Reflecting, Recharging, and Reconnecting
As professionals working at the intersection of child welfare and immigration, we understand all too well the unique challenges that arise when supporting children, youth, and families navigating immigration, settlement, and integration issues. This often means working with families experiencing various social determinants of health—ranging from housing instability to mental health concerns—that can impact not only the families we serve but also our staff. The emotional toll of our work, while rewarding, can be heavy.
Recognizing the importance of sustainability, both personally and professionally, our team recently took stock on self-care and team building. We offered one another a chance to reflect on how we are taking care of ourselves and each other, and to strengthen the relationships that are essential for us to continue doing this critical work effectively and efficiently. We hope our reflections will help you in this month and during the upcoming busy holiday season.
The Importance of Self-Care and Collective Well-Being
Self-care often gets overlooked in the fast-paced environment of child welfare. We acknowledge that in order to serve families who may be in crisis, we must also ensure that we are not running on empty tanks. We have over 120 years of experience as social workers in our team. Together, we share self-care practices, promoting personal strategies to manage the emotional and mental impact that our work can have. This was a reminder that self-care is not selfish, but rather a critical component of our ability to remain resilient and empathetic in our roles.
Strengthening Bonds Through Team Building
Beyond self-care, being connected to your team members is vital. We’ve built trust, fostered communication, and enhanced collaboration through discussions. This reminds us of the power of teamwork and the importance of relying on each other, both in challenging and celebratory moments. By strengthening these connections, we have renewed our commitment to supporting one another as we tackle the complexities of our work.
Taking Stock: What's Working, What Needs Improvement, and Our Vision for the Future
A key part of a recent meeting involved taking a reflective look at our current practices. We identified what is going well within our team and the work we do. From our growing partnerships with key stakeholders to our ability to adapt and meet the evolving needs of the families we serve. Indeed, there was much to celebrate.
However, we also took a critical look at areas for improvement. How can we enhance our communication with one another? How can we better balance the workload and avoid burnout? What more can we do to advocate for systemic changes that will alleviate some of the pressures faced by the communities we serve? These were important questions we explored together, laying the foundation for improvements moving forward.
Our Hopes for the Future
We have also shared, as a team, our hopes and aspirations for the future. We envision a team that continues to prioritize self-care, mutual support, and collaboration. We hope to further cultivate a workplace culture that recognizes the emotional impact of our work and actively supports our collective well-being. Ultimately, we want to ensure that we remain strong advocates, and compassionate allies, for the children, youth, and families we serve, while also ensuring that we are caring for ourselves and each other in the process.
In the end, we recognize the need for intentional and necessary time to reflect, recharge, and reconnect. Together, through this reflection, we feel reinvigorated and have a unified purpose. Moving forward, we feel equipped to continue our work in a way that is both effective and sustainable, for ourselves and the communities we serve.
Did you know?
November is a month with several mental health-related events, including:
- Movember: A month-long campaign to raise awareness and improve men's mental and physical health. Some people show support by growing a symbolic mustache.
- Early Childhood Mental Health Awareness Month: A month to raise awareness of mental health in early childhood.
- International Stress Awareness Day: A day to raise awareness of stress. It takes place on November 6.
- World Kindness Day: A day to raise awareness of kindness. It takes place on November 13.
- International Day for Tolerance: A day to raise awareness of tolerance. It takes place on November 16.
- International Survivors of Suicide Day: A day to raise awareness of suicide survivors. It takes place on November 21.
The green ribbon is the international symbol of mental health awareness. People can wear a green ribbon to show that they care about someone's mental health, or in memory of a loved one.
By Liz Okai – Manager, Child Welfare Immigration Centre of Excellence
