Trying to Save the World, One Piece at a Time
A child welfare memoir
by
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I once received a call to go to a rural address and check on a woman who was raising her grandchildren. This case was being handled by a private agency, and there were concerns about the home and the children. I drove for over an hour and finally ended up on a gravel road that led to a sandy path that served as a driveway. The side yard was fenced in for the two small children who were placed in this relative’s home. Inside the fenced area was broken glass, dirty diapers, a rusty butcher knife, and animal feces. There were multiple goats running loose in the yard. As I walked up the broken sidewalk, I discovered the cistern, uncovered, in the middle of the walkway. I approached the large, enclosed back porch and knocked on the screen door. There was no response. Inside the screen porch were two large wooden entry doors. I decided to go in and knock on one of the doors. I grasped the screen door handle and pulled it open: the entire door came off in my hands. The hinges were not attached, and the door had been propped within its frame. I set the door aside.
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About the Book
Social work courses provide the foundational knowledge needed to become a child welfare professional. However, this book offers something different—it reveals the realities of working in child welfare that no classroom can fully prepare you for. Many enter the field believing they have the answers and can transform every case they encounter. The truth is both humbling and inspiring: meaningful change often occurs one small step at a time. Hence the title, Trying to Save the World... One Piece at a Time. The world of child welfare can be harsh and unpredictable. It may involve encounters with firearms, aggressive animals, threats of violence, heartbreaking losses, and even the death of children. Yet it can also bring extraordinary moments of hope, resilience, and success as children and families overcome immense challenges and achieve outcomes beyond anyone’s expectations. This book is not written for academics or researchers. It is written for those who want to understand the realities of the child welfare system and the challenges caseworkers face every day. Each of the more than twenty chapters recounts a true story from my thirty-plus years of experience in child welfare. To protect client confidentiality, all names, locations, and identifying details have been changed.
About the Author
The author earned a bachelor’s degree in science, physical education, and secondary education in 1981 and an MSW in Social Work in 2002. After beginning her career in child welfare, she spent 34 years serving children in foster care, including 21 years as a caseworker and 13 as a supervisor. She began writing this memoir in 2009 as a healing journey and published it to help others understand the realities of child welfare work. In retirement, she remains active in her church, Habitat for Humanity, and CASA while enjoying time with her three children, four grandchildren, and great-grandchild.