Honoring Kentucky’s Child Welfare Champions: A Tribute for Child Welfare Workforce Appreciation Month

Every September, we pause to recognize the heart and grit of the child welfare workforce—those who stand on the front lines to protect, uplift, and advocate for our most vulnerable children and families. In Kentucky, this month carries special weight. Our child welfare professionals are not just caseworkers, they are mentors, advocates, crisis navigators, and hope builders.

Kentucky by the Numbers

Kentucky consistently ranks among the states with the highest rates of child maltreatment reports. In recent years, over 50,000 children have been involved in child protective services annually, with thousands entering foster care due to abuse or neglect. These numbers reflect not just a crisis but a call to action. And answering that call are thousands of dedicated professionals across the Commonwealth.

From family court judges and social workers to CASA volunteers and mental health providers, Kentucky’s child welfare workforce is vast and deeply committed. They work long hours, often under intense emotional strain, to ensure every child has a chance at safety, healing, and belonging.

Why Appreciation Matters

Behind every statistic is a story and behind every story is a professional who showed up. Whether it’s helping a teen transition out of foster care, supporting a family through reunification, or advocating for a child in court, these efforts deserve recognition not just this month, but every day.

Appreciation isn’t just about saying “thank you.” It’s about investing in training, mental health support, fair compensation, and policies that honor the complexity of this work. It’s about listening to those who do the work and amplifying their voices.

How You Can Help

• Send a note of gratitude to a child welfare professional or volunteer.

• Advocate for policies that support workforce retention and well-being.

• Volunteer with organizations like CASA to be part of the solution.

• 
  

This month, let’s celebrate the resilience, compassion, and courage of Kentucky’s child welfare workforce. They are the quiet heroes shaping brighter futures

one child, one family, one case at a time.