August 2009 Caseworker of the Month
Danielle Warren
Sometimes, in this whole confused system, where there is so much pain and frustration, a little ray of light shines in and you stumble across a person who is a gem. It is wonderful to find an individual whose dedication, sincerity and love for the children are reflected in every aspect of how they perform their job as a social worker. Dani Warren is just such a person and she deserves to be recognized for the compassion and passion that she brings to her profession and which she infuses into every aspect of her work.
We are a waiting family and we first met Dani in the course of a potential match. The match was for a little girl who needed a life saving transplant. The little girl was out-of-state for us and Dani was seeking to place the child in our city, so that the child could be near the facility where the transplant would occur. In an effort to see if we would be a good match for the little child, we began to investigate the child's medical condition by speaking with the medical professionals at the local hospital which would perform the surgery.
In every discussion, there was a constant thread that ran through the conversations and information that was provided to us - that thread was the love Dani had shown this child and the passion with which Dani was trying to place this medically fragile child. Dani had researched which hospital had the greatest success rate for this type of risky surgery; she had advocated within her home state child protective services system for this child to be allowed to have the surgery at one of the country's premiere medical centers; she had traveled with this child from their home state to our state to have the child evaluated; while they were in our state, Dani voluntarily opted to spend the nights on a fold-out chair/bed in the child's room, rather than sleep in a much more comfortable hotel room. All in all, at the end of the day, the medical professionals' praise for Dani's compassion for this child came across loud and clear in every conversation that we had with them.
Although ultimately this child went to another home, Dani left a lasting mark on us - we know, with absolute certainty, that there is a compassionate and dedicated worker who is out there advocating for the children who are assigned to her and trying to make this a better system and bring hope into the lives of the children, one child at a time. Our hearts could not bear to do what Dani (or any social worker who is involved in child protective services) does day in and day out, or see what she routinely sees. Yet, she continues to be a passionate and caring representative for the children, against what sometimes seem to be insurmountable odds. Dani is an angel to this medically fragile child and to all of the children in her care.
Lavelle family
Pittsburgh, PA
“One of the first cases I was assigned was the case of a beautiful infant girl in need of a transplant. This began the process of locating the perfect hospital and perfect place for her.
“Days after her first birthday, I accompanied this infant to Pittsburgh and stayed with her in the hospital; I was thrilled that she was accepted for transplant, and I was eager to locate a family that would be willing to take on the task of caring for her before and after transplant. Over several months, only a very dedicated few families showed interest in this child whose diagnosis and transplant status make her a very demanding commitment; any moment, a necessary organ may come, and all else must be set aside. The Lavelle’s faith and commitment to their children made them one of my favorite prospective placements. Even when they felt they were not the ideal family for this infant, they continued to care and most importantly pray for her --and even for me as her caseworker. They, along with medical staff, my supervisor, and others assured me that the perfect place would be found, and they were cheerleaders for this child’s success.
“It has been a very long and hard process locating a home, and it is wonderful to say one was found. It is just as wonderful knowing the impact that serving this child has had on my life. The support and encouragement from the people I work with and others who truly care about children helps keep me going. I believe in the goals and necessity of CPS. This job takes compassion, and I am surrounded by it.” - Danielle Warren
