Best Practice Methods

I loved learning about Best Practice Methods in grad school.  After all, it's the way social work should be done in the real world.  The idea of providing services efficiently and effectively.  "That's all we need to change the child welfare system."  Minimum resources but maximum results - that was the ticket.  

I actually remember thinking that as a student.  After graduation, most of us learned that best practice methods are frequently tossed out the door.  In the real world, certain policies, budgets, case loads, and ideologies don't allow Best Practice Methods.  By the way, exactly who are we supposed to be serving?  Is it the parents, the child, the family as a whole, our agency, or society?  Honestly, sometimes I forget.  Sometimes I try to do it all ... and sometimes I just wanna play Bejeweled.  Maybe that's why this quote is posted on my desk.


"Burnout comes not from work, but from not achieving expectations."

---