Episode 264: The Reality of a Caseworker’s Role (w/ Brittni Hodges)

Foster care caseworkers often feel forgotten, isolated, and alone. From managing stressful workloads to coping with secondary trauma and sometimes facing frustration from families in crisis, it’s not hard to understand why caseworker turnover is so high. But here at The Forgotten Initiative, we believe well-supported caseworkers will more effectively serve children, leading to better outcomes for everyone.⁠

Our guest for this episode is here to give us an inside look at the kinds of struggles caseworkers may be experiencing in your community and how both individuals and churches can come together to give these professionals a network of support.

Brittni Hodges is currently a social worker at Delavan Schools in the same community where she grew up. However, she began her career as a foster care caseworker in Central Illinois.

During her time in this role, Brittni worked tirelessly to support children, biological families, and foster families within the complex demands of the foster care system. Despite heavy caseloads, limited resources, and challenging situations that took a toll on her emotional and physical well-being, her time as a caseworker profoundly shaped her understanding of compassion, resilience, and Christ’s love for all His children.

In this episode, Brittni helps us understand some of the most challenging parts of a caseworker’s role, how big of an impact community support can have on caseworkers, what kinds of resources can make a meaningful difference for local agencies, and much more.

Find resources mentioned and more in the show notes for this episode: https://theforgotteninitiative.org/brittni-hodges-264/