I could not be more devoted to my goal of earning a Master’s Degree in Social Welfare at XXXX University, to enable me to protect human life and build a lifetime professional specialization in research as well as practice in this area. My focus will be on strengthening, supporting, and protecting children, youth, and families. Since childhood, I have been aware of XXXX and what it represents, and attending your university has always been my foremost academic dream. My experiences have inspired me, and I believe that they have given me the capacity to excel as a child welfare specialist.
Child welfare gets me most excited, and I often find myself reading well into the night about issues in this area. I love to study and could not be more highly motivated. Thus, I hope to be considered for the “Child Welfare Fellows Program.” It would be a great honor for me to be awarded this fellowship and a profound privilege to spend at least several years more in California, if not the balance of my professional lifetime, showing my appreciation for my education as a Social Work professional and putting my degree to good use at the service of the residents of California.
I hope to have the opportunity to work in various areas of child welfare for many years to come, as I am convinced that this will help me understand the discipline of child welfare. The agency I currently work for is divided into three units: emergency response, court, and continuing. I would love to work in all three of these units for substantial periods to fully grasp the challenges presented to children, families, and child welfare agencies at the various stages of our child welfare and protection processes. I see myself working with children in a hospital setting as a medical social worker in the future. The Children’s Hospital in Oakland or the Kaiser near my family would be great candidates for long-term workplaces. I also frequently daydream about opening my practice to working with children and families after gaining more experience.
I am working hard on my Spanish to improve it before I become fully immersed in my graduate studies and have less time to do so. I can already communicate in Spanish, but I need more practice. This is essential to be available in this language for the hundreds of thousands of little Spanish speakers in California who may need my assistance in the future. I want to be there for them.
After earning my Master's, I intend to get my LC to begin working in the mental health field, in a hospital or clinic as a therapist/medical social worker for children. Then, I will have a chance to work my way up to the position of director or supervisor, which would enable me to attain the leadership experience that will serve me well later when I can launch my clinic. In terms of day-to-day activities, most of what I look forward to is simply providing services and referrals to children and their families, helping in times of crisis.
I appreciate how each family has its unique challenges, which require a safety plan tailored to that specific family and the challenges that they are facing. Creating a safety plan ‘with’ the family instead of ‘for’ the family is essential to the well-being of the children involved and central to my understanding of the role and responsibility of the licensed clinical social worker. Thus, I seek a solid foundation at XXXX in mental health - with particular attention to children and the family – based on evidence-informed and competency-based practices that will allow me to establish a solid theoretical foundation upon which to build a lifetime career as a service provider and social work leader.
During my undergraduate studies toward the BA Degree in Psychology with a minor in Public Health, I learned a great deal about health, drugs, and society, which left me most intrigued, particularly concerning healthcare access disparities and minority health. I also studied the psychology of divorce, death, loss, and related topics which gave me much insight into the psychological challenges families and children face. I keenly look forward to learning more about children's cognitive development, psychology measurement, and statistics. This will enable me to excel at researching the need for foster homes in the State of California or the county in which I work.
While attending the University of Arizona. I completed an internship in investigations for Arizona’s Department of Child Safety. I shadowed several social workers on numerous follow-ups to calls we received reporting abuse or neglect. I learned to appreciate the unique styles of the shadowed professionals. This position was an excellent introduction to the child welfare system. In my last semester at the U of A, I found a part-time job on campus as a peer counselor for students on academic probation. This was my first experience in paraprofessional counseling, making me realize that psychology was the right field for me. I enjoyed working with the diverse population of students and hearing their stories of where they came from, why they chose U of A – and why they were having trouble maintaining good grades. Most of these students had mental health issues that they were battling or other medical problems. I helped connect them to campus resources and other referrals, helping many get their GPAs back on track.
After graduation, I worked as a Behavior Therapist for kids with autism. I realized how much I enjoyed working with children and how they soak up information like sponges. Next, I served as a Case Manager at the XXXX Center for primarily homeless adults, most with substance abuse and mental health issues. I provided info to clients for referrals to housing, food, health care, welfare programs, shelters, food pantries, etc. I also was a Representative Payee for a caseload of about twenty clients and managed their expenses such as food, rent, bills, healthcare, SSI/Disability, etc. When I screened clients for financial assistance, I began working primarily with children and families, helping them pay their rent and security deposits for clients with Section 8 or other housing vouchers. I also did vulnerability assessments and intakes. I adored this job and the way that this non-profit employed holistic approaches to child and family welfare. We were all on-site; we had a federally qualified health clinic, food pantry, counselors, showers and laundry, clothing closet, and case management. I learned in this position how the experiences one has as a child could severely influence one’s future. Many clients had traumatic childhood experiences and saw why they were homeless or struggling to make ends meet.
I am currently employed by XXXX County’s Children and Family Services as a Social Worker I / Social Casework Assistant, serving in the Emergency Response Unit. We investigate referrals of child abuse or neglect. I help the social workers run RAP sheets, request police reports, check the system for any history with the department, supervise visits, place children into foster homes or group homes, and transport children to and from court, holidays, or placements. I assist social workers with anything else that they need – total support. This job is challenging, and I have learned to be tough and bear up under very trying circumstances. This office would be one of the internship opportunities I will take advantage of as part of “paying back” the stipend if I were to be awarded fellowship support.
I love how every day is different for social workers and how I can help children rise out of bad situations, helping to strengthen their families. I am fortunate to have this position because it is helping me build a broader foundation for ongoing study in child welfare, which I have made my life’s work.
Thank you for considering my application to XXXX.
MSW Personal Purpose Statement Sample Child Welfare