News from Franklin County Children Services

Kristy Shannon recalls encouraging a new caseworker to always take some deep breaths before entering a family’s home, so that the caseworker would feel calm and confident. She knew how easy it can be for new caseworkers to get flustered and feel overwhelmed when they first begin working with Franklin County Children Services.  Fortunately, new caseworkers at FCCS are paired with mentors like Ms. Shannon who support and help them get acclimated to working with families. Caseworker mentors are one of the ways the agency strives to recruit, develop, and retain the best talent by making new hires feel safe, valued, and prepared to do their jobs well.  “We know that the work we do is very hard and the families we work with are very complex,” said Vincent Owens, Ms. Shannon’s supervisor. “Having some support, an extra pair of eyes, and someone there to hold your hand a bit is important to new caseworkers.”  “Often, they come in with a lot of textbook knowledge, but little pract...