Karen is a Caregiver Supports Practitioner in the Calgary Region. She is supportive, reliable, and knowledgeable. She is quick to respond to emails and phone calls from her caregivers, offering resources and providing them understanding through her incredible support. She even does this on days off, or while sick at home.
She is a strong advocate for the families she works with, and an integral part of the team. She provides insight into procedural items, is extremely dependable, and eases the minds of caregivers with regular updates and sharing information.
One family shared: “Fostering left us tired, unsupported, and dulled our passion for the work we dedicated our life to. But that was prior to Karen. Having her as our support worker has changed our perspective of the system and renewed our passion for caregiving. She gently holds us accountable and challenges areas where we can grow. We can be completely honest and transparent with her, and we never feel intimidated or judged.”
Her supervisor echo’s all the above and adds this: “Karen projects a positive image of social work through her willingness to attend and participate in provincial committees, volunteer her time at events, providing valuable training, and her strong mentorship skills. She is committed to relationship building with her caregivers and helps them see the importance of their role and the role they play in a child’s life. She ensures her homes are coping Ok with grief and loss when a child moves on, by doing extra visits and check ins, and always with respect and understanding.”
I think it’s important to note that AFKA received several nominations for Karen to receive this award. Well deserved, congratulations Karen!!