This semester has come with a lot of opportunities to grow and shape my view of my future profession. Before this course, social work was what I wanted to do; I thought I had found my perfect niche. This course revealed to me that there are a lot of problems in social work. These problems arise both because the profession isn’t perfect, and also because we’re working within a fallen world anyway. However, now I have a new purpose as I seek to join this profession. That purpose is to better this profession that I love from this inside out, and I really think that conducting and producing research can do just that. Before this class, I planned on conducting research that sounded interesting to me. I didn’t take into account actual questions that needed answers, or what areas of research were lacking in the profession. Now, however, I feel like my vision is refocused, and I am much more concerned with satisfying the needs of my profession than satisfying the needs of my own inquiry.
Story or Numbers?
Quantitative research is composed of peoples lives and experiences turn into numeric representations, while qualitative research is “data with a soul.” So which of these would work best to research the specific topic of the foster care system? On the one hand, there is a wide array of data from the foster care system, and often, decisions have to be made quickly to minimize the possible trauma and to create a stable environment for children as soon as possible. It is clear than how quantitative research could really be beneficial for such a cause. The ‘simplicity’ of numbers to provide a rank order of options is hard to pass up. However, in what discipline would it be more important to capture the soul of the person being researched than in social work. These children in foster care have stories and perspectives that are impactful. They are in a situation that only they know about. These stories can not be discounted, and yet, large decisions are hard to make based on stories. Therefore, both types of research need to be done in this area to really achieve a well-rounded view of the state of the foster care system in America and how we can work together to make it better.
Systematic Reviews for Foster Care
While the importance of systematic reviews is evident in most fields of study, I believe this type of reviews are of particular importance in the social work field, and are incredibly relevant to my area of interest- the foster care system. There are a vast array of strategies on how to handle situations where children are unable to be cared for by their parents. Being that childhood is one of the most important stages in human development, and childhood trauma can have such a major and lasting impact on an individual, a systematic review that is able to efficiently and effectively synthesize the literature surrounding this broad topic is crucial. Also, the foster care system can have an impact on children and their families regardless of race, cultural background, religion, and socioeconomic status. With such a large population of influence, the sole finding a one or two studies would be insufficient, because those studies wouldn’t have been able to accurately account for all of the different variable of population. Also, the foster care system spans all over the country and, in fact, all over the world. Not only do we have to account for all of the possible differences in populations, but also the possible variables that can occur at different locations. All of these could not possibly be sifted through by one individual. Especially if this individual is looking for the best option for their client in foster care. A systematic review dealing with this topic would be the most effective at providing the needed information about best plan of care and all while eliminating a large portion of possible biases held by individual studies.
Qualitative v. Quantitative Research Reflection
Initially, after learning, reading, and researching about these to methods of approaching research in the social work field, I found myself immediately drawn towards quantitative research. Numbers make sense to me and it seems incredibly logical and convenient in theory for me to be able to reduce the human experience into a data set of numbers which I can then calculate and compute to give me a meaningful answer. However, it’s become clear to me over these past few weeks through studying and reading more qualitative studies, that they can be an incredibly valuable resource to actually understanding with and sympathizing with the material we are researching. I believe that qualitative research gives the researcher as well as the person applying the conclusions reached from the research into practice a good understanding of the human component and nuances that go into implementing interventions. Often, it seems that qualitative research can explore the complexities a little more delicately than quantitative research might be able to because the data is becoming synthesized into numbers. Qualitative research does have it’s downfalls though. While all forms of research is subject to various biases, it would seem that qualitative research has a higher risk because, instead of interpreting numbers and calculations, we must interpret human thoughts, feelings, and experiences, which are much less concrete variables. It also may be harder to reach a definitive, mathematically supported answer to the question being posed. Ultimately, I believe mixed methods approach could take the advantages of both methods and combine them so that the research covers both the concrete evidence presented through quantitative researched with the complex insight of the qualitative research.
Foster Care Reflection
It is clear from the articles that I’ve read, along with the supplementary resources, that children do much better when placed in safe, stable environments. This is obviously the ideal, and isn’t always attainable in every case. However, if we as a field could systematically revise the current foster care system so that administrative decisions (case work being shifted between agencies, changes in social workers managing cases, etc.) would not affect the likelihood that a child would be moved out of a stable environment home, than that could significantly reduce the amount of moving and therefore the amount of trauma that can be inflicted on a child due to instability. Also, behavioral issues from children within the foster care system is another reason for constant movement which than inflicts more trauma. This cycle of trauma has the possibility of being stopped if the behavioral issues a child presents is seen under the perspective of trauma informed practice. If the underlying trauma is addressed and dealt with within a child, than the behavioral symptoms of that child will often be worked out as well. Than, with the behavioral issues reduced, ideally they would be able to stay in one home. In summary, I believe the social field is and should continue moving in the direction of trauma informed practice, particularly in the area of child welfare and the foster care system. I also believe the evidence, including many of the articles and resources I’ve posted support this argument.
Resources
Literature
G.O.A.L.
Global Awareness: As a global citizen, I feel incredibly connected to problems happening around the world. I feel that as our world becomes more connected through technology and just through the growing diversity even in America, it becomes more of a reality to come into contact with a person who is different culturally than us and is struggling with different global impacts. I plan on going on a missions trip to Cambodia with my church, which will be my first major experience outside of my own country and my own culture. I am extremely excited for this upcoming trip and the effect it could have on the ways that I view the world
Original Inquiry: I am extremely interested in researching the area of child welfare. I think that it is an incredibly interesting an relevant topic. Particularly how children deal with, categorize, and view their own trauma that they’ve experienced, both when they were children and when they become adults. I’m really excited for the possibility of the research area and how policy and practice could be changed for the benefit of the children using this kind of research.
Academic Enrichment: I am a scholar at heart. I love learning about subject areas that interest me. This obviously includes the area of social work. I am excited for my next two years of academic pursuit and how I can grow in knowledge of this field and than intrinsically grow in my love for this field.
Leadership Development: Leadership development has been something that I had shy’d away from in the past, not seeing myself as a natural leader, but as I have began to take on leadership roles in my personal life, I have felt more empowered to pursue leadership development in my personal life too. I’m taking a leadership class right now for my church so I am seeing practically how leadership could advance the impact I have- especially on a macro level- in social work.
Career
Throughout my time at OSU, my natural interests have inclined me towards working with children. I have been a daycare provider at two different facilities. I have also been a camp counselor, a Sunday school teacher, and a children’s Bible instructor. Through this variety of experience, I’ve both grown my interest in working with children as well as my skills. This really shapes my interest in eventually going into child welfare as a career. This also shapes my interest in continuing to do research involving the foster care system and the prevention of childhood trauma.
Artifacts
This portfolio is a reflection of my two years in the Advocates for Children and Education Scholars program at OSU. This program also helped to shape my interest in children and their specific needs, and how I as a social work student could help to meet those needs. Included in this portfolio is my resume, a cover letter, and two different reflections on interviews I had with faculty and staff members about my future career as a social worker. I learned a lot about the possibilities of this profession.