BSW Capstone

Running head: BACCALAUREATE CAPSTONE 1
Baccalaureate Capstone
Nadine Paparella
Concern for Kids
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Fall 2015-Spring 2016

BACCALAUREATE CAPSTONE 2
Table of Contents
Dedication……………………………………………………………………..…..3
Preface………………………………………………………………………….….4
Field Agency and Community Context……………………………………….…...6
Social Welfare Policy………………………………………………………….….16
Application of the Planned Change Process………………………………………27
Professional Behavior……………………………………………………………..43
Personal Qualities…………………………………………………………………55
Organizational Context of Practice………………………………………………..68
Reference………………………………………………………………………….79
Appendix A…………………………………………………………………….….82
Appendix B…………………………………………………………………….….83
Appendix C…………………………………………………………………….….84
Appendix D…………………………………………………………………….…85

Dedication
Upon entering Kutztown University I did not expect to be in the position I am today. I
was first enrolled as an education major, and within a year switched to the social work major of
context. With many nerves being unsure where my best fit was as an undergrad, I would not
have been able to make some of my life-changing decisions if it was not for my older sister. I
wholeheartedly dedicate and acknowledge my Baccalaureate Capstone to my sister, Nicole. She
has made a huge instrumental impact on my educational journey as a social work major. She
encouraged me, daily, to stay positive, work-hard and never stop believing myself and my
abilities. Her powerful words and constant support gave me the self-determination I needed and
is a large reason why I will be graduating with my Bachelor’s Degree in 4 years. Thank you,
Nicole, for understanding the nights I gave you attitude because I was stressed, for being the
reason I knew I could succeed, for asking and being respectfully interested in my classes and
assignments, for informing me that I am more intelligent than I believe I am, and for
continuously expressing how proud you are of me.

Preface
My undergrad experience as a social work major, at Kutztown University, has guided me
to transform into a social work professional. Educationally, my social work intelligence has
grown immensely since I first became a college student. I have gain sufficient self-competence,
cultural and diversity awareness, motivation to my learning in the classroom, and demonstrating
thus knowledge into my field involvement. I now have prioritized goals set for my future and
have found where I will fit best as a continuous learner. With my field placement, Concern for
Kids, I have discovered that the child welfare population is an area I can see myself progress in;
as the internship has been proven to be an extremely valuable and honorable experience. I have
learned more about my personal qualities, and behaviors as a professional, then I would have
ever expected. I have learned how to properly exhibit social work skills, roles, perspectives and
models, articulated in the practice setting and through the portfolio elements. I learned the
importance of knowing an agency’s surrounding community resources in order to properly
broker clients. I know how to successfully work with a specific client population, how to
professionally respond to ethical dilemmas and how a non-profit agency, and the policies they
follow, functions’ regularly, all within the micro, mezzo and macro levels of service.
Most vigorously, I learned how to implement the Code of Ethics, hand-in-hand with the
learning contact, which has been integrated heavily in classroom courses and through the
portfolio. Each informational and quality written element encompassed my critical thinking, and
multiple sources of knowledge on the social work practice. The following portfolio elements
correlate with each and every educational policy core competency that a growing social work
professional, like myself, value to abide by and appraise. The Code of Ethics, as well, integrates
into my continuous learning cycle. Although I have learned extensively about each ethical

standard, value and responsibly as a future social worker in my courses; the field involvement at
Concern for Kids has extended my academic and experiential growth powerfully, to demonstrate
effectively. Furthermore, the Code of Ethics influenced me and guided me throughout the past
four years and without it, my knowledge base on the social work profession would not be as
strong.
Incorporating all I have studied and accomplished in college, towards my experience in
the practice setting, has allowed me to feel empowered to make a difference in becoming a social
worker. This portfolio demonstrates my professional use of self and the social work knowledge I
have gained, as the elements and the practice relate gratefully. The personal gratifications in the
social work field are irreplaceable and my prioritize passion is to help others in need, to the best
of my ability, in the most professional manner. I believe with the connections I have created and
the weaknesses that I have transformed into strengths, it is very possible to accomplish my mind-
set accordingly. The integration of my classes, internship work, professional guidance, undergrad
studies, and academic/experiential growth, I have the self-determination to succeed.

Field Agency and Community Context
Community Description
The name of my agency where I am an intern at is called Concern for Kids. This agency
is located on One West Main Street, in Fleetwood Pennsylvania. The local which I am at is
called the Greater Berks region location. However, Concern has other locations in Lehigh
Valley, Southeast, Northeast, Susquehanna Valley, Wellsboro and one in Maryland (Paparella,
2014). Specifically, the program that I am placed in is the adoption/foster care home agency. The
field of practice here is for child welfare services. Concern serves families and/or individuals
from 47 out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania. As informed by my field instructor (2015), between
all the Concern locations and agencies, they serve 15,000 children and youth in placement
services and 1,500 into adoptive families, as of this year (Paparella, 2014). The specific client
system served by Concern, Greater Berks Region, is provided through the Children and Youth
Services, also known as CYS. These are children at risk from birth to age twenty-one. Concern
can serve up to seventy-five clients at a time, as of now they currently have fifty-nine clients and
fifty-two foster families. Most of the demographic characteristics of the clients are Hispanic and
Latino, individuals that come from low income (poverty level), and, abuse and/or neglected
homes (Paparella, 2014). Many clients also have mental, medical and/or psychological
disabilities. Concern’s building is a three story building with all floors having housing different
departments. The second floor is the adoption/foster care floor and this is where I am working.
With more information provided to me from my field instructor (2015), I was learned there are
approximately thirty-two employees. Unfortunately, the staff members are not diverse and all
live in the Berks County area. There is not one black, Hispanic or Asian ethnicity; there are
many more females than males; each sexual orientation is straight and no one is openly gay or

bi-sexual. However, the age different various between the staff members; some of them have
children and are married and some have just graduated and having been working for five or less
years. It is beneficial to have differences in age and years of employment at the agency because
they can guide and help one another with their difference in experiences.
The community served by Concern for Kids in the Greater Berks County consists of a
population of 413,691, in 2014. In 2013 the population was 413,652 and in 2010 it was 411,587,
being a percent change of 0.5% in the time span from 2010-2014 (United States Census Bureau,
2015). Each year the population rate rises, which can be a good thing or a bad thing. When there
is an increase in a population in a community, it means that there are more individuals that will
be looking for a source of income/occupations. Or, I believe having a high population can create
higher rate diversity and can help the macro perspective of a community; the results can vary and
it is difficult to know. The person under five years old in Berks County, in 2013, is 5.9%, as the
persons under eighteen years old is 23.0% (United States Census Bureau, 2015). From these
statistics by the Census Bureau, it shows that there are older individuals compared to
younger/kids in the community. It is surprising that the Berks County community has a low
percentage (5.9) of persons under five years old; with Concern being a child welfare agency,
which makes a huge impact on the agency’s client status. It is difficult for Concern to maintain
the client rate of seventy-five clients. Informed by my field instructor (2015), it is also important
for Concern to always have the seventy-five client rate, of children currently in placement, at its
peak so that their funds do not lower. With more individuals in the community being above the
age of twenty-one, it is a potential client impact for Concern. Although, just because there is not
a high number of children in the community, this does not mean that Concern will have less
clients. The client impact is affected by the amount of children in the community whom suffer

from abuse, neglect or welfare. White individuals, in 2013, hold an 89.0%; Black or African
American hold a 6.5%, and Hispanic and Latino hold an 18.1%; providing that more individuals
in the community are white. From 2013, there are 50.8% females, meaning that the male percent
is 49.2%, a good split between both genders. There are also 29,566 veterans in the community
from 2009-2013, which is something very unique about Berks County (United States Census
Bureau, 2015). Educational status is important in any community. For Berks County, in 2009-
2013, high school graduate or high, from ages 25+ is 84.3%. A Bachelor degree or higher, ages
25+, is 22.3% of the community (United States Census Bureau, 2015). The high school graduate
percentage is relatively high, being a positive outcome and strength from the community.
Unfortunately, receiving a Bachelor’s degree or higher is relatively low. Religion-based, Berks
Country is uniquely different. Berks County has a percentage of 18.4% citizens that are Catholic,
8.1% are Evangelical Protestant, 1.0% is another form of religion, 0.6% is Orthodox, and 0.3% is
Protestant and lastly, 52. % of the community has no form of religion (Religion Statistics Profile,
2015). An extremely high percentage of individuals within the community do not have a
religious background, which could affect a potential client at Concern. For example, a client
could have foster care parents from a very religious background, as the foster child (client) may
feel indifferent towards what they believe in, causing problems within the home. This also goes
for if a client becomes a foster child to foster parents that are from a different religion: Catholic
compared to Black Protestant. It is important to have a positive client system within the foster
homes and this could negatively impact that from happening. In relation to size, the entire Berks
County community has a land area in square mile of 856, 51; a larger land community (United
States Census Bureau, 2015). In all, Berks County is moderately diverse. There are different

