Spotlight on CFCS: Colleen McGowan
There are countless stories that live within our walls at CFCS, but not all of them come from the children and families we work with. Our employees – the social workers, case managers, interns, admins and directors who make our agency run smoothly – are the reason for our success as an organization. They also happen to be interesting people with quite a few good stories of their own!
We’re highlighting the rich experiences and perspectives our staff bring to the office with a series on the blog called “Spotlights on CFCS”. Today we’re celebrating Colleen McGowan, our Intensive Foster Care Program Director!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
I grew up in the suburbs of Boston – public school all the way! My sister’s a teacher, my mom worked in a day care, and my dad worked for the military. I come from a service-oriented family, and working in the service of others is something that was a part of my upbringing. The message of, do unto others as you’d have them do unto you, was big in our household.
Colleen shares the story of Ava, who didn't trust many adults when she came into foster care. But eventually, a group of Ava's teachers and mentors were able to become a supportive network for her, and now her future looks much brighter.
When I was in college, I never really knew what I wanted to do. But the turning point for me came when I lived in Austin, Texas. I participated in Operation Blue Santa, bringing food and toys to families in need during the holidays. I went to a home to bring food and presents for the little girl who lived there. That little girl was more excited about the food than the toys. The family had very little; they didn’t even have furniture. It was really eye-opening for me to see that.
After that, I knew I wanted to be a social worker. When I moved back to Massachusetts, I enrolled in the graduate school of social work at Boston University.
Your position is new to the IFC program. What does your job entail?
I supervise the social workers on the IFC team; supporting them when needed, carry a small caseload of my own, and overseeing the administrative portion of the program. That includes managing the budget, reporting to my supervisors in CFCS and reviewing documentation within the management system to make sure it’s accurate.
What does a typical day look like for you?
After I wake up the first thing I do is check my emails and texts. Then it could be anything from zoom meetings to professional development seminars, checking in with social workers to make sure their cases are okay, reviewing new referrals, and checking in with the foster families I’m working with, making sure everything is on track with them through phone calls, emails and/or the DCF workers who also work with them.
My caseload is four families/foster care placements max. A regular CFCS social worker’s caseload is eight or nine families. One way to think about foster care social workers’ caseloads is, it’s very similar to a teacher-student ratio. The lower the ratio, the more attention and care each family can receive from their social worker.
You started at CFCS in the middle of the pandemic. What was that like?
Totally scary, nerve-wracking, overwhelming. Scary because it’s a new job, and it’s my first job out of grad school. Nerve-wracking because I’ve never met the whole team in person. And overwhelming because I’ve never had to work from home before!
But all of my concerns and anxieties were unfounded. CFCS as a whole, and the IFC team specifically, are so supportive. They welcomed me. It was one of the most seamless on-boardings I’ve ever had to a job. Everyone’s gone above and beyond to be helpful, answer questions and make sure I have everything I need.
What’s the best part of your job so far?
I think the best part is the youth that we work with. They’re resilient. For everything they’ve gone through, they’re trusting and open to everything that we bring to them or have to offer them. They are a great group of kids and we have a great group of foster parents working with them, and that makes everyone’s job just a little easier.
What is something about your job that you would want everyone to know?
I believe all youth are products of their environment, but that should never be a negative label against them. Youth in foster care are meant to do great things. With the right support and help and a village behind them, they too can lead an amazing life.
In 2018 I went on a service trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland and worked with an organization that works with youth in the area. Many of these youth are the children and grand-children of those involved in the paramilitary. In one of the offices there was a poster that I’ll never forget. It said, “A single thread of hope is stronger than all the chains that bind you.” This holds true to the youth we serve and is something I remind myself of every day.