PUBLIC POLICY & ADVOCACY: PERSONAL THOUGHTS

My decision to pursue a Master of Science Degree in Early Childhood Studies with a specialization in Public Policy and Advocacy was fueled by my previous career as a Counselor and Advocate for victims of crime. Within this career I provided counseling and advocacy services to children and adults who were direct or indirect victims of sexual assault crimes. The experienced received from this career combined with the impressionable relationships created between myself and my clients, specifically those who were under the age of eighteen years old, increased my interest and passion to become an advocate for children in need. My ultimate goal after the completion of my Master’s Degree was to become employed as an Advocate for adopted and foster care children. Ironically enough with seven classes completed and three classes remaining, I was offered a position as a Family Services Specialties with the Delaware Division of Family Services, which I am scheduled to begin November 5, 2012.

Advocates are essential within the Early Childhood Field to serve as protection and support for children while advocating for and protecting children’s human rights. Ideally I would love to believe that every child has at least one person who is capable and assumes the responsibility of protecting that child and advocating for the child’s safety and well-being.  In a perfect world these conditions will rein true, but reality is many children are in need of a responsible adult who is capable and willing to protect and advocate for the child’s human rights, safety, and well-being. Whether that individual is the child’s immediate family, extended family, teacher, or child social service professional; the individual should be thoroughly aware of the child’s needs and be committed to servicing those needs while being the child’s advocate. Children are precious individuals who at times may experience lack of acknowledgment and respect for their feeling, thoughts, and opinions from adults who lack education regarding child development and issues effecting children. Advocates can serve as a child’s primary voice when children are not heard and acknowledged within our society.

            With regard to public policy and advocacy I hope to: (1) Increase my knowledge and awareness of public policies currently affecting children (2) Become knowledgeable with regard to advocacy groups established to address policies and issues affecting children (3) Develop an understanding of specific skills essential in becoming an effective Early Childhood Advocate.

HARD TO SAY GOOD-BYE

In reflecting on the groups in which I have been involved and the “adjourning” stage of these groups, the aspects of the group which made for the hardest good-bye were the personal connections developed while working as members of a group. In my experience the first few stages of team development described in the article written by Gina Abudi including forming, storming, norming are presented with challenges and minor setbacks. Despite these challenges the groups’ arrival at the performing stage is typically experienced with group unity, appreciation for the work of all group members, and a collective satisfaction with the project’s overall outcome. Of all the groups in which I participated in, group working involving co-workers were the hardest to leave. My reflection of group working involving a co-worker was described in this week’s discussion question in which I worked in collaboration with a co-worker providing advocacy and counseling to teenage clients who were suspected victims of a crime. Although my co-worker and I did not agree on the validity of the client’s testimony and experienced frequent debates regarding this matter, a personal connection and bond was developed during our time assigned to this particular case which manifested its self after the closure of the case as we remained employed together in the same office. Due to the fact that my co-worker and I remained employed within the same officer after our case assigned was completed our adjourning state presented itself at the point in which I resigned from my position as a counselor and advocate. My resignation brought feelings of sadness and a disconnection from the partnership developed between me and my co-worker. Similar to the adjourning stage when I resigned from my counselor and advocate position, the adjourning phase at the completion of my master’s degree will be experienced with sadness but appreciation for the experience as well as the valuable knowledge and wisdom received. The adjourning phase is an essential stage of teamwork as it is used as a time for reflection. As stated by Adudi, the team leader during the adjourning stage should ensure that there is time for the team to celebrate the success of the project and capture best practice for the future. In a case in which the project was not successful, the adjourning phase should be used as a time to evaluate what happened to cause the project to be unsuccessful and capture lessons learned for future projects.

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Since the birth of my son almost two years ago, my fiancé and I seem to be in consistent conflict regarding family structure. As a child who was raised in a two parent household, I have become accustomed to family and household structure with both parents sharing in the responsibilities of the children and household. In contrast my fiancé was raised in a single parent household in which he witnessed his mother managing many responsibilities on her own.  My fiancé family structure as a child laid the foundation for his image, values, and beliefs of the term “family”.  Last week my fiancé and I had a disagreement regarding the lack of family time spent together on Sundays.  I work Monday thru Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm and my fiancé works Monday thru Saturday from 8:00am to 4:30pm. Between our work schedules, the only day during the week in which we have an opportunity to spend time together as a family is Sunday. This Sunday opportunity often becomes nonexistent as my fiancé insist on using his one day off to complete personal errands in preparation for the start of a new work week. His decision to complete these errands on his one day off and our only day to spend family time together often aggravates me, to say the least. I feel my fiancé is inconsiderate of the importance of spending time together as a family, while my fiancé thinks I am inconsiderate of his work schedule and limited time to complete necessary errands during the week. Two strategies I have learned that might help manage this conflict between my fiancé and I are begin cooperative and focusing on the issue. Cooperative strategies benefit the relationship, serve mutual rather than individual goals, and strive to produce solutions that benefit both parties. My fiancé and I may mutually agree that I will be accepting of him arriving home later than usual after work on Saturday to allow time for him to complete errands normally completed on Sundays. This solution will serve my fiancé goal of completing errands before the start of the work week as well as my goal to reserve Sunday as a day to spend family time together. Focusing on the conflict at hand is another strategy that can be used to help manage the conflict between my fiancé and me. When I become aggravated at my fiancé choice to use Sunday as his day to complete errands instead of spending time together as a family, I sometimes find myself becoming verbally aggressiveness, attacking my fiancé character in labeling him “inconsiderate” and “uninvolved”. Focusing on the conflict at hand would encourage me to say to my fiancé “I don’t like when you use Sundays to complete your errands because I value family time and look forward to spending time together on Sundays”.