races, ethnicities, religions and ages, along with uniqueness’s that are present from the Census
statistics.
Status of Population at Risk
Statistics reveal the various factors placing the population at risk, compared to the client
population at Concern for Kids. The population at risk is the children at risk surrounding the
Greater Berks County area (Concern’s location). The case workers and other staff members at
Concern serve clients that are local to the agency because of the poverty rates and welfare needs
nearby. Concern has its corporate office in this location; where they handle the financial duties
and other agencies report back to this specific location. In other words, the Greater Berks
location for Concern is extremely important. Concern is located here because of the needs of the
individuals that surround it.
On an economic status, Berks County is stable but could benefit with an increase. The per
capita money income in the past 12 months (2013 dollars) is $26,732. As the median household
income is $55,170. With that, the total person per household, in 2009-2013 is 2.59 (United States
Census Bureau, 2015). Therefore, each individual (two) in the household is making a total
average income of $55,170. Based on the poverty line for a family of four, doubles the median
income for a two person household, the income is enough to restrain from poverty. From 2009-
2013 data, 13.9% of individuals are below the poverty level (United States Census Bureau,
2015). This may not seem as high compared to other statistically data, but it is high enough to
make a negative impact on the community. Making money comes with having employment; in
Berks County there are a total of 30,325 firms with a retail sale per capita of $12,307(United
States Census Bureau, 2015). When comparing the number of firms with the total population in

the community, it does not fit well. Many individuals lack stable, well paying, jobs, creating the
median income to increase. Berks County has an unemployment rate of 5.5, according to July
2015 statistics (Local Area Unemployment Statistics Map, 2015). The children at risk are unable
to control their financial situations that they are born into. Children are not able to get jobs at
certain ages and they would not be the best fit to work for at their age, either. Most well-paying
jobs hire adults first, which is smart because they are educated and understand the responsibility.
Gratefully, this is where Concern can assist. The agency’s sources of funding comes from the
federal, state and county; when a child is placed at Concern, they receive a certain amount of
money for that child and that amount money depends on the client’s level of needs (Paparella,
2014). If a child needs medical care, then Concern can provide extra money so that the child is able
to go to doctors’ appointments and take the proper medications, which can be extremely expensive
when in poverty or on welfare. Many believe that foster care is just to take children out of homes,
but in reality it is all about providing the proper and best care to the population at risk; the children.
Housing is an essential aspect to the community in comparison to the client population at
Concern. The foster care parents within Concern all live within the community; crucial to make
sure the houses are in proper condition. There are 164,822 housings units in Berks Country since
2014, as 18.9% of them are housing units in multi-unit structures (United States Census Bureau,
2015). In Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937 it guides citizens to rental housing and low-
income households, from private landlords. With this assistance the low income client population
is able to have a better housing system. All low income residents must apply for the housing in
which county they live in. The Berks County housing authority is located in Reading,
Pennsylvania and is currently closed, due to the waiting list being full (Berks County Housing
Authority in Pennsylvania, 2015). This creates problems to those who are unable to find other

solutions and can result in homelessness. Unfortunately, it is unknown the homelessness rate in
Berks County, but from statistics of the population and low income percentile, we can guess
there is most likely an issue in this area.
In addition, there are connections of the agency with other social agencies in the
community, each interface in providing services to the client population. For example: CYS,
Nursing Agencies, Early Intervention, Play Therapy, Juvenile Probation, Counseling Center
through Concern, etc. (Paparella, 2014). The interaction with these agencies within the
community is extensive. It provides better skills, treatments, psychological and metal assistance,
and many other positive ways for each clientele. The way that an individual becomes a part of
the client population at Concern is through referrals from the federal levels. Country workers
will receive referrals from individuals in the community of a child at risk, the county workers
will immediately contact Concern with details of the case, and Concern’s intake workers will
search to find foster care for the client/child at risk. Without the interaction among the other
community workers, Concern would fail.
It is also difficult for Concern to recruit foster care parents within the community, as it is
a big responsibility and takes a very special person to do so. Because of this, Concern has
recruiting events among the community. For example, they host an annual Bingo Event for all to
join, they take a trip to Knolbes (a local amusement park) with all of the current foster children
and foster parents, and they take occasional trips to the Boscov’s (a department store) to promote
what they do and how needed foster care providers are. Along with the community involvement
that Concern encounters, there is also a local newspaper that the community uses. This
newspaper is called the Reading Eagle (Reading Eagle, 2015) which offers details about the
news, life, sports, business life, etc. Through this, the population at risk can look for job

opportunities and become informed with problems that are happening in their area. It saddens me
that the local newspaper does not mention anything about foster care agencies, adoption agencies
or does it portray the problems that the community faces economically. Every now-and-then
there are a few articles on the economic rise and fall of the economy, but not specifically about
the population at risk. From being educated by my field instructor (2015), Concern has not
reached out to the Reading Eagle to report issues that matter to them. If the agency were to urge
the newspaper on the issues, it could work to their benefit gratefully. Another downfall to the
Reading Eagle is that it costs money to receive. How is the population at risk going to afford the
local newspaper if they already have difficulties with their income status? How is someone
supposed to be aware of the issues occurring in their community if it isn’t portrayed locally?
These are all important factors to think about. The media is a huge influence in this case and a
great source of information.
Brokering
At Concern for Kids, brokering is displayed in various ways throughout. As a new intern
and only experiencing the agency for a short amount of time, I have only been able to shadow
and obtain knowledge from doing so; my experience thus-far is brief. However, there is a
specific action plan on how I will provide linkage between a client system and the community,
once I receive a higher position. The position that I receive next semester is being a case worker
for a client at the agency. This position will involve in-home visits, court hearings, assessment
and evaluation forms and much more that I will soon learn more on. As of now, the plan is based
on what I have learned from a case workers perspective. The planned change process is
necessary when brokering. When being a case worker and entering a foster care home for the
first time, he/she is there to meet the client. When arriving promptly, the caseworker will engage

with the client and create a trusting, comforting, relationship. He/she must assess the needs of the
client and monitor their strengths and weaknesses. Each client is different and has different
backgrounds for their care-needs, which is important to realize and understand. Planning when,
where, what, and why, follows. Some in-home visits can be unannounced, if there seems to be a
problem at hand, but most are announced and scheduled to work around the foster parents
availability. The client also receives in-home visits with the biological-parents/caregivers on a
bi-weekly (or differently for some cases) schedule. Many case workers and clients set specific
goals they want to accomplish; being adopted, getting a job, attending school, etc. They work
together to implement and achieve their goals. The case worker needs to link the client to the
local school district and help look for job openings in the community, as the community may be
new for the client. The case worker is continuously evaluating that client and his/her setting.
Clients should feel happy, comfortable and at ease when placed in foster care. Clients should
receive links from the case worker on where to attend doctor appointment, medical treatments
and receive an education; all which the case worker checks-up on during in-home visits. Most
case workers stay with their clients until they are out of foster care, and foster care comes to a
stop once the client reaches the age of 21. When this occurs, termination is in place. The case
worker works with the foster parents and client to figure out where he/she will be going next.
Sometimes the client is adopted, sometimes they return to the biological parents/caregiver;
sometimes they need to sneak another intensive living home. This is all a part of the termination
process, one of the most challenging steps. Finally, each case worker fills out an assessment of
safety form after each visit and at the end of the process. These forms are written details of what
went on during each visits, as well as mentions what the client has been doing, how he/she has

been feeling/acting/behaving and so-fourth. These forms give a follow-up on each client and are
put in confidential files for safety purposes.
Foremost, another plan of action is to provide a linkage with a client and the community
the way I have observed thus-far. This source of linkage that could be used is through the referral
forms; I have had the opportunity to observe the employee who works with in-take fill out a
referral form. The in-take employee will receive a call, e-mail or face-to-face referral from a
county worker, requesting a home for a child in need. The in-take worker will clearly read the
referral form on the child. Then, the worker will link the child to his/her proper services needed.
For example, a child may need immediate placement because he/she is in harm at the biological
home. Thus the linkage the worker will provide is a safe foster care home and a court hearing to
investigate the situation.
In order to perform as a social worker, or a case worker, in this agency, one must need
social work skills in the micro, mezzo and macro levels (Paparella, 2014). There are an abundant
amount of single child casework, casework within foster families, and work within the
surrounded community. Social work skills that I briefly used and will continue to need and use in
order to link clients to the community resources are: working with team members, identifying the
problem, networking with other professionals and providing information. In order to link a client
to other resources, the agency employees must work as a team. Each employee has different
background experience and ideas that could be helpful sources. For example, when there is a
new case worker in the agency, he/she may work with the employees whom worked at Concern
for many years because they will have more knowledge on where to go. For a case worker at the
agency to broker the client to outside resources, there needs to be a problem first. Once the
problem with the client is identified, for example, needing to have an IEP, the case worker can

link the client to the school’s IEP program and set further appointments. This also goes along
with networking with other professionals. There are copious amounts of professionals in the
Berks County Region that will be able to provide resources to the clients at Concern. Networking
with medical professionals, school professionals, psychological professionals, etc., are good
ways to link the clients. As a social worker, he/she must be educated and informed of what the
community resources are. With an extensive knowledge base, the social work can provide
information to the clientele. There are times when clients come into Concern from different
communities, therefore, being unaware of what systems surround them; this is where the social
work can use the proper brokering roles. Social workers need a variety of skills to fulfill the
duties and to work with the ethical standards.

