Radical love hits Child Welfare offices

Steve Duin: A revolution in Portland's foster care | OregonLive.com

I work for Child Welfare.  My day job.  When I started with Child Welfare 23 years ago I knew as little about the agency as you probably do.  My first job was typing up dictation and handwritten notes from caseworkers. I quickly learned the ugly truth that bad things are happening not just to kids across the country or Wacross town.  It can happen to kids anywhere.

I moved up from typist to Title IV-E eligibility worker.  IV-E is a stream of federal funding that covers a large portion of the costs associated with kids in foster care.  I spend my days reading case notes, narratives, court orders and financial screens to piece together IV-E determinations.

Caseworkers have the tough job.  They work hard to make sure kids are safe.  The hope is always to get enough services in place that kids can go back home.  When that cannot happen the best, safe, alternative is found.

Some days workers return from court sad.  Their careful planning overruled by a judge.

What these churches did to transform our waiting rooms into more of a family room shows that they realize that kids and families going through trauma are not just an agency's responsibility, but the community's as well.

Even further, the kindness these churches showed our workers by turning our lounges to places of comfort goes beyond reason, down to the washing of feet if you will.  For an agency where bad news can be a front page story in a flash, and  good news can be few and far between, with very little notice - this kind of love is, well, radical!

Thank you...
;)