American Social Work Organizations

Social Work
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Social work
Introduction
American social work organizations continue to be instrumental in protecting children from broken or vulnerable families. These include families where children encounter sexual or physical abuse, or parents are drug addicts. The social services help minimize the negative impact of such situations on their overall growth and development. The foster care system gives children from these disadvantaged backgrounds a chance to enjoy a better upbringing in a more positive and peaceful environment. However, despite the immense benefits these child protection services offer, many parents, particularly from minority groups such as African-Americans, have faced discrimination. These agencies have over the years together with the family courts that arbitrate the cases of child neglect to abuse have been criticized for promoting the unfair treatment of minority families. This paper uses the case study of Mercedes, who is an African American woman, and her children at the hands of the foster care system. The article reflects the treatment of Mercedes to highlight some of the weaknesses prevalent in the social welfare system. It then suggests some possible remedies to this situation.
Mission and goals of the agency
I find the mission and goals of The Administration for Children's Services (ACS) in New York impressive. The organization has been at the forefront in promoting the child welfare of many vulnerable kids within the New York area. The agency has mobilized several non-profit organizations to help give these children better care, which they don't enjoy from their families. I feel such an initiative helps prevent many of these children not to fall into anti-social acts such as drug and substance abuse or violent and aggressive behavior. My research shows that their work help probes over 50,000 child neglect or abuse cases within New York.
Further, the organization works with the juvenile system to help create safer communities. I believe their juvenile justice ensures that these young offenders can reform and adopt positive behavior that benefits society. I find these supportive services to have a significant impact on the educational development to thousands of families within New york. Their collaborative effort with other city agencies helps to keep away many youths from the justice system CITATION NYC20 \l 1033 (NYC children, 2020).
Questionable agency actions
I found certain actions of the caseworkers from the agency questionable. For example, if a parent became angry in the course of their interrogation, they think that the parent mentally unstable and so is abusive and poses a danger to their children. Also, if there is no food within the house, they think that parent has neglected their duties. However, sometimes the parent may be unable to cater to the nutritional needs of their children. I find this kind of judgment unhelpful as some of these parents may be innocent. I feel that their aim seems to use any minor condition to remove a child from the care of their families. When Mercedes missed a child safety conference, they saw that action as posing a danger to Tiana's health. The two instances of unsanitary conditions were seen as signs ...