Tabitha, Case Worker

I work for the state, but most days it feels like I work in the shadows. I’ve driven down roads I didn’t know, into situations I wasn’t sure I’d make it out of, because a child needed to be moved now. When things go wrong, I’m blamed for not doing enough, for not caring, even when I’ve given everything I have. The fear, the frustration, and the loneliness don’t show up in reports—but they live with me every day. I still show up because the kids deserve someone who will, even when it feels like no one sees me.