Decision Cases for Advanced Social Work Practice by Terry A. Wolfer Lori D Franklin Karen A Gray

Author:Terry A. Wolfer, Lori D Franklin, Karen A Gray
Format: epub
Tags: SOC025000, Social Science/Social Work, SOC016000, Social Science/Human Services
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Published: 2013-11-19T05:00:00+00:00

CHRISTINA’S REPORT

Christina Winters made the two-hour journey to see the Duncans. Pam liked Christina and generally thought she did a good job with home studies. She had worked with the agency much longer than Pam and was a licensed clinical social worker. Pam also knew that Christina had spiritual beliefs similar to the Duncans’, but she believed Christina had good judgment and certainly was aware that multiple adoptions were not for everyone.

The team met again on Tuesday morning, one week later. Christina opened the discussion by reporting that she had conducted a home-study interview with the Duncan family and had started their official home study.

“Wait a minute,” Pam began. “I thought we were just assessing them further?”

“Well,” Christina answered, “they live two hours from here. I got out there and met with them, and they really won me over, I guess. They are strapped financially, but they have backups in place. The dad is pretty employable, and they really do seem to know how to manage their money well enough to keep things going. The house is clean, the kids seem happy, everyone is well cared for. I just couldn’t see a reason not to go ahead and start the study while I was out there. Especially since just having a home study done doesn’t mean the agency has approved it.”

“Does it imply to the family that we are supporting them, though?” Pam wondered out loud.

“That’s true, it might.” said Margot Nickels, the coordinator of Chinese adoptions. “I guess our decision now is if we approve this as saying that World Child recommends this family for placement. We can still say we don’t approve this study to go forward.”

“What about our concerns we discussed last time, though, Christina?” Elizabeth Caney, the coordinator of Vietnamese adoptions, asked. “You know, about what will happen with the kids with special needs after the parents pass away? Did they seem aware of all of that?”

“I pulled aside the older kids and talked with them alone,” Christina said. “They really seemed to understand, and they said they were just as devoted to their family as their parents are. They are very spiritual also and were able to articulate that this is part of God’s plan for them as well. Lauren especially already helps with the children and said she feels responsible for them. She is a very mature young woman.”

“I believe that,” Pam began. “I believe they are 100 percent genuine in saying they will take care of this child forever, but they just don’t know what that really means. We just have to remember that adoption triad here. We always try to consider the birth mother’s perspective, the adoptive family’s perspective, and the child’s perspective. So if I were the birth mother, would I want my child going to this family? I just don’t know if they can take on my child with all they have going on.”

“But, Pam,” Christina responded, “if you were the child, would you rather be raised in an orphanage or have a family, even if it’s chaotic?”

“I know, I know,” Pam said.

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