Pros
Children leaving the system
Cons
What is the saying....”If you cant beat them join them?” Good Shepherd Services (Burnside) is very cut throat. If you dont lick paws then you dont belong. It is a very childish and unprofessional enviroment. You often hear staff young or old such as, Supervisors or Directors, gossiping about staff all while, they display smiles from ear to ear. Trust and believe you’re in the mouth of others no one is the exception to the rule in especially if you're new. “Too many Chiefs not enough Indians” Most claim to be Advocates and amazing Social Service providers, but when push comes to shove the majority simply pass the buck because they're too lazy, not within their job description, or simply are “too busy” meanwhile they sit at their desk doing absolutely nothing! Oh but careful.... they are very quick to point fingers. There isn’t room for growth unless you brown nose, therefore, it becomes “ who you know” that gets you the promotion not based on merit. You need a Masters Degree to become a Supervisor yet some Supervisors have the slightest idea what it entails to be great in management, communication, leadership, overall support or don’t have Foster Care experience let alone a backbone. The Program Directors, run around like chickens without heads and spend most of their time Chit Chatting while making almost $100k. They laugh like hyenas all day long while criticizing the work of others. Then you have the Chief Medicaid officer who has never once sat down with the staff and asked how are things going, doesn’t review the work with the employee but is the number one reason why salaries are limited and people get fired, however employs their friends and pays them double. Its a disgrace!!! I only met her once in passing. Your work is never appreciated no matter how great you do and the staff member that does work hard is underpaid and overworked. The intake, psychological, and psychiatric/ medication evaluations aspects of services are all questionable (due to the agency Doctor diagnosing all kids with the same mental disorder) and the only thing that matters is more funding (millions of dollars) yet children continue to live in unstable environments with Foster parents that are abusive and dont speak their language. Case planners and Care Coordinators are ridiculously under paid. Care Coordinators are viewed as doing nothing! You aren’t good enough to keep abreast as to what is wrong with your participant but.... are good enough to escort a child to an appts when others are too lazy to do do so. Care Coordinators are the last one to be in the loop as if it isn’t necessary to provide them with certain information. The worst part of this agency is continuing to keep a child in an an abusive home because some of the workers are too lazy to complete that transfer. Pros: The only highlight is witnessing the turn around for children when they are in fact placed in healthy homes. Cons: Believing you will get hired and get fired in a blink of an eye. Words of advice, learn what you can, maintain distance, and dont stay too long. Sad but true... the kids are not a priority at Burnside!!!
