Chapters 7 & 8

 Chapters 7 & 8 were distressing for me. I found that the information provided was extremely helpful since my job entails keeping children safe. I wish information regarding child abuse and how impacts the children as they grow were readily available. I wish that other professionals had the opportunity to have the knowledge about how child abuse impacts the emotional well-being of children. 

With any job, you develop a set pattern about how you approach issues. With child welfare, there are so many dynamics that come into play. The law dictates how we deal with child abuse as well as policy and code within the helping agency. Policy and law don't always line up with one another. When that happens it can delay permanency for the child. I find that law and policy end up catering to parents instead of looking at the best interest and overall well-being of a child and that becomes frustrating. 

When reading the chapters, I became conflicted in how I'm going to proceed with the families that I work with now. On one hand, I want to provide as much education to parents regarding how their decisions as parents directly impact the physical and emotional growth of their child. But at the same time, is that my hat to wear? Do I rely upon the therapists they are utilizing to educate the parents? Where do I fit in as I learn all of this information as I work on becoming a therapist? I know that I will struggle with slowing down my role. What I mean is that when I see families, I have a set agenda and I often help families with immediate problems and give advice. In the event I'm in a clinical setting, I'm going to have to retrain my brain to slow my role down. 

I just had a lot of feelings while reading these two chapters. I become frustrated in my professional life that I feel like I'm not heard or that my professional opinion is not valid. I want to be able to change the minds of professional who work with parents and children who have been abused. There has to be a macro change with how we approach neglected children, the work we do with parents, and how mental health plays a role in making these children and parents successful. 

I've become increasingly vocal about my opinion on sending children to Psychiatric Medical Institute for Children and Group Care. Basically, these are dumping grounds for children that no one can handle. When we should be looking at the past trauma these children have endured and the dysfunction within the family unit. 

I kind of went on a rampage with some of the issues these chapters have brought to my surface. If anyone needs clarification, I can do that. I'm just really disappointed about a lot of things surrounding trauma in children, adults and Iowa's helping systems.