The Day Social Services Knocked On My Door
Having a baby can be an overwhelming experience; it doesn’t matter if it’s your first time or your fifth – something unexpected is bound to happen. One such unexpected experience may be a visit from the hospital Social Worker. I had a visit from Social Services after I had both of my kids, so let’s clear the air and talk about why she knocked on my door (and may knock on yours).
What is a Social Worker?
First, let’s dispel a few misconceptions. Social Workers do A LOT more than child welfare. In general, they are everywhere, they’re in nursing homes and schools, they work for governments at the state and federal levels, hospitals or insurance companies to name a few. They can specialize in a variety of areas: geriatrics, early childhood, mental health, medical, research or policy, the list goes on. For someone to legally call herself a Social Worker in the state of Louisiana, she must be licensed by the state. There are required degrees and tests. All of that is to say you can’t legally just call yourself a Social Worker if you haven’t done the work to earn it. (There are tons of male social workers too, I’m going with “she” because there is an abundance of female social workers, and my visitor was female.)
Um, Why Is She Here?
Know this: hospital Social Workers do not remove children from families. The most common reason to get a perinatal or postpartum visit from a hospital Social Worker is if you have any history of anxiety or depression. Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are the number one complication of pregnancy. The Social Worker is there to provide you with information and education on PMADs. She’s not there to judge, she is there to make sure you have what you need to be successful. It is not punitive; it is meant to be informative and helpful. My recommendation, don’t be offended, be thankful. With each passing day we, as a society, are putting more focus on women and the importance of talking about mental health, thankfully.
What’s With All of the Questions?
I think one thing that all Social Workers have in common is that they ask questions. She is getting to know you, your situation and your needs. In the case of a hospital Social Worker, she’s going to ask about your mental health, if you have all the items you need for your baby (car seat, crib/safe sleep, etc), your support system, any needs you may have. I’ve seen many social media posts from women saying they were offended by the questions. Just know, you may have all you need, but others may not. Again, there is no judgment, so everyone is asked the same questions.
If she’s visiting because you have a mental health history, she may inquire about previous or current treatment. Did you take medications? Go to counseling? If not, do you want to talk to your doctor about meds? Do you want resources for therapy? Do you need information on other resources? While you may be full of joy after your delivery, that may not be true for everyone or that feeling may not last, and having the resources and information to get the help you need may be an unexpected saving grace. There is a reason that Social Work is a “helping profession.”
