Dear Reader,
The suicide death of Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi in the fall of 2010 was a tragedy, and it affected me deeply to think that a college freshman with his whole life ahead of him would be prompted to take such measures as a result of a schoolmate’s devastating actions. This, plus a rash of other bullying-related suicides of gay and other youth, caught the attention of the national media. And it made me think—this is one of the primary areas in which social workers must take the lead. Teaching children from an early age to respect ALL people is of paramount importance. Bullying has to stop, on all levels. After all, children who bully and who hold prejudices against those who are different from themselves grow up to be adults who bully and hold the same prejudices, passing these traits on to their children, and so on.
So, when SW 2.0 columnist Karen Zgoda suggested writing an article about the It Gets Better Project, I was thrilled. This innovative use of YouTube, although not a be-all-end-all solution, begins to raise awareness of LGBT youth issues and brings life to the old adage that “suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”
In addition, in this new year, I want to highlight the issue of bullying in this magazine. A couple of years ago, we published an article about a social worker’s work with the Olweus bullying prevention program. In this issue, we feature an article by psychologist Ted Zeff on warning signs that a child is being bullied, along with a personal account of being bullied, written by social worker Amy T. I hope to address other aspects of bullying, such as cyber-bullying, in future issues.
In this issue, we have the first of a two-part series on social work job search by Karen Graziano. In addition, new MSW grad Kryss Shane will be sharing her experiences with us periodically, as she navigates her way through her first professional social work position.
Is it okay for foster care social workers to adopt their own clients? Rana Duncan-Daston explains ethical difficulties with this scenario (see page 4). Also, in this issue, read about supervision, title protection, academic publishing, homeless children, listening to teenagers, staying passionate in your work, and a lot more!
Until next time—happy reading!
Linda May Grobman, ACSW, LSW
Publisher/Editor
Table of Contents-Winter 2011 Student Role Model:
Carrie Amber Rheingans
Meet Carrie Amber Rheingans, a dual degree student in social work and public health.
by Barbara Trainin Blank
page 3
Ethics: Addressing an Overt Challenge to the Code of Ethics: Is it permissable for foster care workers to adopt adolescents aging out of care from their own caseloads? NO!
Finding permanent families for adolescents aging out of care has assumed the priority it deserves in the field of child welfare. At the same time, some professionals are advocating for the removal of the conflict of interest standard in the NASW Code of Ethics.
by Rana Duncan-Daston
page 4
Field Placement: Supervision: If It Is Not Available, What Will I Do?
Provision of good quality supervision is paramount. It is vital to social workers themselves and the clients with whom they work.
by Steven Peet
page 6
Thoughts About Field Placement
A BSW student reflects on lessons learned in an HIV/AIDS field placement.
by Brandy Dotson
page 9
A Collaborative Project to Achieve Title Protection in North Carolina
Students in a social work policy class at Methodist University advocate for and achieve title protection in North Carolina.
by Deborah M. Murray and George E. Hendricks
page 10
Staying Passionate: Five Keys for Keeping the Soul in Our Work
Working in the social service world can sometimes feel like finding your way through a maze. These five tips can help you turn breakdowns into breakthroughs.
by Patricia Berendsen
page 12
Hidden Insides: The Voices of the Kids We Know
Kids’ words come to us through their expressions and actions as much as from their mouths, but whatever form they come to us in, our kids, clients, and students need us to hear them.
by Seth Rockman
page 14
Chasing the Dream: Making a Difference
Read about the SKIP program in Peru.
by Liz Wilson
page 15
Roles in Flux: From Student to Professional, Part I: The Job Search
Develop a plan for your transition from student to professional social worker.
by Karen Graziano
page 16
Traversing the Academic Terrain: A Bi-Focal Approach to Publishing in Social Work
To publish or perish is the mantra in academia. It helps to “put on your bi-focals” to see both the forest and the trees in the publishing process.
by Cassandra Bransford
page 20
SW 2.0: It Gets Better: A YouTube Response to Anti-Gay Bullying and Suicide
It Gets Better uses YouTube to reach out to gay youth and tell stories of others who have survived bullying and suicidal thoughts.
by Karen Zgoda
page 24
Six Warning Signs That a Child is Being Bullied
Do you know what to look for?
by Ted Zeff
page 29
I Was Bullied—A Social Worker’s Story
Memories of being bullied are fresh, years later.
by Amy T.
page 29
Kryss Meets Career: My First Day
Kryss has accepted a job offer. And to be honest, she is terrified.
by Kristen Marie (Kryss) Shane
page 30
Four Years Old and Homeless
The realities of life can be daunting. The social worker’s role as advocate will contiue for a lifetime.
by Beatrice Bordley
page 31
Poetry page 13
On Campus page 22
Letter to the Editor page 23
Reviews page 26
Classified Ads page 32
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