First week in the new job!

As some of you know, I got a "real" job with a social work agency called ResCare (aka Ameripsych) and this was my first week learning the field work side of it. I had shadowing to do on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, which is essentially like doing ride-alongs only instead of a police officer, I'm riding along with a social worker.

My position is Parent Aide, and the job is to be a third party documenting participant in a CPS custody case. Typically our clients are a mother whose child/ren have been taken away for any number of reasons and placed in foster care. CPS then contracts our agency to meet with the client for life management/parenting teaching sessions, as well as to supervise visits between the client and the child/ren.

Monday, my assigned shadow picked me up around 9am, and I felt like such a newbie, standing outside the main office with my coffee, all bright eyed and bushy tailed. We spent much of the day together, as the client that we were dealing with that day lived out in Mesa, and so did the child. Our client canceled her PREP class with us that morning, but we did the supervised visit that afternoon and I learned a lot. My shadow had me help document the visit, which is mostly just writing down everything that is relevant to the case-whether it is conversation or interaction, and any parenting that happens. I got very positive feedback on the visit notes (yay!) at the end of the day, and when I went home, I felt good about the work we did that day.


The rest of my week was pretty much like that-including a 4 hour visit yesterday where we spent an hour by the pool-in my work clothes. Yipes it was hot!

Today I got assigned my first client-a 23 year old mother battling a meth addiction who has a 2 month old son in foster care. I am pretty excited to get started. I know it is going to be hard at times, but I think this could be a really great job for me.

Doing this kind of work just highlights how amazingly lucky I am to have the family and friends that I do-people who are supportive, caring, generous, and loving. I am so blessed, and very very very thankful.

Sidenote: Spencer and I are heading out to L.A this weekend, and I cant wait to hang in the 80 degree weather! Hope you all have a good weekend too!

Love love love.
(and much thankfulness)

Lately...

I havent blogged lately because life has been crazyness. I will, I promise, but for now heres a photo or two.