Let’s talk ·R·E·S·I·L·I·E·N·C·E! Resilience is an individual’s ability to overcome adversity, and it is influenced by many factors. A person’s resilience is strongly impacted by their environment and support systems within their lives. A supportive environment, relationships, and connections with other trusted and dependable human beings can make a tremendous difference in the lives of children and families who have endured toxic stressful and traumatic situations. We know how important resilience is in the lives of children and families faced with adversity, but what about the professionals tasked with helping build that resilience? The adults I want to discuss today are those in the North Carolina child welfare system, more specifically the Stokes & Rockingham Counties child welfare professionals.
When the pandemic struck back in March, it altered many of the ways our child welfare systems function and presented many challenges: limited office capacity to allow for recommended social distancing, limited technological resources, working from home, and navigating new realities in work/home/parent life. Stokes County Foster Care Supervisor, Rebecca McLemore, shared that they have faced many barriers around communication among placement providers and ensuring the children and families had continued access to mental health services. However, they have demonstrated resiliency to overcome those barriers. Stokes County child welfare staff have routinely had conversations with children, families, and placement providers on the importance of continuity of care during this difficult time. McLemore stated that child welfare staff have demonstrated their resiliency through consistent teamwork and communication. McLemore also shared that they are extending support to their workers by ensuring the workers and clients are safe, providing Personal Protective Equipment, and completing COVID-19 screenings prior to contact with children and families. McLemore stated they are promoting resiliency in Stokes County by ensuring contact with birth families and important relatives is still possible for the children in foster care thus promoting reunification and the overall well-being of the children in their care.
There have been similar challenges in Rockingham County where the Department of Health & Human Services Director, Felissa Ferrell, and her administrative staff have focused on building relationships within the agency to promote resiliency. The Director has hosted staff appreciation events, providing her staff with [socially distanced] ice cream socials and a Halloween event to recognize the hard work and efforts that they have all put forth during these stressful times. . Giving staff a time and place to socialize and “take a break” can help to build relationships, encourage feelings of support, and promote resiliency within the agency.
Even as they face these challenges, Stokes and Rockingham County child welfare agencies are currently lifting a new project, the Standardized Assessment Protocol. This protocol works to ensure that foster care children receive timely screening and mental health assessments after coming into care. SAP requires planning and training for successful implementation and the agencies have pivoted to a virtual planning process. The social workers in both counties have maintained a positive attitude while participating in this new process because they know that regardless of the challenges they are facing as workers, it is pivotal that youth who have experienced trauma have a pathway for trauma screening and assessment.
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