Polk County DFCS Services Offered: DFCS offers a variety of services for the children and parents which include: Obverse behavioral aids Parenting aids Free day care/after school Adoption Foster Care Counseling and many other services to help the needs of families.  Mission of DFCS: The mission of DFCS is to access the well being and permanency of children. We strive to build stronger families and communities. Clientele or Population Served: There is no certain criteria or population served as anything can happen at any moment where your child may potentially have to be removed from your home. Often, it is families with low incomes which can sometimes result to not having the resources to provide for their children. Job Activities/Professional Roles: As a social worker I’m always accessing and making sure the children are safe in their home. Required to see children and families once a month but she sees her families many times throughout the month to build a relationship with them by attending events they me involved in. The social worker I interviewed is in the foster care unit so her main purpose is finding permanent placement for the children if they unfortunately will not be reunited with their biological parents. Working close with parents to ensure they complete their case plans in order to get their children back in their home.  Why Social Work? In high school and while in college, she mainly worked in retail positions. She always knew that she wanted to be a social worker or counselor. She has a passion to help people in need as well as a love of working with kids. It is a rewarding profession once a child/children are in their forever homes or reunited with their families.  Opportunities for Advancement/Professional Development: There are many chances in moving up in this profession. There’s many different roles you can indulge in but still be a help to the families as well as the community. For example, becoming a Supervisor, Trainer, Administrator, etc. For professional development, all staff have opportunities to learn new/updated rules/regulations as it refers to the job and what they do daily. For example, there would be new training on ethics, HIPAA, certain protocols, court hearings, etc.) She also asks her supervisor/directors for critique often to see how she can be more effective in her career. Self Care: A couple of strategies she learned is first to UNPLUG! When you get home, unplug from work; unplug from your work your devices (unless you are on-call). Do not check emails, calls, texts, etc. it is very hard to do, but that is how you start to experience burn out if you are constantly on the move and never just taking a break. If she is not on call once she gets home, she turns her phone off (weekends as well) You have to set boundaries or people will take advantage of you and your time. Spend time with your friends, family, do what you like to do in order to have a balance.  Job Satisfaction.

1. Polk County DFCS
Services Offered:
DFCS offers a variety of services for the children and parents
which include:
Obverse behavioral aids
Parenting aids
Free day care/after school
Adoption
Foster Care
Counseling and many other services to help the needs of
families.
Mission of DFCS:
The mission of DFCS is to access the well being and
permanency of children. We strive to build stronger families
and communities.
Clientele or Population Served:
There is no certain criteria or population served as anything can
happen at any moment where your child may potentially have to
be removed from your home. Often, it is families with low
incomes which can sometimes result to not having the resources
to provide for their children.
Job Activities/Professional Roles:
As a social worker I’m always accessing and making sure the
children are safe in their home.
Required to see children and families once a month but she sees

2. her families many times throughout the month to build a
relationship with them by attending events they me involved in.
The social worker I interviewed is in the foster care unit so her
main purpose is finding permanent placement for the children if
they unfortunately will not be reunited with their biological
parents.
Working close with parents to ensure they complete their case
plans in order to get their children back in their home.
Why Social Work?
In high school and while in college, she mainly worked in retail
positions. She always knew that she wanted to be a social
worker or counselor. She has a passion to help people in need as
well as a love of working with kids. It is a rewarding profession
once a child/children are in their forever homes or reunited with
their families.
Opportunities for Advancement/Professional Development:
There are many chances in moving up in this profession.
There’s many different roles you can indulge in but still be a
help to the families as well as the community. For example,
becoming a Supervisor, Trainer, Administrator, etc.
For professional development, all staff have opportunities to
learn new/updated rules/regulations as it refers to the job and
what they do daily. For example, there would be new training
on ethics, HIPAA, certain protocols, court hearings, etc.)
She also asks her supervisor/directors for critique often to see
how she can be more effective in her career.
Self Care:

