Hennepin County Profile: Sarah Gaskill

To learn more about how Hennepin County works for you, the District 3 team has started a profile series with employees of the county who live in the district. Each month will spotlight a different person from varying departments and occupations.  Find out about the day-to-day aspects of occupational fields and work environments at the county, and how each person’s work affects your life.

Sarah Gaskill
Social Worker, Investigations
Hennepin County Child Protection Investigations
Linden Hills Neighborhood
Sarah is celebrating 37 years at Hennepin County, and is retiring in January 2016.

Describe your work.

I am a Hennepin County Child Protection Social Worker. I investigate and assess situations in which a child’s health or welfare may be at risk due to abuse, neglect, and/or maltreatment. I have worked for Child Protection for 26 years.

Hennepin County Child Protection’s top priority is to ensure that children in Hennepin County are safe.   As a key part of that mission, Child Protection assesses the safety  of children and the risk factors they may be facing in their lives.  There are two types of Child Protection investigations: a Family Assessment and a Traditional Investigation.   Family Assessment cases usually involve families that have identified as low risk.  In a Family Assessment case, Child Protection does not have to make a Determination of Maltreatment. Instead, the focus is on providing services to the family if it is appropriate.  In both types of Investigations, Child Protection may work with the police since all Child Protection reports are automatically cross-reported to the police. 

To complete an assessment of any case, I talk to the reporter, observe or interview the child/children involved, and interview the alleged offending caregiver, parent, and non-offending parent. After completing these steps, I consult with my supervisor to determine if maltreatment occurred, if out-of-home placement is recommended, and if Child Protection Services are needed.   Child Protection can also pursue consultation with the County Attorney’s Office and pursue Juvenile Court involvement if we believe the report is serious enough to warrant court involvement.  Child Protection attempts to work collaboratively with family members and with the community, including schools, the police, and medical professionals.  If Child Protection determines that a child is not safe in the home, we work with the police and the court to place the child outside of the home. 

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What part of your job do you find most challenging?

Child Protection social work can be difficult and emotionally stressful.  We often encounter families in high-risk, crisis situations and emotions are high. Such cases typically involve working with law enforcement after a significant traumatic event in a child’s life. Such events include being removed from the home, sexual abuse, the arrest of a parent during a drug raid, or an incident of domestic abuse. Additionally, part of my job is to be available for immediate response cases. These cases involve high-risk situations that must be addressed immediately and can present themselves at any moment of the day. Due to the unpredictable nature of reporting, workers don’t always have control over their calendars and how the day is planned.  

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What do you find most enjoyable?

I really enjoy working with the families with whom I have contact.  I get an opportunity to engage a client and develop a relationship with a child and a parent. Child Protection intervenes in one of the most intimate of human relationships, that of a child and a parent. There are times when I encounter individuals who are in denial or are angry and fearful. I attempt to work with all my clients by treating them respectfully, helping them manage their fears of Child Protection taking their child from them, and helping to educate them about services that can improve their situation.  The work I do often has a positive impact on a child’s life, and I feel I have made a difference for the good in the families of Hennepin County with whom I have worked.  

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What is one thing everyone should know about the work you do?

These are challenging times for Hennepin County Child Protection.  Child Protection social workers need manageable workloads, internal support, and training for the skills needed to effectively serve the children and families of Hennepin County.  As a legally mandated public service, Child Protection faces intense scrutiny from the media, and the Governor’s Task Force is currently reviewing Child Protection protocols.  Ultimately, I believe such scrutiny can be positive in ensuring that vulnerable children and their families matter and that Child Protection has effective protocols in place.  

Sarah Gaskill is a resident of the Linden Hills neighborhood, and is a social work investigator in Child Protection Services at Hennepin County, which investigates and assesses situations when a child's health or welfare may be at risk due to abuse, neglect or maltreatment. These services may be provided to assure the safety of the child. Hennepin County is currently engaged in an in-depth review of children and youth services. The review is already generating recommendations, some of which we acted on at the March 3 board meeting (I will say more in my end-of-March newsletter). A full report and recommendations will be made to the board in June, at which time we hope to make further changes to better support Sarah and her colleagues in their efforts to protect the health and welfare of Hennepin’s children. If you have concerns about a child in your community, please call Child Protective Services at 612-348-3552, or check out the website here.