Social Welfare Policy
Major Welfare Policy Understanding
Every agency has policies that they must abide by and follow on the daily basis. Interning at
an agency requires me to have extension knowledge about the policies which they follow. The
agency policies I will be discussing are used at Concern for Kids in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania. A
few of the policies the agency strives to abide by every day is the Health Insurance Privacy and
Portability Act (HIPPA), the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Adoption and Safe
Family Act (ASFA). Each one of these policies influences the service and delivery at Concern.
The Health Insurance Privacy and Portability Act is a federal policy that became a law in
1996 signed by Bill Clinton. HIPPA affects the way an agency instills confidentiality and
privacy for their clients, in both the privacy and security rules (U.S. Department of Health,
2014). The security rule of HIPPA is extremely important to understand for agencies. According
to the U.S Department of Health Website, this rule is “a series of administrative, physical, and
technical safeguards for covered entities and their business associates to use to assure the
confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information” (2014). The
privacy rule is a national standard to protect individuals’ specific health data (U.S. Department of
Health, 2014). It also has a section where clients have forms to sign off for approval of others
discussing their medical histories; if not signed by the client, it is not approved. There is also a
section where the clients sign a form of approval to have their medical histories discussed; if not
signed by the client, it is not approved. Thus both rules are providing confidentiality and privacy
for clientele. A social work value that relates to HIPPA is competence. Additionally, in the Code
of Ethics, HIPPA relates to confidentially and privacy. HIPPA is crucial to be aware of the

confidentiality and safety of an individual; therefore, social workers need to enhance their
knowledge and professionalism within those areas. Social workers are continuously learning and
helping with diverse and personal situations. With proper knowledge on record keeping, safety
procedures and confidentiality, the social worker will perform stronger.
The Indian Child Welfare Act is, as stated by NICWA, “a federal law that seeks to keep
American Indian children with American Indian families” (2014). The ICWA was passed in
1978 by Congress because there was a growth in Indian children in need of public and/or private
agencies for child welfare care. ICWA has federal requirements for children that are a member of
an Indian tribe and brought into a child welfare agency; the tribal governments create a
framework for the agencies to support. When a child is a member of an Indian tribe, he/she has
child custody procedures to be federally recognized. Each individual that comes into Concern for
services is diverse. There are many Indian Tribe children that advocate and rely on ICWA for
their placement security (NICWA, 2014). A social work value that would correlate best with this
act is Dignity and Worth of a Person. This value states that a social worker will respect the
inherent dignity and worth of the person/client. It is important for a social worker to teach one
another with care, respect and to be cultural competence about the variety of diversity that the
field brings. A client being a member of an Indian Tribe is a large area of diversity that the social
worker must work with the dual responsibility to the broader society and practice cultural
competence.
ASFA is also a federal policy that was implemented and passed by Bill Clinton in 1997.
Stated by SocialWokers.org, the four major provisions of this policy are: “shortens the time-
frame for a child’s first permanency hearing, offers states financial incentives for increasing the
number of adoptions, sets new requirements for states to petition for termination of parental

rights and reauthorizes the Family Preservation and Support Program” (1997). These revisions
are the background to the success of the policy. ASFA is monitored by the Child and Family
Services Review (CFSR), by reviewing each regulation that policy states (SocialWorkers.Org,
1997). ASFA will be discussed further, as it has impacted and influenced the agency abundantly
for many years. A social work value that relates to ASFA would be service. Social workers are
available to help individuals in need and asses their problems at hand. It is the social workers
right to use the services available to find a home for the clients for the self-interest of the client.
The service delivery of ASFA gives children permanent homes and creates a positive experience
for the child entering the child welfare service.
Agency Impact
Each policy that was put into action impacts Concern for Kids through programs and
services. From information provided by my field instructor (2015), I was educated how the
policies work within the programs. HIPPA puts parameters around information sharing. The way
that Concern uses this policy within the agency is in terms of the health, confidentiality and
safety of their clientele. Concern is responsible for a child once he/she becomes a client.
Therefore, it is the agency’s integrity to provide safeguards, security and privacy for each and
every child, or it could affect the agency legally. In order for an individual to be an intern or
employee at Concern, it is required to read about HIPPA and pass a comprehensive exam on the
information learned. Each potential foster parent or client must also be educated about HIPPA
and how it is portrayed in the agency services, before entering.
ICWA protects children with Indian roots and sets certain requirements that affect the foster
care system. Also informed by my field instructor (2015), the Indian Tribe, in which a client is a

member of, has a significant amount of power within the services: they have certain
requirements because of their roots, compared to other clients. Since Concern serves diverse
clients from multiple counties, one may be a member of an Indian Tribe. If the client is going to
be placed in a foster home with guardians not from the same tribe, Concern must inform the tribe
before placement; according to the regulations of the law. Also, for example, it is stated in the
regulations of the Indian Child Welfare Act, that if the termination of biological parents can be
the ending result for a client, it is not the agencies say. In this case, the tribe will make the
decision whether to terminate rights or not. Concern’s program and services must abide by these
laws. Just as any policy, if not followed professionally, the agency could fall apart and be in legal
trouble.
ASFA is also a crucial impact on the agency’s services. Once a client is at his/her termination
phase within the agency, the court and agency must decide if he/she will be adopted or reunified
with the biological parents. Since the goals for ASFA are to provide permanent placements and
change the experience for the client, Concern’s goals relate accordingly. By word of mouth at the
agency (2015), Concern strives for reunification on a permanent housing for their clients. The
agency does not want their clients to be in foster care for their life. The impact of ASFA benefits
Concern’s program for the clientele. Also, Concern (located in Berks County) does not provide
adoption care money to adoption parents. The agency and county believes that when individuals
want to adopt, they should want to care for the child financially on their own. Concern is a non-
profit agency which means the agency uses surplus revenues to succeed. Learned through my
internship (2015), the adoptive parents must maintain a modified gross income at a certain level,
in order to be eligible to adopt. This is also a way the policy is used within the agency.
Analysis

Each policy follows a policy framework; the historical background of the policy, a
description of the problems, a description of the policy and a policy analysis (Karger, H., &
Stoesz, D, 2014). This framework is a part of the model for policy analysis; which is what will
be further explained about ASFA. As mentioned previously, The Adoption and Safe Families
Act of 1997 is widely known and used by many child welfare agencies, like Concern for Kids.
ASFA was amending the Child Welfare Act of 1980 and now states that the health and safety of
children involved in child welfare agencies must be a major concern and strives to move the
clients into permanent placements (SocialWorkers.org, 1997). A deeper analysis of the policy
helps to gain a knowledge base of the scope and history.
ASFA is targeted for the child population, because almost all child welfare agencies serve
individuals from birth until 21 years of age. ASFA counteract the following problems that the
clients in child welfare agencies go through. According to Proctor (2015), the federal policy
ASFA was implemented “to help move children into permanent homes as quickly as possible”
(pg. 131). There are many parents that use spanking as a form of discipline and it is most
commonly used to reduce bad child behavior by U.S families (Proctor, 2015). As social workers
at child welfare agencies, they are supposed to educate and counsel parents on child discipline
strategies. Because of the child discipline problem is some homes, ASFA is necessary to halt the
problem; the act is to give the children in child welfare agencies safety, and some forms of
spanking can be unsafe. Also, in the past it was not known that the children were going to
receive permanent placement in homes; which is a problem for the children in need of care to
remain safe and medically well. Since ASFA, the likelihood for permanent placement has
increased. According to, Lee, Genty and Laver (2010) “ASFA was the first major legislation
addressing the issues of permanence since the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act in

1980” (pg. 3). ASFA realizes the importance of stability in a child’s life, as well as family
connection, healthy life-style and development (Lee, Genty, & Laver, 2010). Thus, ASFA is
necessary for the service of permanency within the child welfare agencies. At Concern for Kids,
each staff member and foster/adoption parents must have an understanding of the policy. Before
becoming a foster/adoption parent through Concern, each guardian must complete an online
training about ASFA and its descriptive outline. This is an importance aspect to the
administration responsibility and feasibility. Without fully understanding the policy at hand, it
could not be abided properly.
The court makes an important political feasibly towards ASFA’s guidelines; without the
political system in assistance with ASFA, legal outcomes could occur if the guidelines are not
followed as written. For example, before a child is adopted through an agency and through the
Act, there are court hearings for evaluation. There are also an array of services that social
workers use to assist the clients, biological parents and adoption parents through the process,
following ASFA. Social workers must evaluate the homes and families that want to be a part of
adoption, they must assess developmental, social, cognitive and cultural needs of the clients in
care, they must match the clients with the parents to appropriate homes through the intake
process, they must work with the biological families to either reunify or terminate rights, they
must support the placement transitions and they must provide post-adoption services to have
strong and lasting bonds with the adoption families. Child welfare agencies make use of open
communication when working with adoption and the guidelines from ASFA. There should be
minimum false expectations and more positive outcomes (Social Work Policy Institution, 2010).
ASFA is intended to provide various resources and outcomes. The Act works under four
descriptive titles that explain the eligibility and working process. The four title sections within

