Kentucky social workers plea for help amid staffing shortage, heavy caseloads

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Dozens of children to check on and not enough time in the day. It's a concern that has Kentucky social workers pleading for help.

They're asking for help because, they said, no child should ever be told that no one wants them. It's a heartbreaking reality that some social workers who work with kids in foster care face on a daily basis.

"I've had kids look me straight in the face and say, 'Miss Ashlea, why does no one want me?"

Ashlea Dodsworth is a social service worker in Jefferson County. She currently has 30 ongoing cases, with 17 active investigations with 65 children — 65 children that she has to continue to check on.

"We currently, in Jefferson County, there's at least one or two workers each week sleeping in the office with a child because the entire state of Kentucky has said no," said Dodsworth. "The entire state of Kentucky has said no to a kid."

Dodsworth and three other social workers spoke before the Kentucky Senate's new Families and Children Committee on Tuesday, sharing their caseloads and experiences, trying to pinpoint important and complicated issues across the commonwealth.

This week, they are pleading with lawmakers that they need help.

"We are drowning," said Dodsworth. "We are in the middle of canoes that have holes in the bottom and we are desperately trying to get the water to stop coming into our canoes, but we're showing up for our kids because if we don't, there isn't anybody else."

A main concern for the workers is an issue many are facing — a staffing shortage. They need more people to be able to work fewer cases to make sure the most vulnerable kids in the commonwealth get help.

"One case itself should have three children. Of those three children, one of them might be placed in Jefferson County which, in a days drive for me to see that child is a six-hour trip in the car, and then add on the time that I'm actually spending with that child during the visit," said Dominic Stewart, a western Kentucky social service clinician.

Because of the federal COVID-19 emergency declaration, workers were able to check-in with the kids virtually. But they're concerned that when the declaration ends this May, there won't be enough time in the day to make sure their kids are OK.