Judith Schagrin. Photo courtesy of The Atlantic.
The Atlantic magazine is doing a series that looks at work and identity.
Reporter Adrienne Green sat down with National Association of Social Workers member Judith Schagrin to find out how she became involved in the foster care system and why social work is so important to her.
Schagrin, ACSW, LCSW-C, who is assistant director for children’s services for Baltimore County, Maryland, said her job has many challenges.
These include finding ways to enact child protection regulations passed by lawmakers who have little understanding of the social service workforce and trying to do so much on a tight budget.
However Schagrin said her job is incredibly fulfilling and has become an integral part of her identity.
“It’s incredibly corny to say, but there’s absolutely nothing like looking into a child’s eyes and knowing that you’ve made a difference,” she said. “Or hearing from a young person 30 years later, ‘Are you the Judith Schagrin who saved my life?’ Or, ‘You’re always someone I knew I could trust.’”
Take time to read Schagrin’s full interview with The Atlantic. And to learn more about how social workers help people overcome life’s challenges visit the National Association of Social Workers’ “Help Start Here” website.
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This is an excellent piece depicting who social workers are and what we do. This reflects that most of the policies are made by individuals who adhere to the Protestant ethic of lifting oneself up by the bootstraps. I am proud to be this social worker’s colleague because she is disciplined, knowledgeable, reflective and exceptionally competent.
Hi there, how do I go about submitting an article
Email NASW Public Relations Manager Greg Wright gwright.nasw@socialworkers.org.