ASFA must be followed properly by all child welfare agencies. ASFA strives to use
effectiveness by thoroughly following each title and the details so that the policy accomplishes
what it’s intended (Karger, H., & Stoesz, D, 2014). The first title is Safety. This title follows two
outcomes; the children are the first and foremost, protected from abuse and neglect, and children
are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible and appropriate (Concern for Kids,
2015). If there is maltreatment occurring, the investigator on the case must approaches the
problem, as well as reports the amount of maltreatment incidents that have occurred in the 6
month timespan.
The second is Permanency, following two outcome procedures. These are, the children in
placement must have permanency and stability in their living arrangement and the continuity of
the family connections is preserved (Concern for Kids, 2015). In order for an investigator on the
case to follow these outcomes, they should answer the following questions: did the child return
to foster care within 12 months, were there no more than 2 placements in 12 months, were goals
of permanency or termination established, were reasonable efforts made to provide permanency
within 12 months, were diligent efforts made to achieve adoption, did finalizing occur within 24
months of removal from the house, were efforts made to ensure that children’s foster care
placements were close to proximity, were siblings placed together, were efforts to local relatives
as a placement researched, were efforts to support the parent-child relationship present, etc.
(Concern for Kids, 2015). Clearly, there is an extensive amount of questions that need to be
answered in order to reassure the title is being met. ASFA creates the safety barrier for every
child in welfare agencies. The 12 month span is put into place so that there is stability created for
the client within a period of time. Within the timespan, a client could be in and out of multiple
homes with no stability or permanency, creating too much change and no proper connection.

The third title is named Well-being, striving for families to enhance capacity to provide
for their children’s need, for children to receive appropriate services to meet their education
needs, and for children to receive adequate services to meet physical and mental health needs. At
this title, investigators must check on the needs and services of the child, foster parents and
biological parents, have child and family involvement, attend work visits with the child and with
the parents, provide appropriate educational needs for the children to work effectively, and to
adequately address and assess physical and mental health needs of the child (Concern for Kids,
2015). The overall well-being of the children and family in child welfare services is essential to
maintain. For a child to be safe and comfortable, his/her well-being needs must be met; service
provided for health needs and ensuring family involvement are two important ways to assure
self-determination for a child in care.
The last title is the case review system and quality assurance system. This is where the
legal procedures become more enacted. The child in care needs to have a written case plan with
the parents, there needs to be periodic reviews of the status of the child, the termination of
parental rights procedures must be provided to the agency, a process for foster parents, pre-
adoptive parents and relatives for the child in care must be notified for any review hearing during
the time of placement, and the State system must review the agency evaluation and implement
the standards regarding the child, when necessary (Concern for Kids, 2015). This section of
ASFA also helps agencies to make the decision on if a parent or child is eligible for adoption
case. In all, this section is statewide information that child welfare agencies provide with ASFA.
Each section has its own professional purpose, how it is implemented and evaluated, the
resources it provides for care, the eligibility standards, the child reared goals and major outcomes
that should enact, and basic criteria and knowledge base for the child welfare agencies.

The National Association of Social Work (NASW) is involved and consistent with
ASFA, too. NASW did not take an official position but, according to SocialWorkers.org,
“supports the Family Preservation and Support Program, the expansion of medical insurance
coverage for children with special needs, and development of state standards to ensure quality of
services” (1997). NASW endorsed a legislation called the Safe Adoptions and Family
Environments Act that includes funding for “family reunification services, training and retention
of agency staff and cross agency training, and residential substance abuse treatment programs for
parents and their children” (1997). It is important that the Code of Ethics is assessed into this
policy. The responsiveness from the NASW is helpful and provides extended services and
economic feasibility.
As social workers, the agency is adequately required to help support the adoptive parents
and birth parents, as well as the adoption process. Guiding each parent and client is a helpful role
to fostering a stable, healthy and comforting family (Social Work Policy Institute, 2010).
Adequately assessing the policy is important for success. However, there are inadequate
problems within ASFA; thus, flexibility regarding the timespan.
Policy Practice
Even though ASFA was passed, implemented and is a law since 1997, there is a feasible
policy change that would optimize the service delivery within child welfare agencies. As known,
ASFA emphasizes safety and permanency. ASFA states that a child has to be in the foster care
system for 15 of the most current 22 months, and the court decides if the child was abandoned in
his/her younger years (Lee, Genty & Laver, 2010). This is established on a timespan so that
children are not “stuck” in foster care for their life. It is required that the termination of parental
rights (TPR) is initiated when the 15-22 month placement time is present. The time-span may

seem as an appropriate amount of given time, but the use of flexibility would work best in the
situation. In order to optimize a macro level change, the agency would have to write policy
proposals and scholarly persuasive letters to a governmental level. To be taken seriously there
needs to be a thorough problem statement to have the government want to consider the change;
with the use of different language structure and legitimate suggestions. Why would less time be
beneficial? What are the reasons to the disagreement on the timespan? There is an understanding
as why TPR is initiated at the 15-22 month mark; when there is an obvious case that the child
will likely return home, the parental rights should not be terminated earlier than 15 months.
Child welfare agencies want to preserve families for their clientele. It should not be prolonged as
much as ASFA initiates it to be. ASFA is an act that requires safety for the clients, to minimize
risk of abuse and harm. If a client is coming into care from intentional signs of abuse, why not
terminate the parental rights earlier than 15 months? Giving the parents time to change is
beneficial but over 1 year is extensive. If a biological parent is clearly addicted to substances,
they are unable to care for their child and unable to function as a parental guardian (Bartholet, E.,
1999). Furthermore, if biological parents are not making necessary improvements, showing
disinterests, showing long-term impact on incapacity, have a unsuccessful past history, promote
any signs of abuse to others/themselves or was imprisonment, before the 15th month mark, the
termination rights would be appropriate at the earliest time. Procedures to keep the clients safe
are most constructive if they were to move promptly into the adoptive home. Yes, there are
copious amounts of cases those children’ biological parents are willing, involved and want to
reunify with their child. In those cases, TPR timespan is necessary.
This is where the term flexibility comes into play. Currently, child welfare agencies differ
from the past. The agencies are much stricter and have extensive background information on

everyone involved in the system. Once an agency receives the intake on the biological parents,
the agency must mediate the decision on if the parents show negativity and no signs of change.
In order for the agency to make a policy change for flexibility on the timespan for TPR, the letter
written must explain the above situation. Policies are continuously changing, especially state-by-
state. Suggestions from agencies that use the policy daily will have the most informational ideas
of change, which would change the lives of many individuals. It is essential to emphasize on
what the act promotes; Adoption and SAFE Family Act. Safety is the major regulation child
welfare agencies follow. Without safety from the biological parents, there is a need for
termination of rights.

Application of the Planned Change Process
As a social work student I have continuously learned about the planned change process, as well
as the person-in-environment perspective (PIE) and how vital it is within the practice setting.
The perspectives utilize a variety of skills, roles and behaviors in order for successful outcomes
and to appropriately attend to clients’ needs.
Foundations of Generalist Practice
At Concern for Kids, my role as a case work intern has given me the opportunity to work
with the micro system; each case worker at the agency have at least 10-15 individual clients that
they work with constantly. Through observation, as well as personal experiences, I have seen the
planned change process and PIE perspective work at this level of intervention and the skills and
values needed to in order to gain structured interactions with the clients.
My role at Concern for Kids allows me to shadow and observe the skills a case worker
accomplishes. The case worker role at the agency partakes in a copious amount of work in order
to fulfill their duties. Their duties require them to incorporate education, brokering, case
managing and advocating for their clients, as well as proper record keeping for each session they
facilitate. The clients vary from religious background, culture, gender, age, education, and much
more. They are all diverse and the case worker must ensure competence in working with such a
diverse setting; such skills ensure a non-judgmental behavior and allow the client to feel
welcomed. The PIE perspective is especially important to use, in order to fully understand and
work appropriately within this system. In addition, the role includes a knowledge base on the
strengths perspective, for their clients to accomplish goals and gain self-competence and
empowerment. The case worker ensures self-determination for their clients and provides them to
use goal operationalization in deciding on their areas of needs. Networking with outsides sources

