National Social Work Month is a time to celebrate and uplift the people on the front lines, assisting our loved ones, family, and friends each day. Adoptions From The Heart wants to join in on celebrating the constant contributions and dedication that social workers give us each day and night. In doing so, we have chosen one of our very own adoption social workers to share the story of how they got to be the astounding social workers that they are today.
Meet Alyse White, Adoptions From The Heart employee and adoption social worker. Alyse has been with the agency for over three years, therefore, having witnessed how the field has evolved naturally, pre-and post- COVID19, and the overall changes social workers have to make to stay on top.
“Growing up, my dream job was always to become a veterinarian. I volunteered for many years at our town’s local nature center and loved helping to rehabilitate the animals there.
My first encounter with a social worker was when I was in high school and Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. I remember a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity coming to our church looking for donations, as well as volunteers to go help Habitat for Humanity rebuild homes in New Orleans for a week. I decided that I wanted to go, and I spent the week with other volunteers helping professional builders rebuild homes for some of the individuals that lost theirs during the hurricane. I and the other volunteers in my group were also able to observe several group counseling sessions run by local social workers in the area which were open to any residents struggling with the losses they experienced from the hurricane.”
Alyse mentioned how that trip opened her eyes to the world of social work and was the deciding factor in her choice to pursue social work instead of veterinary medicine.
“I knew several adopted individuals growing up and then in college, and the one thing they all had in common was they knew very little about their birth families, and they all struggled with this. In conversations with them, the general theme was they felt as if they could never really know their whole selves without knowing about their birth families. So, when I learned more about adoption and specifically open adoption in my courses in college, I was drawn to learning more about what open adoption meant and the benefits of it.
I do think there is still a stigma attached to adoption and not enough general knowledge around open adoption. In my experience, many people, in general, believe that adoption still works the way it did decades ago when adoption was kept a “secret”. Thankfully the world of adoption has changed a lot over time, however, I don’t think most people are aware of that.”
She talked a little about stigmas in general. However, working in the field of social work, we were curious about any stigmas that maybe she’s experienced herself.
“The stigmas that I have seen towards adoption social workers have (in my own experience) come from prospective adoptive parents rather than expectant birth parents. The stigma that children are “for sale” is the one I have seen most often. For anyone that has experience in the world of adoption we all know that this is simply not true, however, I do see this as a stigma that much of the general public has. I have found that many people believe that because there are fees associated with the adoption process, that must mean that adoption agencies are “selling” children.”
People who use the term “selling babies” when conversing about adoption have a right to their opinions. However, the fees associated with adoption have nothing to do with said child, as agencies cannot be 100% sure a placement will even happen. disruptions and disappointments can happen. However, the fees are solely for services such as legal and court fees, educational courses, birth parent services, and expenses for agencies to be able to continue helping you make beautiful families.
“I think as with anything when I was younger I glamorized the field a bit. Perhaps thinking that social workers could “save the world.” Once you enter the field you find that you can’t help everyone and that social work is anything but glamourous! However, it is absolutely 100% rewarding, which is what helps us all get through the bad days!
What motivates me most is seeing all the successful open adoptions that we have helped to facilitate. Being able to see the relationships between birth families and adoptive families evolve is probably the most special thing to witness. I love getting photos when families have visited, and seeing both the adoptive family and birth family coming together to celebrate this child that they all love so much, it is the most beautiful part of this job for me.”
Join Adoptions From The Heart in thanking Alyse White and each and every social worker that is and continues to show up and stand by our loved ones during some of the most crucial periods in their lives. To connect with an AFTH social worker today, visit www.afth.org.
