West Virginia Struggling to Find Child Protection Workers
West Virginia has a chronic shortage of child protective service workers, according to this article on the WBOY Channel 12 Web site. There are more than 40 vacancies around the state.
There are several reasons for this shortage. One is low pay — the entry salary for a trainee is $27,000 a year. There is also high turnover because caseloads are heavy, the article said.
The article said applicants do not have to hold a social work degree to get a job. New hires can get waiver and a temporary license, provided they complete social work classes.
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the system is broken and it’s to late to fix it.if cps loves these kids as much as they say they do.why then are so many of these kids being loved to death by cps.it should.nt be about the money.in ever city ever town and ever state on any given day children in foster care are being over medicated and loved to death in foster care hiring more workers is.nt going to fix the problem when cps is the problem.all the workers need fired and start out new by hireing people that will work for the abused child not line their pockets with money.even after the parent jumps thru the hoops as the parent is always told to do in order to get the child back cps keeps the child in foster care or locked up in one of these on top of the hill buildings collecting money off the child.all cps is now is policeing in taking children.they have no concern for the family to unite
I am a CPS worker in WV. Let me tell you all….it’s not the caseloads or the clients that make this job miserable. Its the horrible supervisors and upper management that care about nothing but crunching out the numbers. We get no support what-so-ever! I would love to see Louis Palma come out and spend a week in our office as a worker.
I’m a social worker looking for a job right now and frankly, I’m not considering CPS as a possibility. It’s sad. Between the low pay and, as Holly says, the difficulty in good work ethics it’s just not worth it.
That’s sad because otherwise I would definitely consider it, as I’d love to help kids, I’m qualified and have raised my own. But I’d never compromise myself that way and don’t understand why they do it for such little pay.
I ran out of time in the court room to plead my case. I have been falsely accused of not allowing the father to visit with the children. A temporary order put my children with the petitioner that they hardly knew (their father, my husband of 18 years) They were horrified. I had been advised by a lawyer that my son of age 15 had a choice to live where he chose. My daughter tells me she can speak to her father any way she wants to when he is drunk because he will never remember it. When they stay with him (2 to 3 nights a week for my son less for my daughter) my 16 year old son sleeps with his 11 year old sister on a pull out couch as there is only one bedroom in the house that their father sleeps in. They have been left alone overnight with no supervision. I had to get permission through my lawyer to take my son to the doctor because his father refused to. He was put on antibiotics, prednisone, and inhalers for his lungs and advised not to be around cig. smoke as much as possible. My son advised the doctor this is not possible because there are no doors in the building they live in and their father smokes. I have reported to CPS the living conditions they have been placed in and the mental abuse they deal with (would take a long time to give details). My son has told them of the times his father was passed out drunk, glassy eyed and unresponsive. CPS informed my son that his father has a steady job, he is not physically abusive (yet), and there is food in the house. They feel he is “functional” and that they are old enough to take care of themselves. Anyone got a good connection with Dr. Phil?
GOOD W. VIRGINIA CANT FIND ENOUGH SOCIAL JERKERS. I HATE THESE IDIOTS WITH A PASSION!! THEY KIDNAPPED OUR 2 GIRLS 9 YRS. AGO OFF A LIE WHAT IDIOTS. ITS ALL ABOUT THE MONEY AND JOB SECURITY FOR THESE IDIOTS. GO TO HELL CPS!!!!!! I HOPE CPS ALL ACROSS THIS FING COUNTRY FALLS APART.
HERES HOW BEYOND EVIL CPS IS GO TO THIS LINK FROM A FORMER CPS WORKER http://WADVPRESS.ORG/?P=747
I am with Holly. I’ve been a CPS worker in WV for almost two years and have stayed maybe a year too long. I am always under unbelievable stress and in fear for my job. Management sucks! They have NO idea what it takes and how much time it takes to get the job done. No Idea!. They don’t listen when we try to explain it to them. Either the state of WV can only hire people who can’t manage their time appropriately, or something is wrong with the expectations. I have talked to workers in four different counties and all of the workers in my office, (many of whom have quit and all of whom have an exit plan, except those who have been there forever) who all feel as I do. I love being a CPS worker. I do not love or even tolerate well how I am treated.
I am respectful and kind, yet smart and observant. I am compassionate and tough. I have clients who I removed their children from them who want to hug my neck when they see me because “I always knew you really cared about me and my kids”. And I did and do. My clients, attorneys, school staff and judge all think I am a competent professional. My supervisor waffles between “you are a good social worker and work hard” to telling me that I must not be doing my job right because I have a backlog most months. The CSM doesn’t listen at all. You try to explain that there just isn’t enough time and the CSM says, “You should be able to do more than you are. The expected current caseload to clear is 15 and that doesn’t count having a backlog.” CSM also said that protection plans and child removal was budgeted into the time. That is crap and some workers choose not to see the abuse and neglect that a good investigator sees simply because it will get you in trouble- more work=more time. I won’t ever do that, but I also won’t ever meet my time-frames. Don’t you dare work overtime, even when necessary unless you want to be accused of stealing hours if you have a backlog. No one in upper management understands at all that more competent work = more time and that there just isn’t enough time even IF no client was in trouble.
