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.
