Amazed at What This Job Really Involves
A new case manager's first months at Heart to Heart change how she understands what birth mothers are actually offered, housing, counseling, transportation, and support that doesn't stop at placement.
What Surprised a New Case Worker
As a new birth mother case worker and my first time working in adoption, I was pleasantly surprised by what this job entails.
Before working for Heart to Heart I knew little about adoption and the lengthy process involved with it.
I have been impressed by how much support and care our agency offers birth mothers.
As my compassion grew for these women making inexplainable hard decisions for their children, I appreciated even more the lengths that the agency goes through to help this vulnerable population.
What Support Actually Looks Like for Birth Mothers
Not only does Heart to Heart Adoptions find stable, worthy families for a birth mother’s child to be adopted into, there is so much more.
A birth mom, when working with Heart to Heart, is offered housing assistance, help with phone and utilities bills, a weekly budget for food and personal items, transportation to doctor appointments, flights if necessary, and much more.
The agency has several apartments where women go who are waiting to give birth. Before the birth mother was going to arrive, the women who have worked for the agency longer than me explained how to get a welcome basket prepared for the woman. This needed to contain the type of hair product she would prefer.
In addition to financial assistance, each client is offered counseling services. We work with wonderful counselors and social work professionals who meet with clients to make the adoption process as comfortable as possible. These services are offered before and after their baby is born.
Why This Work Matters
The process of adoption doesn’t stop when a placement takes place. A birth mother will forever be attached to their child, making the “process” last a lifetime.
I love that Heart to Heart truly cares about their clients. This is shown by their continued service even after the placement of a child. I always knew this was an extremely difficult thing to do, but I now have a much better understanding of just how hard it is for these women, no matter their unique circumstance or situation.
Being a part of their process is an irreplaceable feeling of fulfillment in my life.
Comments