines put in place by the Program Manager and make sure her unit workers are meeting their deadlines. My supervisor was a DCS Specialist prior to her becoming a DCS Supervisor.

In order to get a supervisor position, it is important to have a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a related field. It is also recommended to have a Master’s degree. However, experience is always a plus and can be substituted for some educational requirements. The current new trend in this field is that there are many supervisor positions open with not enough internal staff to take them. Some DCS staff are getting these internal positions easier because there is no one really to compete for the position. I am encouraged to check the state website for a list of available jobs and requirements

Career Services

I recently spoke with a supervisor in the adoptions department at DCS. This is where I would like to be within the next 2 years. The supervisor informed me that adoptions is a good place to be for those who like to help children find suitable permanent homes. I was also informed that with adoptions there is a process for children and potential families that can eventually lead to permanency and that placement of children does not always work out. Therefore, an adoptions specialist has to be prepared for the negative results that can come from placing children with potential homes. An adoptions specialist has to anticipate every problem that could occur and work to prevent those problems from happening which could mean passing up potential placements for children. I think I would do well in adoptions because I like to ensure that children are placed in environments where they can thrive. In my current placement I work a lot with children who have come from disruptive homes. It would be great to be on the end that finds a safe, permanent, home for abused and neglected children.

Free write

DCS workers have to go through a lot and are responsible for making some very important decisions. However, the salary for a DCS worker is low in Arizona. I previously worked in public assistance in California and made more than what DCS pays their starting workers. There is a lot of stress involved as a DCS worker due to the never-ending amounts of work. Stress also comes from always having to appear at court hearings, making important meetings in various locations, and having to make contact each month with children on their caseloads. I can not imagine anyone wanting to work for DCS in order to make a lot of money because that will never happen. Most people work for DCS because they care about helping children and want to make a difference. However, the organization should adequately pay its employees based on their job duties and performance.

My Struggle

Going to school full-time and interning has been pretty challenging this semester. As part of my internship I work full-time at DCS. My hours are set; however, working long hours are required and necessary to get things done. It feels as though there are not enough hours in the day. My week days fly by fast but it’s hard for me to get everything I need to get done during the day. When I get home in the evenings I have a 9 year old daughter fighting for my attention. It is also imperative that I help my daughter with her homework. Even though I love interning for DCS, I sometimes do not know how long I can last with my busy schedule. I hope I can hang on and come up with a better solution for time management. I feel like every day is a different struggle and because I sometimes do not know what I am walking into at work, it is hard to make a set schedule and stick to it. I can understand why DCS has a high turnover, especially for those who have families. Hopefully it gets better soon.

Freewrite

This week my family and I took a vacation to California. I was so happy to see some of my family and friends. Although I could not see everyone, I still saw a lot of people. One of the first things that I get asked by family and friends is, “how do you work for DCS”. I always tell my friends and family that it’s definitely hard work, but somehow through all the chaos everything works.

When my vacation started, it started in Northern, California, then today we traveled to Southern, California. On our vacation we are probably going to Universal Studios and doing some shopping. It feels good to get away from DCS to relax. However, I can’t help but think about all the work that is waiting for me when I get back. Hopefully it’s not too bad!

A Typical Day at my Internship

Every day that I walk into work I never know what to expect. I always plan my day ahead of time, but at DCS anything can happen. My day hardly ever goes as planned. There are always other issues that pop up and need immediate attention. Normally when I come into the office I first check emails and voice messages. Then I categorize tasks according to importance. I also check to see if I need to make court appearances or visits with children. I generally try to make visits with children on specific days of the week so I can make that whole day a field day where I do nothing but go to different placements and visit kids.

On a typical day, I am completing referrals to services for children and parents. I am also working on progress reports to the courts. Because it is important for parents to engage in services, I also check to make sure parents are complying with their required services. Many times, I am putting out fires throughout a day. Of course, not literal fires, but it seems like I am trying to keep everything and everyone calm. For example, if foster parents are having issues with a child’s parents, I have to address the issues. Also, if a child is not doing well at his or her current placement, I need to figure out why. If a child gets hurt or experiences some type of trauma, I may need to remove the child immediately regardless of what I have scheduled that day. Therefore, it is not likely that any given day will go as planned. This may be one reason I like interning at DCS. Every day is something new.

When intervention is needed

Not only do I ensure the safety of children, but I try to help their parents make better decisions and eventually get their children back. Parents of children in DCS care are sometimes dealing with physical abuse, substance abuse, or neglect. As a case manager, it is up to me to make sure parents are attending their counseling services which can include domestic violence classes, parenting classes, and substance abuse classes. The parents have to want to change and do better for themselves. Through DCS they are taught to make better choices when it comes to parenting their children. Eventually if parents complete services and recognize their errors, they may be able to get their children back. However, this is also hinging on judicial decisions.

Duties!!

As part of the duties of a case manager at DCS you have to complete Court reports that describe a parent’s progress with required programs and child interaction. The progress reports have specified deadlines that must be kept. It is really important that a case manager know what all their cases entails because a case manager does not want to get to court and be called out by the judge. Being unprepared for court is absolutely unacceptable. I personally have not been called out by the judge and I do not plan to be in the future. Therefore, I constantly check court dates to ensure I have the most recent information.

Introduction

The organization I am interning for is the Department of Child Services (DCS). The organization is responsible for ensuring that children are kept safe. The goal is to help families stay together through intervention and community resources. I am currently operating as a case manager for the organization. In this role I will be working in the ongoing unit and managing a specified amount of cases. I will have to make monthly visits to children in DCS care. I will also have to help the parents of children in DCS care with special classes and resources to help them successfully get their children back. Court appearances are also required to state the organizations position. At DCS my day can be very unpredictable. It is important to be flexible when doing this job because in order to be successful you have to put in a lot of time and effort.

An Internship you Love!!

Hello my name is Jamie. I am currently interning and working for Arizona's Department of Child Services. It has been a wonderful, exciting journey so far. I have met some amazing, dedicated, individuals who love what they do. One thing I have always wanted was a career that I loved no matter how hectic it could get. With this internship I am hoping to gain the necessary skills to be able to foster positive relationships with key stakeholders in the community. I also hope I am able to help families get access to the relevant services in the community in order to keep families together. Lastly, I want to gain experience in being able to recognize signs of abuse and neglect. I am excited to take everyone on the journey with me and look forward to sharing my stories!