Recommendation Letter For Bianca White

Child abuse in America is an ongoing problem and something needs to be done. There are approximately one million children abused annually in the United States. (Table 339) Cases of child abuse and neglect are reported every ten seconds, and researchers believe that there’s three times that amount that goes unnoticed. (Child Abuse: Know the Signs and Stop the Violence Against Children.) Something needs to be done for these children who are too weak and too powerless to help themselves.

It is a reasonable argument that child welfare service entities are necessary as it is all too frequent that child abuse/neglect cases are heard all over the nation and is ultimately a world health issues.  Increasing social issues such as unstable families, poverty, crime, poor education, lack of access to health care and mental health services are some of the factors that contribute to this continuous epidemic that affects many people from various socio-economic classes. Many nations have taken steps to enhance and improve efforts in the fight against the mistreatment of children.

For this experience, I have visited Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center, often referred to as Wynona’s House. This was the perfect opportunity to go to such an agency because April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. During my visit, I interviewed two women that worked at this agency: Ashley Pires, and briefly, Karen J. Zambrano. Ashley Pires is the Family Advocate and Karen Zambrano is Wynona House’s Forensic Interview Specialist.

As child neglect, abuse, or maltreatment occurs among all populations, the agency serves all families with children, including pregnant females, single mothers, single fathers, two-parent families, and legal guardians of children. There are also many other diverse factors within the families such as race, religion, age, gender, culture, lifestyle, and income. Much of the population served are victims of domestic violence and receive government assistance in the form of Medicaid, food stamps, and WIC (E. Thompson, personal communication, September 18, 2017).

Monica’s House and Maggie’s House are a non-profit organization in conducting interviews with children who have been physically or sexually abused. Cameron County Children’s Advocate Center mission, “is to serve and advocate for child victims of abuse through prevention, intervention, and treatment.” As well as, to educate children to speak out if they are being abused or have witnessed abuse. As well as, assisting children in need of clothing, school supplies and giving out food. Furthermore, the center is a great opportunity for our community to be aware of child abuse, along with feeling free to speak about theses mattered issues.

This website is about the Court Appointed Special Advocate which is a program that protects the children’s rights. According to the Court Appointed Social Advocates (2017), “With a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) or guardian ad litem (GAL) volunteer dedicated to their case, America’s most vulnerable children will have someone speaking up for their best interests” (par. 1). In addition, CASA has grown to include 800 programs nationwide.

Upon discussing with both the local elementary school administrator and the director of the Pre-K program on how they advocate the treatment of abuse to children. I discovered that in identifying and reporting mistreatment of children is very vital in preventing further or long-term harm. When school officials identify abuse they have a duty to report and follow the procedures and guidelines that are implemented in the school

On April 11, 2016, I was assigned this case to follow up. This investigation involves Ms. Kimberlee Huerta a thirteen year old George Washington Middle School student. I am familiar with Ms. Huerta as I had previously interviewed her for a 2015 case (15-183901). Ms. Huerta’s parents Luis Huerta (father) and Nancy Pereda (mother) have been actively seeking custody of Kimberlee.

For this experience, I have visited Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center, often referred to as Wynona’s House. This was the perfect opportunity to go to such an agency because April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. During my visit, I interviewed two women that worked at this agency: Ashley Pires, and briefly, Karen J. Zambrano. Ashley Pires is the Family Advocate and Karen Zambrano is Wynona House’s Forensic Interview Specialist.

On 5/12/17 the worker visited with Kim, Jaoy and Zie Williams at the safety plan or foster home of Mrs. Terry Miller home. The children were happy or reserved when they saw the caseworker. However the children or child appeared to healthy and healthy or sad with and scratches on his or body. The home was clean, neat and appropriate for the child/children. The case worker spoke with Kim on-one- on. She reported doing well in school. She also informed worker of…… Worker ask Kim is she missed her parents.. Kim said no or yes and she wanted or did not wanted to go back home. The home had adequate food, toys and books for the children or child. Worker spoke with caregiver regarding the children. According to Mrs William…. The children are

She explains to me her home was filled with neglect and abuse. “My parents were heavily involved with drugs and alcohol throughout all of my young adult life. Through all of this, I got taken away from my parents and moved in with my Grandma and Grandpa. But because of all of the emotional stress and everything that was going on, I was awarded with a CASA.” Morgan told me her CASA was one of her favorite people; she got to know Morgan well and was able to make the right decision, letting Morgan live with her grandparents. Thirteen years later, Morgan and her younger brothers still live with their grandparents. She believes her CASA truly shaped the person she is today, “There is no way I would have been able to go to college, found a passion for helping children and no way I would of found a passion for education without my CASA. Without my CASA, I wouldn’t be the person I am.” I cannot imagine going through what Morgan did. However, it has made her become a stronger person. Evidently, CASA volunteers have made a large impact on many children, including a sorority sister of

Many young children in the school system today, have the appearance of happiness and carefree living, but appearances can be deceiving! Students walk down the halls every day with their peers, never knowing what goes on after the dismissal bell rings, and they go their separate ways. There are many who go home to dinner with their families, normal family time, and a safe place to sleep at night, but others don’t. Many are afraid to face their families, they fear of being physically, mentally, or sexually abused. These are reasons that I have made the decision to become a Counselor for Abused Children.

My comprehensive and integrated expertise in child welfare unfolded over the course of 17 years in different child welfare settings that center on improving the lives of our nation’s most vulnerable children and families. These 17 years have supplied me a depth of understanding of child welfare service delivery and training

Linda Carter is an African American female that is twenty-two years of age. Ms. Carter has been diagnosed and suffers from several mental illnesses, such as Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar disorder, Depression, and Anxiety. Ms. Carter also is Intellectually Disabled, and was/is a victim of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and homelessness as a child and adult. Ms. Carter is the third child in a family of five, who parent substance abused. When Ms. Carter was nine years of age when she, and her sibling were victims of sexual molestation, and abused by her mother’s boyfriend. This violation of persons leads to Ms. Carter and her siblings being separated and removed from the family home, into foster care. Ms. Carter since the age of nine has not seen her mother or her siblings, and has no sense of support as Ms. Carter has lived in several foster homes throughout the state of Virginia until aging out of the foster care system in two thousand fourteen.

This semester as an intern at Wyoming County Children and Youth, I have gained enormous awareness of my future education and career aspirations. Some of the main duties I have performed as an intern include: supervised visitation, parenting, budgeting, in home services, policy and law regulations, and shadowing caseworkers. While following caseworkers I have the opportunity to watch case work on clients throughout the entire process. This process entails an enormous amount of information containing the intake process, open services, termination of rights, court process, foster homes, residential placements, family service plans, adoption and reunification after abuse or neglect allegations. The main duties and responsibilities, I as an intern do unaccompanied are supervised visits, parenting, budgeting and transporting. These experiences have given me the opportunity to help people, in particular families reunite and better themselves for healthier decision making in the future. I have drove to individual’s homes and provided services for budgets, home making, and parenting skills. I also have had numerous opportunities to supervise visitations between parents and children within the agency or out in the community. This has provided me with information on how each family (parent and child) needs different direction and services on how to improve their current situation.