Child welfare workers are often placed in the difficult position of needing to protect vulnerable children while supporting caregiver recovery. Perhaps the old idiom, “stuck between a rock and a hard place” characterizes these dueling responsibilities. Parents and caregivers in the grips of an addiction or struggling with mental illness need broad support to live their way into recovery, AND, children need to be protected. The work of child welfare is supporting the whole family toward health and wellness where each member has their important needs met.
In order to support the entire family, child welfare workers can help fill the gap between parent and child by being hopeful in the midst of despair, speaking truth with understanding, balancing choice and accountability, and trusting the process with a healthy dose of skepticism.
