Two and a Half Weeks Down

I started my new job as a CPS caseworker about two weeks ago. It has been an interesting time so far.  All I have been able to do so far is shadow my co-workers and complete on-line trainings and readings.  On Friday I will officially begin training, that will last through August and then I will be assigned my own cases.  I'm pretty excited for August!

When I was working on my bachelor's degree I interned for the dept of child and family services in Salt Lake. As an intern I worked with families and children after they had been removed from their homes. We worked with the families towards either being able to place the children back with their families or to terminate their parental rights and get the children in more permanent and stable homes. As a caseworker here in Texas my job is the same, except I'm not an intern anymore so I will do a lot more. From what I've seen so far the policies and procedures are very similar in each state. I feel like I have an advantage going into this job because of my internship and all that I saw and did there.  However, there were some things I was not prepared for.  First of all, Texas is a BIG state!  I've gone out with several different caseworkers when they have had to move their clients from one foster home to another, or from a treatment center to a foster home.  The foster homes and treatment centers can be anywhere in the state.  They try to keep them as localized as they can, but sometimes you have to place a kid out of the region, and county.  So the caseworkers I've shadowed have kids everywhere from Dallas, to Houston, to Austin, to San Antonio and a bunch of little small towns in between.  When I lived on the east coast and went to New York the few times that I did we would start in Maryland, drive six hours and have gone through several different states.   Well, in Texas you start in Texas, drive six hours and are still in Texas with no other state in sight.  It's going to be a lot of travel and a lot of paperwork.  There are also a bunch of other little things that I've been learning and getting used to out here.  Every one says "sir" and "ma'am" and calls me "Miss Sarah" and every one else is "Miss so and so" or "Mr so and so."  I always thought that was a Southern thing, and I'm not used to it.  It doesn't just roll off the tongue for me to say "thank you ma'am."  But I feel kind of rude not saying it! And then other little things are different like certain meetings or forms are called different things, or different people are in charge of different things and I don't have to do some things that I would have had to in Utah; just stuff like that.  Living in a military town also brings a new perspective and a new clientele.  Since the Army base is so big the towns surrounding it are kind of like a big melting pot for all kinds of different cultures and people, which unfortunately also brings different problems.  It's been a very interesting two and a half weeks.  I have met a lot of interesting people and have heard a lot of crazy stories.  I really like my co-workers and every one I've met so far.  Everyone's been really helpful in showing me the ropes and helping me get adjusted and settled in my new career.  It's been great.

Due to the nature of my job I have decided to make my blog private.  I don't currently know how to do that, but am planning on figuring it out and doing it really soon, so just a heads up on that.  Email me if you end up being blocked!