Changes and challenges in child welfare practice

Before she was the Director of the Office of the Child Advocate for Massachusetts, Maria Mossaides served as Executive Director of our very agency from 2008 to 2015. Maria has a long and storied career supporting youth and families in Massachusetts. For our 150th anniversary, we are honored to have her share her reflections on some of the biggest shifts in child welfare practice in recent years.

Maria Mossaides, Director of the Office of the Child Advocate for Massachusetts

What would you say are the most important changes you have seen in the child welfare system throughout your career?

One of the most important changes of the past 20-25 years is, child welfare providers have gained a better understanding of trauma, including the role of adverse childhood experiences. There has also been progress on understanding substance use disorder. More than ever, we have evidence-based practices that can be utilized to support individuals.

Another important change is that in human service practice today, we recognize that institutional racism, poverty, and multi-generational trauma are major barriers to individuals’ reaching their full potential. We also have a greater understanding of the marginalization experienced by the LGBTQ+ community, individuals with disabilities, ethnic minorities and immigrants, and victims of domestic violence.

What are some significant challenges impacting the child welfare system in Massachusetts?

Although progress has been made over the past five decades in including individuals with disabilities in mainstream society, services to support individuals with behavioral and developmental challenges remain insufficient. There has been a significant increase in the number of children diagnosed along the autism spectrum. The pandemic has resulted in widespread dysfunction among the students who did not attend school for over a year, and students with disabilities are disproportionally affected by that disruption.

We are also facing a critical staffing crisis. The enthusiasm for human service/public sector work that swept America in the late sixties is not coming back anytime soon. This was a trend that existed before but was exacerbated by the pandemic. The organizations that feel the impact of the staffing crisis the most are often agencies like Bridges Homeward.

The mission today for human service workers is to assist parents, children, and families to restore hope and agency. That requires workers to be able to engage the people they support with humility and sensitivity, cultural and otherwise. We know that individuals with similar lived experiences are often more successful at engaging clients. Unfortunately, high staff turnover damages these relationships because we place the burden on the individuals and families to retell their story.