and brokering to the clients is important to also demonstrate with the clients. Many of the clients
come into care with limited knowledge on what sources they have around them. Thus, as a case
worker we will learn about their surrounding system that they interact with, and provide them
with the resources and information to assist.
The importance of human relationships correlates exceptionally with their case worker
role, too. Having a positive client-worker relationship is critical for success and benefitting the
client. Ensuring attentive listening, effective communication, proper eye-contact, genuineness,
honesty, integrity, and simple encouragement all help build the relationship stronger. When this
relationship is built, we are able to gain a strengthening bond and a clear understanding of the
client. All social work skills and values that are used demonstrate the interest in the clients’
needs and working through the process together. Each of these duties is valuable for the Concern
for Kids case workers, and my work as an intern, to commit to when working with a client on the
micro level.
Engagement
Engagement is the first step in the planned change process, and focuses on establishing a
professional relationship between the worker and the client system (Kirst-Ashman & Hull,
2012). Upon meeting with my client I was educated to his background from his detailed case
files and through meetings with my field instructor and from the clients’ previous case worker. It
was vital that I fully understood as much as I could about the client so that we had a trusting
relationship during our first engagement. My client is a 9 year old boy who has been in the foster
care system and with Concern for Kids, for around one year. I was given the opportunity to take
over his case by the agency so that I can use the skills I have been observing, on my own. The

name of the client must be disclosed due to the confidentiality policy at Concern for Kids;
throughout the rest of the paper I will be referring to my client as X.
I first had to engage with the foster mother to schedule appointments with my client,
since she will be sitting in on them and eliciting information at our sessions. Through telephone
communication, I contacted her to schedule an in-home session meeting at their home. My client
is titled as “intensive care”, which means he needs to be seen for in-home sessions bi-weekly.
Since I am only at my internship on Tuesday and Thursdays, due to my class schedule, I used my
flexibility and assertive skills to work with the foster mother on an appropriate meeting time.
Once scheduled, the foster mother provided me with directions to her home; I thanked her and
looked forward to meeting her and the client.
When I arrived at the home, dressed professionally and on time, I knocked on the door
and was greeted by the foster mother; we shook hands and re-introduced ourselves. I proceeded
my way into the home while carefully taking consideration of the setting; the home was clean,
safe and a comfortable environment. I sat down at the kitchen table with the foster mother, and
the client came running down the stairs to join us. I used proper body positioning, facing the
client with no barriers in-between and confidently posturing myself. I informed the client of my
purpose of being at his home, what I planned on accomplishing during our sessions together, and
reassured him that everything disclosed during our sessions are confidential and if at any point
he feels uncomfortable to please let me know. At this point, my role consisted of being an
educator and enabler throughout the rest of the session.
I quickly realized that the client was not as talkative to me right away and the foster
mother was doing majority of the verbal communication; I did not take this personality as it was
our first formal engagement together. Thus, I continued on asking questions, while accurately

taking notes, about the client himself. I ensured to use my attentive listening skills and proper
eye contact when either the foster mother, or client, spoke. While I displayed warmth and a
positive facial expression, the client began to open up more and I learned that he is a very honest
and hyper individual. I continuously nodded my head to ensure simple encouragement and to
slowly gain integrity with him. He told me about why he is in care, his biological family and how
much he enjoys his foster home. When our time was coming to an end, I informed both the client
and foster mother that unfortunately the session was ending and we planned for our next bi-
weekly session together. I educated the client on what we could discuss next time we meet and
thanked them for being respectful and working well with me. At this level of the planned change
process, it is important to have human relationships, to gain self-competence and to better
understand myself to better assist my client. I believe I engaged well with my client and the
foster mother and much information were evoked to begin our client-worker relationship. It was
to my benefit that the foster mother has had foster children in the past and the client understands
the foster care system well; creating a sense of relief as I was able to work easily with them both,
as they were educators to me, too.
Assessment
The second step in the planned change process is assessment, which is when the client
and worker become largely involved with the person-in-environment perspective; as X is in a
constant cycle from interactions in his environment, on three levels. The assessment phase is
important towards assisting the client and includes different steps in doing so. These steps are:
identify your client, assess the client-in-situation from micro, mezzo, macro, and diversity
perspectives, client information about the client problems and needs, and identifying client
strengths (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2012). At Concern for Kids, each case worker, and myself as a

case work intern, are required to fill out safety assessment forms after each contact with their
client. These forms allow the worker to give a written report on what happened at the contact and
refer to the steps that are mentioned previously.
In regards to X, I assessed him on the micro level. It was first important to clearly
identify what his problems are by recognizing his areas of needs, the barriers that prevent his
needs from being met, and his capacities and strengths. Since X is a young boy, he does not have
many problems and/or needs that are majorly effecting his environment. With X’s honest and
openness personality, he has discussed with me that he has behavioral problems at school when it
comes to following directions all of the time, he has dehydration/medical issues with drinking a
proper consumption of water, and has experienced major life changes with transitioning into
foster care about a year ago. From this information, I am able to prioritize his problems and
needs. Strengths-wise, X shows continuously effort in improving his behavior problems and
attitude, he realizes that he has a supportive foster family resource, and shows uplifting personal
characteristics. X’s diversity has not interfered with his personal qualities and situations, as his
specific diversity characteristics will be discussed further-on. Assessing X on the micro level was
not as difficult as I thought it to be and gave me a step deeper into identifying his major
weaknesses and strengths that will affect our times together.
On the mezzo level, I assessed the relationship between X and his foster mother most
carefully. During the sessions between X and I, his foster mother sat with us and contributed
information on their strengths, needs and differences they face. Positively, X has explained to me
that he very much enjoys his foster home, and does not like to keep in contact with his
biological-mother; yet, he calls and sees her every week because he knows that his bio-mother
appreciates that and the foster mother encourages he keeps in contact with her as well. The foster

mother knows every little thing about X and is able to work very well with his personality. At
times, X can be aggressive and hard to handle because of the lack of attention he received
growing up. Therefore, I assessed with the foster mother how she controls those situations, and
have visually seen her work exceptionally well doing so. Also, the foster mother schedules all of
X’s medical appointments, therapy sessions, and brokers him to try different sports/activities to
be involved in; so that he can be active and meet new people. One of the major needs for X is
support on the mezzo level, which his foster mother is able to gratefully provide. Their diversity
in race, gender, ethnicity, age, and growing-up living situations, did not hinder their relationship
and is a large role in X’s interactive system.
Furthermore, on the macro level, I used the Concern for Kids form information to
connect X with a variety of resources suitable for him. The organization connections for X
assisted him in transitioning into the foster home more smoothly. With regards to diversity, X
was in a different child welfare agency before entering Concern for Kids; which is why it’s
important that he interacts with the way Concern operates to learn about the different policies
and resources. I was able to broker the foster mother and him to Concern counseling, which was
more financial stable for the family to handle, along with weekly therapy sessions that he can
attend at the agency if he ever felt the need to. Concern for Kids has a program offered for each
foster child called “LifeBooks”. These are books created with the client, foster family and
agency; the purpose of the LifeBook is to fill it out with pictures, documents, school work, etc.,
as a memorable item that the client can keep forever. I introduce this program to X and it
provided him with comfort to the new environment setting. Assessing X to the agency setting
that he will have constant interactions with, not only assisted him beneficially, but assisted and
educated the foster mother as well; thus, building upon strengths.

Planning
Planning is the next step in the planned change process and is based on the assessment of
the client’s situation, problems, needs, and strengths. The planning process serves to guide how
one will proceed to help the client. The steps involved during this phase include: working with
the client, prioritizing the problem, translating problems into needs, evaluating levels of
intervention for each need, establishing goals, specifying objectives, specifying action steps, and
finally, formalizing a contract (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2012).
My role with client X during this phase is to convey mutuality and work with him to plan
out measurable goals. Planning with my client, rather than enabling him to watch me solve his
problems, is critical for success, yet it was not easy to do. I want X to feel empowered, to
recognize his problems, clearly identify in understanding of the problems, and set a realistic goal
together in order to overcome the problems, as a team. Despite the fact that X has varies goals
that he and I would like to accomplish, during multiple sessions together, we agreed on the main
goal to prioritize, and turned this major problem into a need. X regularly sees an urologist who
has informed him and the foster family on a dehydration issue; X does not consume the daily
amount of water needed for his body to function heathy and is required from his doctor to drink
16 ounces of water a day to become properly hydrated. A weakness of X’s is remembering his
responsibilities. X needs support on the micro, mezzo and macro level in order to achieve this
goal. On the micro level, he understands the importance of drinking water, but does not like, and
rarely remembers, to do so. A strategy that the foster mother, myself and X have mutually
decided to use is to monitor how much he has drank during the day by markings on a water
bottle. As an example, when X gets home from school each day, the foster mother will evaluate
his gallon of water and see how much water has been drank and how much he has left before the

