AOICWO Blog
Showing up makes all the difference
Lives Forever Changed
In late spring, I received a referral for a mother whose children were all under the age of four. As I began to understand the many needs of the family and outline the situation that had landed the children of this woman in foster care, my heart broke for her. In...
Making Life Changes for the Family
In the PACT program, I had the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of my clients. My client was frustrated that she was stuck in the same old visitation room at MDDHS for every visit. She wondered why she didn't have the right to take her children out to do...
Sometimes you just have to be there.
When coming in as a new worker, it can indeed be challenging to pick up a case that someone else has previously handled. The family and child already developed a relationship and trust with the previous case worker, and you are an entirely new person to them. Honestly...
Two changed lives
I received a referral in October of 2023 for a father and his son. At the first contact with the caseworker, I discovered the child had been in foster care, at this point, for almost 15 months. The case was originally opened due to the mother’s neglect and drug...
Persistence Pays
My job as a YIT specialist allows me to meet the youth (ages 14-23) where they are and walk with them on their journey to adulthood. One youth in our program is an 18 year old boy. When I met with him, he did not talk much, but wanted to go to the mall. We walked...
Another Adoption
I had the pleasure of being the adoption worker for a 5-year-old several years ago. This child had experienced significant abuse and neglect before coming into foster care. As a result of that trauma, she needed additional mental health treatment to help...
Giving Parent as Teachers a try made all the difference
When I reached out to a new family referred to our agency for services, they responded skeptically. They indicated they "had just started a parent education program with another agency and did not see the...
I just want to do right by my grandson
I worked with a grandfather who took his grandchild in to raise him. As I worked with him, I learned the grandfather had very old school way of discipline which are frowned upon in today's age. At intake, I witnessed a situation that made me realized that there was a...
Sometimes you just need to be there.
One of my clients, a mom of three children, two of which are in foster care, has reminded me that just 'being there' can make a lot of difference. The children in foster care have had multiple issues with the foster parent that resulted in a lot of tension. One...
Phone and Fax
Phone: (989) 839-0534
Fax: (989) 839-0537
Address
PO Box 2225
Midland, MI 48641-2225
