QBC: Why doesn't the child social worker call us back?

This is a hard concern to address. We here at FLO are just as frustrated with this part of the process as are other professionals and families alike. So maybe it would work better to explain a typical social worker’s caseload and duties (we’ll leave a great deal out for screen space considerations).

A typical “state” foster social service professionals caseload may consist of 15 - 30 cases of children. Depending upon how their cases are structured, they may also be working with the biological parents in order to reunify the family. So imagine you have let’s say 15 kids that you’re caring for but they are in 15 different locations at the same time. Each location is contacting you about some issue about the child, the school may also be contacting you and so are 15 different biological parents.

One case has two siblings, each sibling has two parents but both kids have different fathers so now we have three parents. Each kid has a CASA, so that may be one CASA for both or two CASA’s - one each. Then there is the foster home, in this example the foster home has both kids but they also have two other unrelated kids; one of which is a biological kid to the foster family and the other a separate foster child. The two on this workers caseload both have emotional and educational delays so we need to add in contact with the school, therapist, etc.

Are you doing the math?

Each month the caseworker needs to conduct a 30 day health and safety visit for each of these two kids (multiply that by the 15 kids on their caseload). Each visit lasts 10 - 30 minutes each month. Then of course you need to factor in the time to complete the visitation paperwork, and any computer database entries. Oh, let’s not forget the court hearings every 90 days, 6 months and 12th month hearing. Staffing about the case, coordinating paperwork for the foster family so the child has insurance, etc. Let’s not forget that there are weekly, bi-weekly and monthly visitations between the kids and each biological parent (if permitted in the case).

So, lets see. One caseload of two kids includes; three biological parents, 1 or two CASA’s, typically a two parent foster home, 1 30 day visit for each kid each month, court dates, school, weekly visitations, and associated paperwork.

Multiply that by 15.

Now, we are not making an excuse for social service professionals not returning your calls but we just wanted to point out a legitimate reason why they may be running a bit behind. Of course on top of this, some social service professionals are not talented at communication. Many do poorly with phone communication, but do better with email communication.

So now that we have talked about actual real reasons why it may take a while to get back to you. There is still the failure to act as quickly as we would like, especially if we’re talking about a child that could find an adoptive family.

Communication issues are a big concern and they are often something that gets addressed frequently at national and regional conferences. But not as much in the day to day training of specific offices. We wish we could tell you that it is going to get better, but at the moment we’re just not seeing that is happening. We can tell you that between 2000 - 2011 we here at FLO have seen small improvements. Some of that has been the result of more automation and lower caseloads.

Social Service Professionals:

• If you cannot return someones voicemail, than at least respond via email.
• Each day make it part of your routine to respond to emails and voice mails from families, and their representative social service professional.
• Remember, these families are your key to a successful case, foster and adoptive. You’re not alone on the case, it all comes down to team work.

Families:

• Remember you’re not the only family, or child on any social service professionals caseload
• Hold your temper! If you need to vent, feel free to contact us here at FLO BEFORE you vent at anyone on the social service team.
• Your job isn’t to send your home study around. If you see or hear of a child you’d like to have your profile and home study submitted then contact your social worker. If you have a profile here with FLO than let us know and we’ll see what we can do.
• Remember, you're not the only family that has had their home study submitted and not all families will, or can be considered for a palcement; no matter how much you feel you fit the kid. If the social worker, supervisor or committee doesn't feel you're the right match. Well, your home study is removed and it is unlikely that you're going to hear from the social worker that you're not the right match.