AdoptUsKids to Honor Caseworkers for their Dedication to Children and Families
Abilene, Texas, August 1, 2009 – AdoptUsKids announced today that Ms. Danielle Warren, a Child Protective Services Specialist with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, is the August recipient of its Caseworker of the Month award. This award is part of AdoptUsKids’ national initiative which celebrates caseworkers for their dedication to children and families. More information about Ms. Warren and excerpts from her nomination can be found along with this month’s award announcement on www.adoptuskids.org and www.adopte1.org.
Thousands of foster, adoptive and kinship families across the United States rely on their caseworkers every day to connect them to vital services, offer support and guidance, and ensure the safety, permanency and well-being of children in the foster care system.
Nearly 300,000 children in the United States enter the foster care system each year. Over half of these children will return to their parents, while the remainder of them will stay in the foster system awaiting identification of an alternate permanent family. Currently there are 496,000 children in the foster care system; approximately 130,000 are waiting for permanent families. Over 20,000 children “age out” of the system each year without being adopted. About half of the children in foster care are children of color, with older African American boys waiting the longest for adoption.
In nominating Ms. Warren, the Lavelle family wrote, “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.”
Reflecting on this recipient of the Caseworker of the Month initiative, AdoptUsKids’ Project Director, Kathy Ledesma said, “Danielle Warren’s work with families is a shining example of the excellent work that public and private child welfare agency caseworkers do everyday across the United States."
After being nominated for this award by the Lavelle family, Ms. Warren stated “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.”
The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids
The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids is a multi-faceted, five-year, federally funded project. Its mission is to assist States and Tribes in their efforts to recruit and connect foster and adoptive families with waiting children throughout the United States. The Collaboration is managed by the Adoption Exchange Association (AEA) based in Baltimore, Maryland, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Children's Bureau. For more information, call AdoptUsKids at (888) 200-4005.
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
The mission of The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is to protect children, the elderly, and people with disabilities from abuse, neglect, and exploitation by involving clients, families and communities. For more information, call 1-800-233-3405.
Contact:
Kate Kirkpatrick
kkirkpatrick@adoptuskids.org
(717) 545-5251