The CSM also says “this county can do it, why can’t you?” Well, “This county” can’t do it and the quality of work from that county SUCKS when they have their numbers up. “Numbers up”. That is what social work is isn’t it? That’s what our clients are, right? Numbers of a graph?.
West Virginia takes a dedicated CPS social worker and chews them up and spits them out and expects us to accept this as normal.
To those of you who feel as though you were unfairly treated by CPS, let me say this:
1. You very well may have been. Some CPS workers have power issues, like some cops do. It’s not the majority of us, but if you run into one, I am sorry. You can choose to know your rights, behave appropriately and refuse to cooperate. ( I secretly wish people would refuse to cooperate sometimes or maybe even sue us-lots of workers feel this way).
2. If you want CPS to work properly, help by demanding that policies change to make good CPS workers want to stay. WV can’t keep a good worker because of poor management all the way up to the top. Happy employees will stay in their jobs. We aren’t happy.
3. Know that sometimes you don’t have all of the info. I had a grandmother once who never understood why I couldn’t place her grandchild with her. She insisted that I was being unfair. Her child let her blame me when my hands were tied. I couldn’t tell her that it was because the father of the child said he did drugs with this grandma and in a past referral, mom said that she was abused by this grandmother and also did drugs with her. I couldn’t even hint at the truth other than to say, “Your child can tell you, but I can’t. this is to protect client privacy.”
4. When you think we (CPS) haven’t done enough a). Sometimes we haven’t. Remember that some workers are fearful of not getting the job done and cut corners. b). We have to have evidence that will hold up in court to be able to do anything about what is happening. We can know that the parent is shooting up, but we have to be able to PROVE abuse and/ or neglect is happening because of it.
@Diane and Holly. I just graduated high school, and I’m going to college at WVU as a resident of WV. I am not completely sure of what I want as a career, but CPS social worker is definitely a choice. Money isn’t important to me, and I am passionate about this job because of situations I’ve seen in my life and others’ lives. I would really enjoy to speak to one or both of you if possible, so if you could, email me at katelynbennett.buhs@yahoo.com. Thanks!
I live in wv & all my case worker does is bully, intimidate, & lie.
Wv CPS is corrupt. Not just Wv but globally! What happen to our constitutional rights. Nicholas County DHHR needs fully investigated and all those bogus case files they have need tossed. Good Christian families being ripped apart while others are so drugged out they forget they have kids or beat and starve them. get to keep their kids.
Become a CPS Caseworker today and withhold evidence tomorrow. I don’t care who you are DHHR CPS, your a piece of shitz.
Protect Children? Every DHHR Office and every CPS Worker is Corrupt and don’t say your not. There’s maybe one or two that are decent in each office. The crap Caseworkers get by with is amazing.
CPS has no concerns of children. State of West Virginia covers up Child murders. The actual number of death of children by Abuse the Statistics are unknown. Let’s not forget Attorneys CPS are buddies with who Rig Court Hearings.
CPS and these Attorneys that most likely are not licensed, put Child Abuse Cases in Kangaroo Court.
Balloon Release Ceremony is fake and fraudulent. All of you need put on trial and lynched.
I’m curious if you tell your family what you really do? I hope one day someone takes your child or puts your child in danger, put the shoe on the other foot.
next time a CPS Worker shows up again at my home making false alligagtions and threatens to take my child, your going to be missing teeth. CPS took a friend of mine Children lied withheld evidence and put the children up for adoption. You are all Garbage Fck you
Please explain why some of these caseworkers are not licensed not have they gotten license as required by state code.
WEST VIRGINIA CODE
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CHAPTER 30. PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS.
ARTICLE 30. SOCIAL WORKERS.
ARTICLE 30. SOCIAL WORKERS.
§30-30-1. Unlawful acts.
(a) It is unlawful for any person to practice or offer to practice social work in this state without a license or permit issued under this article, or advertise or use any title or description tending to convey the impression that the person is a social worker, unless the person has been licensed or permitted under this article, and the license or permit has not expired, been suspended or revoked.
(b) No business entity, except through a licensee, may render any service or engage in any activity which if rendered or engaged in by an individual, would constitute the practices regulated under this article.
§30-30-2. General provisions.
The practices regulated under this article and the Board of Social Work are subject to article one of this chapter, this article, and any rules promulgated hereunder.
We need to STOP WV CPS from stealing our children and selling them.
Someone please explain how CPS can bend and break laws, judges and magistrates sign off on ratifications and court orders that are obviously erroneous, to the point, if actually read, the errors would’ve jumped off of the page at them! They do not read them! Flip to the back page and sign! My grandson was even examined by a doctor without consent or his mother present. How is any of this legal??? I have read the laws, WV CPS code, as well as WV DHHR code… I’m appalled at the behaviors and lack of informed consent, actually informing my daughter of her rights and rights as a parent! This system is horribly broken! And, the irreparable damage that is done to these children is astounding!
Daycare facilities should have astringent policies and inspections. My grandson was injured at daycare, yet, the CPS finds it much simpler to place blame on individuals, then, drag them through the hell of making them prove they had nothing to do with it! Guilty until they prove their innocence. Not at all how it is supposed to be. Please help. Any information is appreciated.