Life is full of decisions. From what monopoly piece to choose to what you will be when you ‘grow up’. And when you choose a career, do you choose a future full of challenges, frustrations, and a low salary? If you choose a job in child welfare, yes.
Social workers are people who have selected a career that isn't chosen by most. By even becoming a social worker they are choosing to walk into hard situations every day, knowing they will be perceived harshly and underappreciated.
What should our response be to the social workers who have made this difficult choice? Today we talk with Rhonda Littleton, Nicole Taylor, and Joe Rogers to explore not only why we should support and encourage social workers, but what are great first steps to take when incorporating support for these vital helpers into our organizations and ministries.
Resources and Guests
Featured Resource: Vision Starter Guide
You care deeply about serving children and families in foster care, but mobilizing others can feel overwhelming. In this guide, discover resources to help rally your community around a vision of more than enough for children and families before, during, and beyond foster care. From a worksheet to help you contextualize the vision for your community to example content for marketing pieces, let us help multiply the impact of your time, effort, and resources by equipping you to communicate the vision where you live.
Mentioned in the Episode: Monopoly Statistics
Dr. Rhonda Littleton | A Home for Me SC
Dr. Rhonda Littleton serves as the Executive Director for A Home For Me. AHFM is a Foster Care and Adoption Bridge ministry focusing on post placement help for families of Foster Care, Adoption as well as biological families. The mission of A Home For Me is to inspire, encourage, and resource vulnerable families and those who care for them.
Rhonda is a TBRI (Trust Based Relational Intervention) Educator and Practitioner, and received her Doctor of Educational Ministry from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She also holds a Master of Arts in Christian Education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Central Wesleyan College. In 2023 Rhonda received The Keith A Frazier Champion for Children Award SCFPA, and in 2018 was honored with the Forever Friend Award Greenville Co. DSS and the DSS State Director’s Champion for Children Award.
Rhonda currently serves on the South Carolina Department of Social Services Advisory Board. One of her passions is being a part of Christian Alliance For Orphans and speaking across the nation representing church ministry and local child welfare professionals. She has participated in or led 21 international mission trips, as well as numerous US Projects. She loves encouraging foster care, adoptive and Kinship care families.
Nicole Taylor | Congregations for Kids
Nicole Taylor is an award-winning journalist turned visionary nonprofit leader. After working in the international orphan care world for 8 years, Nicole became a foster parent. Now, as a fierce advocate for children and families within the foster care system, Nicole serves as the Executive Director of Congregations for Kids (CFK) in Charlotte, NC. CFK equips and empowers the community to be champions for children, families and social workers in the foster care system. Nicole also serves on the advisory board for the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute and has been featured on CNN for her work within child welfare.
Joe Rogers
Find the full video of Joe reading the letter to his younger self, here.
Jason Weber | Host