end of the day; this assesses his need on a mezzo level of intervention. On the macro level, X
will continue to see his community’s urologist, monthly, and have his school employees each
day, evaluate and assess his water intake as well. These support systems will route X to meet his
needs and to be effective. Positively, X is a very honest boy, which is a beneficial quality to
work with on each level, allowing strengthening feedback and to convey respect.
Having the prior knowledge of X’s strengths and weaknesses, I decided to use the Goal
Attainment Scale (GAS) in order to successfully measure the goal, to have him consume his
proper intake of water, each day. The GAS form is the most ideal single-subject design to
compose with X because I have learned, through assessment, that X is a hands-on and visual
learner. In the past what has worked for X, in order for him to complete his chores at home, the
foster mother created a chart stating and checking off what chores he has to do, when, and why.
The foster mother has expressed that the chart works exceptionally well for him to fulfill his
goals at home. Thus, I competently believed the GAS would have similar outcomes of success.
At an in-home session, X and I filled out the GAS to ensure the mutually agreed goal, to validate
his concerns, and facilitate his empowerment and determination. We established this goal to
clarify the purpose of the intervention together; to make sure X is healthy and consuming 16
ounces of water every day. The created GAS has measurable objectives and action steps for X to
utilize in progression to his goal. These three actions steps state: who, will do what, and by
when, to help identify appropriate intervention strategies. X and I have built integrity and have a
good client-worker relationship at this point; I encourage him and trust him to accomplish the
goal set, along with his other levels of support. The form will allow myself to monitor his
progress, to avoid dilemma’s. Additionally, the GAS will help to keep X and I on tract and in the

direction towards intervention and more easily towards evaluation; later steps in the planned
change process (See Appendix A).
Implementation
During my sessions planning with X, we reviewed an agreement, confirming meeting
times, roles, responsibilities, and overall expectations that would take place throughout the
process. We determined that I will monitor his progress at our bi-weekly sessions, and the foster
mother can contact me at any other point if issues arise. The bi-weekly schedule is sufficient
amount of time together to accurately succeed. Our expectations were marked clearly on the
GAS and verbally during each contact, all which were complied with suggestions and concerns.
At this time, the process continues on through adequate communication.
Following planning is the implementation phase, which deals with carrying out the
intervention plan after initial engagement, assessment, and planning has occurred (Kirst-Ashman
& Hull, 2012). During this time the client and worker will also complete the “doing” part of
social work. Theoretical justifications written by Kirst-Ashman and Hull (2012) assisted me in
applying skills in this phase. Along with Educational Policy Core Competency 2.1.10(c)
directing me to use professional skills that initiated actions to achieve goals with X, implement
interventions that enhanced X’s capacities, facilitate transitions, and advocate, educate and
mediate X overall. The next hand-full of sessions with X, I would monitor his progress in the
prioritize goal, but I would also work with him on other tasks. As his case work intern it is my
ethical responsibility to assure he is safe, comfortable and happy in this environment, while also
understanding what his interactions and tasks are in his daily routines. These responsibilities of
mine are vital to my role and the “doing” of the phase. The major roles I steadily ensure are an
educator, enabler, and counselor.

Firstly, each session I encouraged and provided guidance and empowerment for X to
achieve the prioritize goal. In doing so, it helped to remind him of the importance of increasing
on the GAS, through the planned action steps. In regards to the other required tasks, at one of the
in-home sessions with X and the foster mother, I effectively communicated and attentively
listened to them both as they spoke about what has been occurring with the foster child,
behaviorally, medically and educationally; relating greatly the systems theory and the PIE
perspective as well. Since X is nine years old, in some instances it is hard to communicate with
him. The foster mother provided me with quality information on X and reassured me of answers
I needed clarification on. Additionally, I am required to bring certain forms in from the agency
that the foster mother and X must comprehend and sign. Thus, I educated both Xavier and the
foster mother on these specific forms, stating that he understands the procedures and that I
accomplished my responsibilities reading the forms, fully. Many of these forms state that X is in
a safe environment setting, receiving an education and medical support, being fed appropriately,
and that he is being treated properly, in general. The forms assist me to learn about X’s
surrounding systems, in which help him to enhance in his social functioning. Many of our
conversations are about how school and his outside activities/sports are going; I am always able
to observe, from his facial expressions, that he enjoys those topics.
Moreover, another way in which I helped X to enhance his motivation for change and
restore social functioning, were through helpful techniques that reduce harm. These techniques
are: expressing empathy, develop discrepancy, avoiding argumentation, rolling with resistance,
and supporting self-efficacy (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2012). Providing empathy conveys to X that
making decisions and addressing problems is a normal part of everyday life. Developing
discrepancy with X helps to define what he is actually doing versus what he would rather be

doing; in other words, professionally rephrasing and reflective responding to the client. During
sessions it is beneficial to avoid arguments to avert negativity and condescending responses;
which goes hand-in-hand with relying on the strengths perspective. Compliance with resistance
will help X to think of new perspectives and create empowerment. Enabling self-efficacy guides
X to gain confidence that he is able to change, which will give him the hope and effort for
change. It is crucial that I ensure these techniques constantly with X so that the harm reduction
approach and the interventions work successfully for his system.
During the multiple times intervening, I also demonstrate the Ethical Value of the
importance of human relationships. I strive to have a professional and stable relationship with
my client and his foster mother; especially with my role as a student-intern. I understand that my
relationship with them is vital for success and change and to pursue efforts in enhancing the
clients’ well-being and to reach his goals.
Engaging Diversity
Concern for Kids values diversity responsively. The agency’s strengths-based definition
of diversity, as well as the mission statement, is through teamwork, cultural awareness and
quality personalized services, Concern promotes respect, self-worth and trust in individuals and
fosters the growth of healthy, responsible and productive community members (Concern for
Kids, 2014). Moreover, the Department of Social Work at Kutztown University values diversity
by a variation among people’s individual and social dimensions of identity, family and
community. The dimensions profoundly impact people’s seeing and being seen, feeling and
being felt, and sharing support with others. In a social environment where these differences
within and between groups are respected, accepted and celebrated, they act as a catalyst for the
positive development of self in individuals. Further, in this type of social environment, these

dimensions act as a catalyst to release the creative synergy that propels the capacity of social
institutions to respond to the needs of people. Conversely, in an environment where difference
and the perception of difference is not recognized or is used for exclusion or stigmatization, then
individuals are isolated and incapacitated; entropy occurs in social institutions, blunting their
capacity to respond to the needs of people. Social workers will explore and exploit to promote
and enhance the social functioning, while creating societal conditions favorable to this goal. The
strengths-based definition of diversity between the University and Concern for Kids has
similarities, in which I demonstrated during on time with my client and in the field.
The strengths perspective is an essential aspect in relation to both definitions of diversity.
The differences that are “respected, accepted, and celebrated” will affect the sense of purpose
and stamina in an individual, as a value to society. To avoid exclusiveness, diversity needs to be
recognized positively to be a “catalyst for change”. I have always believed that diversity brings
only strengths to situations. Client X and I are immensely different from one another; something
that I am culturally competence and aware about, while valuing the strengths perspective. X and
I are a different age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, live in opposite areas, come from different
family situations/backgrounds, etc., but that does not hinder effectively working together. It is
my ethical responsibility to have cultural competency and social diversity to my clients. Each
and every contact with X, I empathetically demonstrated my “cultural awareness to promote
respect and self-worth” and to foster a healthy client-worker relationship with one another.
Recognizing X’s strengths are how I was able to connect with him. I maintained my
professionalism and worked with X as a purposeful social worker would. I believe using my
personal and professional values and skills properly is the dominant way that I was able to
engage in diversity with his case. X understands that I am an intern and in college, and he and I

have disclosed information about ourselves to each other in order to have a knowledge base of
our cultures and differences. One problem I was worried about when working with a nine year
old client was being able to communicate; I enjoy working with children but getting the right
information and opening up with children is difficult. Thankfully, X has a very open and active
quality, as previously mentioned; therefore the age gap did not burden our engagement. X’s race
is African American, therefore I obtained education about his race in comprehending the nature
of his social diversity and oppression with respect to this and behaviors related. X’s foster family
is white Caucasian individuals, but X does not feel any discrimination or distrust living and
working with individuals from a different race, which benefitted our engagement as well.
Additionally, X has become more religious; now that he is in care he attends a Catholic church
with his foster family every week. In differences, I am not Catholic and needed to gain a
knowledge base on this religion as well so that I did not make any offending responses in regards
to this level of diversity. Despite the multiple other areas of differences between us, it took
patience, education and respect to understand how he functions in human behavior and society,
while recognizing the strengths he brings in all ways. Conveying my own experiences and
behaviors helped X to learn that I am a human being as well and can still relate immensely.
Emphasizing and staying consistent with the strengths perspective contributes to positive actions
and engagement.
Evaluation
Evaluation is a critical step in the planned change process; it determines whether a given
change effort was worthwhile. Evaluation is spurred by many factors; including demands for
accountability, interest in improving social work practice, and the accreditation requirements by
the Council of Social Work Education (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2012).

