“This citywide week of appreciation is a chance for New Yorkers to thank the people who serve as first responders for children,” said ACS Commissioner David A. Hansell.
When you think about first responders, your first thought is probably
the NYPD or FDNY, but with its first-ever citywide week of
appreciation, the Administration for Children’s Services wants you to start including child protective specialists in your thought process.
“Child protective specialists care deeply about children, and they
work around the clock to make sure kids are safe and families have the
support they need,” ACS Commissioner David A. Hansell told Metro. “Too
often, the work of child protective specialists is invisible or
misunderstood, and this citywide week of appreciation is a chance for
New Yorkers to thank the people who serve as first responders for
children.”
According to the ACS, there are roughly 1,700 CPS that work in 17
offices across the five boroughs and investigate nearly 60,000 reported
cases of child abuse or neglect each year.
It’s often a thankless job, one that also often garners negative
press or public misconceptions, which is why CPS Supervisor Marie Henry
is thankful for the appreciation week, which runs through June 10.
“I think it’s amazing because I don’t think the public realizes how
much we have to put our families on hold to make sure your kid is safe,”
she shared. “If you look at how many successful stories we have as
opposed to what’s portrayed in the media, it’s a great thing to be
recognized. Everyone likes to be applauded for their achievements, which
is something you don’t normally see when it comes to CPS, but you do
with the NYPD, FDNY, but when are we openly rewarded in the public?”
Right now actually, as part of the appreciation week, ACS employees
like Henry, who has been with the department for 10 years, will be
featured in an ad campaign and on a newly launched ACS microsite to highlight them and their jobs, which also aims to inspire others to consider a career with child services.
ACS plans to hire 400 new specialists over the next few months, and
while the job is often intense and, again, thankless, Henry said it also
has its rewards, such as getting updates and graduation pictures from
past clients years later.
“You get to see a family stay together, see them strengthen, and to
be that agent of change, to be the one to work with them and work with
them over time, it’s very rewarding,” she said. “If you like servicing
others, it’s a great opportunity. And if your passion is to work with
kids, this is definitely the agency. That’s our goal — to focus on the
well-being of every child and their safety.”
For more info, visit nyc.gov/CPS.
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| “I think it’s amazing because I don’t think the public realizes how much we have to put our families on hold to make sure your kid is safe,” says CPS Supervisor Marie Henry. Photo: Bess Adler |
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