3. A couple of strategies she learned is first to UNPLUG!
When you get home, unplug from work; unplug from your work
your devices (unless you are on-call).
Do not check emails, calls, texts, etc. it is very hard to do, but
that is how you start to experience burn out if you are
constantly on the move and never just taking a break.
If she is not on call once she gets home, she turns her phone off
(weekends as well) You have to set boundaries or people will
take advantage of you and your time. Spend time with your
friends, family, do what you like to do in order to have a
balance.
Job Satisfaction:
Being able to see parents get their kids back
The children will make you love them as soon as you meet
them.
Knowing the hard work and dedication you put into reuniting
families and/or finding families that are willing to adopt a
child.
She stated that the job can become stressful, but if you take
time for yourself and practice self care strategies, you will
begin to love what you do.
Thoughts and Feelings about the Agency:
Since I just started my career as a Case Manager at DFCS, I am
aware of what comes with the job. The employees I had the
opportunity to see were very nice and appeared to know a lot
about the agency, so they gave me more insight on what to
prepare for.
While protecting personal client information, I heard of what I
COULD expect from families and children. Some children lie
just because they get popped, some run away, some are
neglected, some parents really do not care and some do.

4. Luckily, majority of the cases are closed, and families are
provided specific resources to get them out of the current
circumstances they are in. I am prepared.
My reactions:
I had no reactions to anything I was told during this interview
or during my (current) orientation; I am sort of used to it.
While I never worked for DFCS, I was a mandated reporter at
my previous job. None of my clients had cases with DFCS, but
other clients did or were on the verge of it. Some of the clients
would come in with soaked diapers/pull-ups, not come to
therapy, parents would be late picking them up, bugs would be
in the clients’ food/lunch boxes, etc. So, I am prepared for
whatever I must witness/help a family with.
Cultural Awareness:
Cultural awareness was not demonstrated, but during the
interview, I could tell that they are aware of cultural awareness.
During the interview, the Social Worker kept saying that the
children and families come first, no matter what their
background or race is.
She stated that she empathizes with each parent and understands
that not everyone is raised or raises their children the same. For
example, she said some parents may whoop/spank their children
and some may not. The only way she will continue a case is if
the child is severely beaten, have bruises, or is constantly
beaten for no reason.
How Social Justice Relates to Services Provided:
DFCS serves almost everyone/all families in the community
They have multiple services that help all families, regardless of
the income
They help single parents with daycare/afterschool

5. Counseling is provided to families/parents who need it
Provide adoption/foster care services without judgment to
parents who do not want their children
Social justice relates to the services because if a family needs
help/certain resources, they are provided. These services are
provided to ANYONE who needs them!
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INTERVIEW PRESENTATION
NAME
OCTOBER 9, 2022
BASIC BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF THE
INTERVIEWEE
I interviewed a close friend.
He is an African American
He studied at Stanford University.
Their culture allows polygamy.
WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL
I learned that my close friend values family reunions.
He maintains family relationships and practices Christianity.
Their family believes that education is the key to success.
Family members attend cultural events to honor their ancestors.
They are immigrants.

6. SKILLS USED TO ADDRESS DIFFERENCES
Cultural competence
Cultural competence enabled me to be respectful of the
differences in cultural practices and beliefs.
Cultural humility
I was willing to learn about the cultural beliefs and values of
the interview subject.
SKILLS USED TO ADDRESS DIFFERENCES
Cultural awareness
I was sensitive to the differences that existed between the
cultures.
Communication
I communicated clearly with the interview subject
Effective communication allowed me to learn about the other
person’s cultural beliefs (Segal et al. 2017).
REACTION TO THE ACTIVITY
I felt excited after conducting the interview
The interview allowed me to learn about other people’s
cultures.
I decided to attend the cultural events to see what happens
during such events.
I thought that being polygamous would be a burden.
WHY I EXPERIENCED THESE THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS
The cultural practices and beliefs of the interview subject were
interesting.
I realized that African Americans liked dreadlocks, extensions,
weaves, and baggy pants.
The interview subject described his cultural practices in detail.

7. WHAT I LEANRED
I learned that African Americans have dominated some parts of
the United States.
African Americans embrace their cultures (Pritzker et al. 2017).
Their religious and cultural background binds them together.
ADDITIONAL SOCIAL SKILLS
Active listening
The interviewer should have listened more carefully and
utilized techniques such as summarizing to establish trust with
the interview subject (Segal et al. 2017).
Empathy
The interviewer should have identified with and understood the
interview subject’s experience and point of view (Pritzker et al.
2017).
Respect
I should have showed more respect to the interview subject’s
culture.
REFERENCES
Pritzker, S., & Lane, S. R. (2017). Political social work:
History, forms, and opportunities for innovation. Social
Work, 62(1), 80-82.
Segal, E. A., & Wagaman, M. A. (2017). Social empathy as a
framework for teaching social justice. Journal of social work
education, 53(2), 201-211.