BAPTISM OF FIRE

A Child Protection Caseworker responds to reports of child abuse and neglect. We investigate and determine if the child/children are at a risk of harm or neglect. If in our investigation, we feel that the child IS at a risk of harm, we are authorized to remove the child from his/her parents/carers until such time that the parents/carers eliminate the factors that are deemed to put the kids at a risk of harm.

I had my baptism of fire today. As I was trying to sort out which of the piles of paperwork I was going to wade through first this morning, my boss came up to me and asked me to take part in a removal. I wasn't in the least bit anxious, even if there was a bit of risk of harm to my person, because the father of the child we were going to assume into care, has been known to make threats to everyone in sight. In fact, I was excited (I know that sounds awful, but it was more of looking at it as a learning experience). But my boss took one look at the 3-inch wedge sandals and she said it was not appropriate for the situation we were getting into. Luckily I keep a pair of flat shoes (Mrs. Nabua-approved!) under my desk so I immediately changed into them. I guess I wasn't too anxious because I was only there to observe. My colleague would be the one doing all the dirty work.

I found out we were going to a hospital to tell a mother, who had given birth barely 8 hours earlier, that we were going to take her baby into care. There was already a long history of neglect in their family so there was a fear that the same thing would happen to this baby. Anyway, as I am not allowed to tell you guys about the case, I will just get straight to the point of this entry. We were discussing with the nurses if it would be a good idea for the mother to keep seeing her baby, knowing that in a few days, she would have to part with him. When I found out that she was breastfeeding him, I decided that even if I was only supposed to be observing, I would suggest that she be allowed to continue breastfeeding. Being the breastfeeding advocate, my conscience just wouldn't let me rest, knowing that here was a mother, with nutritious milk flowing from her breasts, willing to breastfeed her baby, her baby in the same hospital wing as she is, and not let her breastfeed. In our job, we are taught to ask ourselves, what would be in the best interest of the child? Well from a breastfeeding advocate's point of view, breastfeeding would be the priority! I thought to myself, should I push it? After all, the baby would get to nurse perhaps only 3 days tops. Is it worth it? But then again, I thought to myself, this kid is already disadvantaged, given his family's circumstances and the life that he is getting into. Colostrum, the milk that comes out of the breast in the first few days of a child's life, is the most nutritious milk that he will ever receive in his life. I used to have a whole speech about colostrum but since I haven't been helping anyone breastfeed, I've forgotten all the details. But I know that breastfeeding the baby, even for just 3 days, is in the child's best interests. My colleague was more concerned with the possibility of the parents taking off with the baby. Since breastfeeding would mean having the baby in the room with her the whole time, the risk of this happening was a bit high.

Luckily, my colleague was open to suggestions, and the nursing staff were willing to support the mother's breastfeeding. I felt I had just scored some bonus points for that little one! So much for small victories.

It still didn't feel good though, telling a mother who had just given birth, that she wasn't going to be able to take her baby home. I felt like Rumpelstiltskin and imagined how I'd feel if someone told me I could not take my boys home. But then, my perspective of Child Protection came into view and I realized that what we were doing was really the best thing at this point in time.

What a job! My colleague told me in the car that the burnout rate at this job was 9 months. It can get pretty draining. Maybe that's why there is all that leave available. I guess that just means I have to refrain from throwing myself into my cases because these ones are really major compared to the cases I handled in Xavier, and these could really eat me alive.

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I was flattered yesterday when my boss complimented me on a report I wrote. She said she liked that I was able to put in so much detail and that I write very well. I just smiled and said thank you. In my head, I said, "It's in the genes!" But what made it more meaningful was the fact that she had no idea what my genes were all about. She just commented on the report on her computer. Wow! And today, she asked me to write another report, and she told a colleague who was nearby, "She puts in EVERYTHING!"

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I finally did it! I enrolled in ...... tan da da dan...... Belly Dancing classes!!! It's going to be held in St. Clair every Monday night. I have to wear a tight top, loose fitting pants, and a shawl wrapped around my waist. Exciting!!! I've been wanting to do this for a long time, but because of Edge's ever changing schedule (then), I would never be able to complete the classes. Exciting!!!!