In other words, at the micro level evaluation helps the social worker to determine what
extent the work with the client was successful. As client X’s intern case worker, I was concerned
whether our intervention goal was achieved and how satisfied he felt with the services I provided
during our sessions. The GAS method that I used with X was a sufficient tool in determining the
outcome because it assisted us to focus on a desired state rather than a problem. Appendix A
shows that, at the beginning of the initial rating on how much water he was consuming. He
started with a negative 1, less than expected success, which meant he was drinking less than 16
ounces of water each day. However, once I coordinated, educated and enabled X during our
sessions, he completed the GAS with a positive 1, meaning it was a more than expected outcome
and he was drinking more than half of the 16 ounces of water each day. He and I created action
steps to be useful while I evaluated his progress. In order to do so successfully, I had the
responsibility to monitor the clients’ consumption of water intake through the water bottle, along
with working with the foster mother to do so when I was not present, and educate X on the
importance of staying hydrated to be physically healthy. These action steps, which were
implemented during the planning phase, were valuable ways I evaluated X on his goal. From the
outcomes measured, the work together was successful.
The evaluation process not only was beneficial to my client, but me and my own practice
too. It guided me to understand the GAS method of evaluation and how it can be used in the
field. There are multiple ways that one can effectively evaluate a client, and at the mezzo and
macro level. Yet, evaluation not only occurs near the end of the planned change process, but
deliberately during the client-work relationship.
Termination, Follow-Up

The ending steps in the planned change process are termination then follow-up.
Termination is the ending of the processional client-worker relationship; which all social workers
must make clear from the start that it must eventually come to an end (Kirst-Ashman & Hull,
2012). I was able to terminate my relationship with X after achieving our prioritize goal and
objective. The termination between X and I was different than other termination phases. To
determine if termination should occur, it needs to be based on the clients’ needs, not the workers.
The ultimate goal of termination is empowering the client system, to stabilize the change effort
and have the client learn to use their own resources.
X and the foster mother were both aware that I was going to be leaving the internship at
Concern for Kids at the end of April and that another case worker would be taking over in
replace. Therefore, this was a planned termination. Knowing this information in advance, I used
my critical thinking skills when the most appropriate timing for termination would be acceptable.
Before this phase occurred, I made sure X’s feelings were comfortable and had less intense
reactions. Since X and I had a time-limited relationship, infrequent client-worker contact,
presence of other support systems, and low levels of emotional content, the termination process
ended smoothly and was able to be managed well. I reassured X many times that he would still
be seeing a case worker bi-weekly once our time together was finished and reminded him that he
will still have his support systems to progressively enable him. Even though his case sessions
will not be ending, our professional and personal process together will be. I believe from the
minimum communication I had with X, because of his age and not knowing answers to certain
situations, and only meeting with each other about eight times a month, he was not negatively or
aggressively effected by our termination. Strong bonds with another takes much time to develop,
and our time was confined. I managed the emotions and situation well, through use of empathy,

honesty, warmth and genuineness. I portrayed these qualities with X to establish his self-
empowerment.
In this case, since X still receives service from Concern for Kids, there has not been a set
plan for follow-up to happen. With my role being a student intern, I am not ethical able to
contact and/or follow-up on X’s case through agency policy. However, I took it upon myself to
learn how the agency, in the foster care department, uses follow-up at the micro level. If a client
is adopted into a foster family, that means that the clients’ case is closed and there is no longer a
case worker for him/her. The only way that a case worker is able to follow-up with the client,
and if the interventions are still in effect, is through contact with the adoption department at the
Concern for Kids office. The adoption workers, at that point, are then responsible to provide
proper services. Follow-up becomes very difficult for foster care case workers. Each agency in
the department is open to communication, as long as it does not break confidentially and practice
policies. Nonetheless, the case workers are able to feel at ease that their past clients’ are still in
good care.
The planned change process is a model that works highly at all levels, meeting the needs
for many diverse clients and groups to recognize and build strengths in the duration of the
process. The use of the person-in-environment perspective and systems theory, work greatly in
the entire process as well. The work I have completed at Concern for Kids has provided me
many opportunities to exploit the theories and models into the skills I demonstrate, contributing
to my continuous learning and self-competence as a future social worker.

Professional Behavior
As a future social worker I must ensure to practice and perform professional standards,
values, and ethics, all of which are outlined in the Code of Ethics from the National Association
of Social Workers (2008). Our duties as social workers are followed by this detailed guideline,
which allow us to contribute to the activity of helping individuals, families, groups, organizations
and communities in all practice settings.
Core Professional Values
The Code of Ethics specifies the six core values that social workers must follow: service,
social justice, dignity and worth of a person, the importance of human relationships, integrity,
and competence. While interning at Concern for Kids I have been able to demonstrate all six
values in different ways.
Service: “Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social
problems” (NASW, 2008). I am constantly learning new practices and services that the agency
follows. I must have self-competence in my professional skills, values and knowledge in order to
address social problems as a case-work intern. I understand that I will not receive “pro bono”
service when providing these professional skills into the field and I must be open to volunteering
my skills. The agency’s primary goal is to provide services to their clientele, which is also a task
that I complete. Foster children can have educational, financial and environmental problems that
need to be assessed. I would not have clients if they did not have specific social problems to
address. Many times they simply need the encouragement and knowledge to help link their
problems, restore their confidence and have successful outcomes. Concern for Kids works
immensely with outside services that assist their clientele, these services are, but not limited to:

County Offices of Children and Youth Services (CYS), Offices of Mental Health/Developmental
Disabilities, County Offices of Juvenile Probation, and Maryland Department of Human Resources
(Concern for Kids, 2014). Each and every client that comes into care is from the referrals sent in
from CYS. Without the referrals, we would not have clients or a functioning agency. A
caseworker at the agency will broker his/her clients to the appropriate services needed.
Social Justice: “Social workers challenge social injustice” (NASW, 2008). This value is
affective to my cultural, ethnic diversity and social change efforts on oppressed individuals. The
value also provides me with sensitivity and an understanding of my biases within the field. The
clients at Concern all go through personal, different societal problems, either related to poverty,
unemployment, discrimination, and/or other forms of social injustice. Concern’s clients are those
at risk, from unstable homes, and are in need of a more secure environment setting. These are the
reasons as to why the children initially come into care; to overcome the obstacles and oppression
they have faced. The agency has unique case workers with different styles to ensure the access of
needed information, services and resources to provide to these children at risk; so that they have
positive outcomes and equality (NASW, 2008). As a case work-intern, I have observed and
learned from the different levels of social injustice and how to ethically improve them.
Dignity and Worth of a Person: “Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of
the person” (NASW, 2008). In regards to this value, it affects the way that I treat each person
that I am in-contact with and to avoid bias’s, with respect to cultural and ethnic diversity. I strive
to demonstrate by the saying, “treat others how you would like to be treated”, which relates
greatly to this value. Being respectful, caring and mindful will create dignity and worth of an
individual. If I value and provide these traits, it will be demonstrated to the clientele. No matter
what background that the clientele have, Concern assures that they are welcomed, comfortable

and appreciated; everyone is unique and valuable in their own way despite the weakness they
may feel. The agency uses these weaknesses as small strengths to build upon. It is important that
the workers at Concern promote the clientele to have self-determination and to be able to address
their own needs. Many times the clients that are in care are very dependent on someone else and
are unable to make decisions on their own. As social workers, and as a case-work intern,
ensuring that the clients understand that they are important and able to seek responsibility helps
the individual to grow. It is our responsibility to connect clients’ worth to the broader society in a
professional manner.
The Importance of Human Relationships: “Social workers recognize the central
importance of human relationships” (NASW, 2008). In relation to myself, this value provides me
with a broader understanding on how to work, engage, connect and help others, professionally.
Social work is a helping profession and the human relationship is a helping process. I want to be
a social worker to provide strengthening relationships and to enhance the well-being of others in
the micro, mezzo and macro level. I would not be the person I am today if I did not have the
positive relationships with my friends and family; they have helped me shaped my behavior and
values. One portion of Concern’s operating principles for the agency to follow is “embrace
conflict and disagreements as an opportunity to strengthen our relationships” (Concern for Kids,
2014). This correlates with clientele, individually and with all employees. Having a positive
human relationship with a client entitles specific skills in order to vehicle change. The agency
provides these skills to their employees through trainings and effective communication. The
clients want a human relationship with their case worker and foster families. I believe this value
is most important for the agency in order to be affective because they constantly have
interactions and professional relationships with those in care.

Integrity: “Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner” (NASW, 2008). This fifth
value is the most important and has had the most effect on myself. Having integrity is the first
step to a balanced relationship and as a professional. Integrity is an essential value because social
worker’s need to have stable relationships with clientele. Social workers must act with honesty
and responsibility to promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations that they are
involved with. Concern’s agency mission is “through teamwork, cultural awareness and quality
personalized services; Concern promotes respect, self-worth and trust in individuals and fosters
the growth of healthy, responsible and productive community member” (Concern for Kids,
2014); the workers at the agency remain aware of this mission and aim to promote accordingly.
Additionally, integrity plays a major value within the agency in regards to the confidentiality and
the HIPPA regulations. Client information must remain in trust with the case workers and in
private file-folders, so that the clientele can feel that they are able to trust their case worker and
the agency that they are involved with.
Competence: “Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and
enhance their professional expertise” (NASW, 2008). The last value listed in the Ethical
Principles ensures that social workers increase their professional knowledge and skills to apply
them to the practice setting. Before starting as an intern at Concern I needed to extend my
knowledge on Concern’s policies and practices. In doing so I was able to apply what was
learned, confidently, to clientele and the case workers. Concern has multiple trainings that each
worker must complete in order to have the competence to contribute to their mission. As social
workers, we are continuously learning, especially from others. As a case-work intern I am able to
learn from the observations of the case worker’s knowledge base of the agency, and demonstrate
it as I grow into a future social worker.

