Reflection Of Case Study In Social Work

During my undergraduate studies, I had the privilege to intern at the Juvenile Diversion Program (J.D.P.). I interacted with children from diverse races, cultures, and socioeconomic status. Additionally, a high percentage of the youth had involvement with protective services. The J.D.P. is for juveniles who commit first time misdemeanor offense and prevent them from going deeper into the Juvenile Justice System. Under the direction and guidance of my supervisor (a clinical social worker), I developed valuable skills in: interviewing; assessments; rapport building; showing empathy while remaining professional; documenting symptoms and behaviors; and connecting clients to services. I fell in love with the children and the profession which led to my decision to pursue a master’s degree in social work.

For example, one case of mine involved a nine-year old girl who endured: sexual abuse by her stepfather; neglect and physical mistreatment by her mother; and multiply shelters in foster care.

This girl came to the J.D.P. for assaulting her foster care mother. As a result, she gets placed in a different foster home separated from her brothers. Not to mention, during her J.D.P. appointment, her child service’s case worker, repeatedly blames and reprimands the child for her misconduct. In effect, this case worker epitomizes the lack of caring adults and advocates throughout this child’s entire life. The system fails her by not looking at the reasons behind her behavior; instead, it labels her a problem child. This case is a prime example why I chose clinical social work for my graduate studies. My main interest is working with children exposed to

trauma.
In my work experience (in the medical field), I dealt with instances where my ethics, empathy, and professionalism guided me when handling patient’s problems. For example, one patient’s M.R.I. results showed a congenital anomaly in his brain. As a result, he required a consult with a brain specialist. Unfortunately, this patient recently aged out of the foster care system so, he was lacking insurance coverage and the financial means for medical treatment. Under those circumstances, I decided to secure him a brain assessment. After days of phone calls, I discovered Tampa General Hospital provides medical services to the indigent, and they agreed to see the patient. The patient was reluctant, but I persisted by calling every day until he relented. A few days later, he notified me the doctor removed a brain mass and thanked me for saving his life. Without a doubt, this case illustrates how only one person can change the trajectory of another person’s life.
I remained organized and kept up the demands of school and family obligations during my undergraduate studies. In fact, I will graduate in May with a 4.0 G.P.A. and a Bachelor of Science degree in Behavioral Healthcare from U.S.F. I believe my family support, determination, and proven study habits will aid my success in graduate school. Likewise, my strengths in: adaptability; attention to detail; reliability; cooperation with others; professionalism; communication skills; and ethical behavior makes me an ideal applicant for the master’s social work program at U.S.F. Similarly, attending graduate school gives me the opportunity to improve my skills in active listening; cultural competence; and policy and law. My goal of becoming a clinical social worker is partly for myself, but most importantly for the young victims of trauma. People ask, how could I work with such sad cases? My answer is, how could I not?