I am officially 1.5 years into graduate school through Florida State University. Lately I have reflected on what I will do and which population I will serve. As I get closer to completing the MSW, the draw to stay working in child welfare changes. There are days when I am overwhelmed by what I see in these resilient children. Then there are days when I don’t think I can make it through a tough day at work.

For the past five years, that has been my life. These children, who at their young age have experienced so much grief. Guardian ad Litem has given me the ability to work in social work and the legal field simultaneously. I recently watched a presentation on early childhood court and its rollout in our local circuit. I was so optimistic leaving that presentation, that I started to consider staying working in child welfare, especially next year during my clinical rotation in the fall 2025.

In the meantime, it is the week before the holidays. I have many presents to deliver to kids on my caseload. I have court all week four days of trials, motion hearings, and then the regular docket tues/wed. I have a lot to think about in terms of where I see myself. What the future holds for me and where I will end up. I hope for now that I am making a small difference in these children’s lives. I hope that the grueling schedule of working in child welfare now, will only lead to more opportunities ahead.

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