Ethical Standards
Following the professional values, in the Code of Ethics, are the Ethical Standards. These
set standards are a social worker’s responsibility to clients, colleagues, in the practice settings, as
professionals, to the social work profession, and to the broader society (NASW, 2008). Beneath
each standard are detailed guidelines that social workers ensure to promote. Every standard that
the NASW (2008) discusses is vital to follow.
In relation to my position at Concern for Kids, four of the standards that are most
affective are: 1.02 Self-Determination, 2.01 Respect, 2.05 Consultation, and 5.01 Integrity of the
Profession (NASW, 2008). Although, I do not hold the title of a social worker, yet, these still
affect my professional behavior, and to the agency and the clients.
1.02 Self-Determination: Social workers respect and promote the rights of clients to self-
determination and assist clients in their efforts to identify and clarify their goals (NASW, 2008).
Throughout my time at Concern for Kids I have observed, assisted, and learned from the case
workers; whom have multiple clients to monitor, in care. Each client makes a continuous effort
to his/her rights to self-determination and setting goals to complete during their time in care.
There are many times that a client has no self-confidence. Thus, the social worker has the ethical
responsibility to assist these clients in positively promoting themselves and to respect their
differences. The agency strives to have their clients feel strong, confident and comfortable while
in care. While I am at in-home visits, I strive to provide determination at each client by
constantly having them achieve their goals before termination occurs. When clients achieve a
task, their confidence increases, the agency is following their standards and the worker is
showing respect.

2.01 Respect: Social workers should treat colleagues with respect and should represent
accurately (NASW, 2008). Respect plays a large contribution to all agencies and workers.
Respect is the number one characteristic that I promote and observe from everyone at Concern
for Kids. There has never been a time where I have been a part of, witnessed or heard of when a
colleague treated another disrespectfully or negatively. I have formed positive bonds with the
colleagues and have learned immensely from their knowledge and attitudes. When a social
worker is representing themselves to others respectfully, the trait is correlated back in the same
manner. Each and every time that I am at the agency I respect the employees and what they do as
professionals, which provides me with success in my interpersonal life.
2.05 Consultation: Social workers should seek advice and counsel of colleagues, they
should keep themselves informed about colleagues areas of expertise and competencies and
should disclose the least amount about clients, to colleagues, of information to achieve the
purposes of consultation (NASW, 2008). I have grown tremendously as an individual because of
the education presented from the colleagues at Concern for Kids. It was difficult to progress as a
case-work intern, until I pursued advice from the other case workers. Their area of expertise, as
case workers, gave me the strength to perform as a case-work intern as I provided the best
interest for my clientele. The agency trains each case worker to demonstrate knowledge and
competence related to their position and to consulate those who seek thus knowledge. Having the
ability to learn from other colleagues can result in higher success as a professional.
5.01 Integrity of the Profession: Social workers should work towards the maintenance
and promotion of the high standards of the practice and profession (NASW, 2008), which can be
demonstrated in different ways. Integrity is vital to contribute to others and to the social work
profession. The employees at Concern for Kids promote the social work profession with

integrity, respect and value by advocating for the agency. There is a known stigma placed on
child welfare agencies, like Concern for Kid, because of the stigma, the employees must provide
research, ethics, service and participation that promote the organization positively. From
spending quality time at the agency, it is observational that the employees enjoy the social work
profession and seek to contribute to thus literature involved. I have also enhanced and improve
the integrity of the profession through appropriate active work. For example, I spent an entire
day promoting Concern for Kids, and the child welfare industry, by volunteering at a recruitment
event, held at a local mall, to educate the community on the high standards that this profession
values. As social workers, we must enjoy what we do in the social service field in order for
others to reciprocate.
Recording
Case notes, records and files are vital to have on each and every client at Concern. The
case workers are responsible to take accurate records and place them into a confidential file-
folder that is located in a secured room at the agency. Each client has their own individual file
with every record that has ever been taken. Without these, there is no proof that interactions or
situations have once occurred.
Since my role entitles me to be a case-work intern, during the second semester I am
taking on the responsibility to contribute detailed case notes on the clients that I work with.
When I attend in-home visits at the clients’ foster care home, I write down my personal and
professional notes in a confidential notebook. The agency then provides me with the specific
forms that need to be completed to the fullest. These forms are: Safety Assessment, Family
Assessment, an Individualized Service Plan (ISP), Foster Care Inspection form, etc. The forms

provide a summary of the interactions, goals, problems, weaknesses, strengths, setting, concerns,
progresses, and more, that the client communicates to the case worker about. While record-
keeping, I am educated by the case workers and my supervisor on how to avoid ethical issues
that may rise from mistakes. My supervisor edits all of the completed forms to ensure that they
are done to the best ability, accurately and followed by the policies. His and the agency’s
expectation to the completion of the records are strict. If one section was filled out incorrectly,
that causes ethically issues in the privacy, confidentiality, insufficient records and integrity, in
regards to the agency, client and the case worker. Each case worker, and myself, have different
styles to writing. However, remembering to keep our personal values and professional values
separate is crucial to avoid any ethical issues. Without the guidance from others, the mistakes
would not be resolved. During my first few times record-keeping I made minor mistakes that my
supervisor noticed; instead of resulting in an ethical issue situation, his assistance was beneficial.
Supervision
Supervision has been critical for my continuous learning while being a student intern. By
definition, supervision requires an overseeing, directing, coordinating, enhancing ad evaluating
the on-the-job performance (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2012). I receive those skills from my field
instructor, field liaison and field task-supervisor. However, my field instructor, Kelly Crum,
provides me with guidance in completion of my leaning contact and an in-depth understanding of
the Educational Policy Core Competency’s at the agency. My professional growth and
performance in the field has grown from the tasks that I complete, that correspond with my
supervision.

Kelly and I communicate on a bi-weekly schedule, at individualized supervision
meetings. I take full use of these meetings; they consist of discussion of my daily tasks, my
strengths/weaknesses, questions/concerns and any other topic in regards to my case-work intern
role. Kelly and I have developed a professional level relationship. However, our relationship
took time, participation and involvement to grow to the current level it is today. During my first
few weeks at Concern for Kids, Kelly would approach me on meeting times and dates. Now, I
initiate the planning and scheduling of our meetings. The quality of her supervision is
constructive and beneficial. She constantly assists me to completing and advancing in all of the
EPCC’s that are vital to my learning experiences. My professional and personal growth, and
experience at the agency, would not be as positive if it wasn’t for her guidance, quality feedback,
and facilitation.
Her extended knowledge has provided me with self-competence as well. If at times I felt
discouraged about my work, she would quickly encourage me to build upon my worries. The
supervision has built rapport between our relationship and has enhanced my personality to be
more assertive, supportive and outgoing. Once of my biggest downfalls I have always been
concerned about is my lack of self-confidence. From Kelly’s authoritative personality, I have
been able to become more assertive in myself and am able to exhibit the skills I have learned
about, in the practice, more confidently. The constant support that Kelly offers to me and the
entire agency is envious. There has never been a time that she had made me feel uncomfortable
or embarrassed. As a future social worker, support is critical to result in quality performance.
Additionally, I come off shy in new settings, thus, I had to adjust. Since my meetings with Kelly
are very comfortable, my shy personality has faded away to being more outgoing. When this
occurs, our conversations are more informative. Kelly has told me that she enjoys watching me

flourish into a professional each time that she sees me; this ensures me that I have and will
continue to improve my personal growth and that her supervision is valuable.
Professional Social Work Identity
When first arriving to Concern for Kids, being a student intern, I did not feel as a member
of the professional team. It was difficult to learn what each individual’s position entitled and how
the agency properly functioned. However, now that I have been at the agency for an extended
amount of time I am able to transition to a multidisciplinary team member; this has its
advantages as well as its disadvantages.
The advantages to functioning as a team member are being able to work together in the
practice setting, expanding my social work knowledge, and understanding the agency as a whole.
As an undergraduate student, my knowledge is limited compared to the employees at Concern. I
can happily say that I have learned one or more useful skills from each employee. I can also say
that each employee has provided me with knowledge about how the agency works from different
systems. The subsystems’, like the adoption workers and the foster care workers, use different
skills yet they all perform under the same agency policies. An extensive understanding of these
policies has helped me to connect with the other employees. When in conversation with another
worker, I am able to effectively communicate the correct terminology and functions that must be
pursued. It was difficult to “catch-up” on the same level to all of the employees, but it has
definitely opened my eyes to the practice setting system and has been an advantage to my
professional growth.
Thus, the disadvantages to functioning as a team member are not immense. My first few
experiences at Concern for Kids are the only times that I have felt nervous and overwhelmed.

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