What’s Social Work… Really?
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What’s Social Work… Really?

Social work is one of the most challenging career choices a person can make. You can’t do it for money nor popularity because frankly those things just don’t exist in the field. There are other pitfalls as well, but if you have a heart to help people, along with thick skin and a solid faith base of some sort, then this may be the career for you. If you are considering the field, here are some essential tidbits to help you on your journey.

First of all, people that don’t have a personal relationship with you are possibly going to see in a negative light because of stories like this.

Boy killed by social workersFour social workers have been charged in connection with the torture death of Gabriel Fernandez, the 8-year-old Palmdale boy who died in 2013 after he was allegedly beaten by his mother and her boyfriend, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.

Stefanie Rodriguez and Patricia Clement, along with their respective supervisors, Kevin Bom and Gregory Merritt, have each been charged with one felony count of child abuse and one felony count of falsifying public records, prosecutors said in a news release. The arrest warrant was filed on March 28, the release stated. Rest of this article…

This is the type of story that makes my blood boil. It is by far a terrible exception, but cannot escape the public consciousness because of its sheer horror. For every story like that however, there are 10 stories that will eventually have a positive impact on the family and our society. One social worker explains the stigma very frankly.

The profession of social work is grossly misrepresented and poorly portrayed in mainstream media. It is not surprising that most people are completely clueless. Though most days I still feel pretty clueless myself, here is my attempt to put into words what being a social worker means to me.

It means having an honest dialogue with people. It means talking openly about trauma, addiction, suicide, homicide, rape, abuse, homelessness, mental illness, poverty, sexual deviance, criminal activity, racism, sexism, aging, illness, abortion, gay marriage, religious freedom, euthanasia, finances, issues related to military combat, and gender identity—among other topics. It means discussing these matters in the complete absence of judgement.

It means early mornings, late nights, and hours spent sitting next to someone who mostly cannot stand you in an emergency room, a food bank, or at the Department of Human Services. It means finding a bed bug crawling on your pants, having your car tire slashed in a dangerous neighborhood, and finding a needle in an unconscious person’s arm. It means watching two years of sobriety get washed down with cheap vodka or go up in smoke. More Here…

Like any field that involves intense stress, there are also potentially physical consequences. Keeping healthy is truly related to our emotional health.

One of the issues I experienced with child protection teams was that there were too few experienced workers. The unmanageable workload, along with a myriad of other issues, needs addressing.

My passion for social work remains, but my threshold for my health and wellbeing has irrevocably changed. I have made an effort to slow my pace of life, relax, and do more of what I enjoy. More…

In summary, social work is a sacrifice. There are those who are called to do it, and many others who are not. That said, I wouldn’t change a single thing about our choice to start Social Work Unlimited.

Next Social Worker article on WordPress Site.

Jeff Sessions says he has ‘no reason to doubt’ Roy Moore’s accusers

jeff sessions

  • Attorney General Jeff Sessions said during his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee that he has “no reason to doubt” Roy Moore’s accusers.
  • The Alabama Republican running for Senate has been accused by five women of sexual misconduct and pursuing relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.
  • An increasing number of top Republicans are expressing support for the accusers and demanding that Moore drop out of the race.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday he has “no reason to doubt” the women who have come forward in recent days to accuse Roy Moore, the Alabama Republican running for his vacated Senate seat, of sexual misconduct.

Sessions made the remark during his testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, after Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee asked him whether he believed Moore’s accusers, whether Moore should be seated in the Senate if he wins the election, and whether Sessions plans to introduce a Justice Department investigation into the allegations.

Sessions told Jackson Lee he had been instructed by Justice Department ethics advisers to remain uninvolved in the Senate campaign, and said the department “will evaluate every case as to whether or not it should be investigated.”

When asked by Jackson Lee whether the allegations against Moore would undergo a federal review by the Justice Department, Sessions responded, “We will do our duty.”

The allegations against Moore have rattled the race since a Washington Post article published last week documented four women’s claims that Moore pursued relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.

One of the women, Leigh Corfman, alleged that Moore had initiated a sexual encounter with her when she was 14 and he was 32. She said he brought her to his home twice, and on the second visit took off her clothes and touched her over her bra and underpants, then forced her to touch him over his underwear.

“I have no reason to doubt these young women,” Sessions said during the hearing on Tuesday.

A fifth accuser, Beverly Young Nelson, came forward in a press conference on Monday to allege that Moore had sexually assaulted her in his car when she was a 16-year-old waitress and he was the District Attorney of Etowah County. As proof of their relationship, Nelson displayed a page of her high school yearbook that Moore had asked to sign during an earlier visit to the restaurant she worked at.

“To a sweeter more beautiful girl I could not say, ‘Merry Christmas.’ Love, Roy Moore DA, 12-22-77, Olde Hickory House,” the message read.

Top Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan, have called on Moore to drop out of the race.

“I believe the women,” McConnell said during a Monday press conference.

The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado, also said Monday that the Senate should expel Moore if he wins the December 12 election.

“If he refuses to withdraw and wins, the Senate should vote to expel him, because he does not meet the ethical and moral requirements of the United States Senate,” Gardner said in a statement.

Watch Sessions’ remarks below:

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SEE ALSO: Mitt Romney says he believes woman who accused Roy Moore of sexual misconduct, calls on him to step aside

DON’T MISS: Republican senators are in a full-blown panic about what happens if Roy Moore wins

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