Alabama social worker Lisa Bledsoe was recently honored as the Shelby County Department of Human Resources Social Worker of the Year, according to the Shelby County Reporter.
Bledsoe began her social work career by assisting foster parents for eight years. For the past two years, she has been helping facilitate local adoptions. During her 10-year career, Bledsoe has overseen almost 100 foster care cases and 30 adoptions for children between infancy and 18 years of age.
The social worker told the news outlet that she enjoys her current position, which allows her to oversee adoptions. Unlike foster care cases, she said this allows her to see children get closure, which she calls a "happy ending."
Still, Bledsoe said it is a special privilege to work with foster parents. In her experience, she believes that adults who are willing to open their homes to children are extremely selfless.
Individuals who are interested in pursuing similar social work careers may want to consider becoming a family, child or school social worker. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this is a growing field, as there will be a 12 percent growth in employment opportunities in this discipline within the next seven years.