March is recognized annually as National Social Worker Month. Social workers are a critical part of our work here at Nexus Family Healing, and we want to acknowledge and share the work they do while also giving you some ideas on how to thank the social workers you may have in your life.
The profession of social work started in the late 19th century and today takes multiple forms. According to the National Association of Social Workers, “The profession of social work helps people in their personal and interpersonal lives in order to achieve social improvement, and pursues social change to benefit a wide variety of individuals, families and communities.”
At Nexus Family Healing, we have a variety of social workers who serve several of our agencies working in community services and foster and adoptive care. Without our social workers, we wouldn’t be able to do the work we do. They fulfill several important duties at once, from answering a new family’s questions and helping them fill out paperwork, connecting them to the resources and support they need. In the foster care realm, they setup and prepare new foster families, ensure foster youth are in a safe home and are thriving in their placement, as well as help with reunification of biological families and facilitate adoptions.
Social workers are true advocates for the youth and families they serve.
They must be flexible, creative, and passionate about their work, able to handle tough situations that can often come with a lot of negative feelings but remain positive themselves. They must work and communicate with people of all kinds of different cultures and backgrounds and ensure that the child whose case they are working on is getting their needs met, while realizing that each child is unique and requires different care.
Due to the nature of their work, social workers often can’t accept physical gifts from clients. Here are some ways you can meaningfully recognize a social worker in your life by acknowledging the way their work has made a positive impact on you and your family:
- Sending a hand-written thank you note and sharing your feelings of gratitude
- Giving a drawing from the child in your care
- Offering them your trust and patience
- Sharing your favorite moment from working with them
- Sending pictures and updates from your family
- Making them a handmade sign or homemade craft
We at Nexus Family Healing are so grateful for our social workers, and just want to say again, thank you so much for the work you do.
Nexus Family Healing is a national nonprofit mental health organization that restores hope for thousands of children and families who come to us for outpatient/community mental health services, foster care and adoption, and residential treatment. For over 50 years, our network of agencies has used innovative, personalized approaches to heal trauma, break cycles of harm, and reshape futures. We believe every child is worth it — and every family matters. Learn more at nexusfamilyhealing.org.