A daughter’s love: What drives the acting head of D.C.’s Child and Family Services Agency to do what she does.
Tanya Torres Trice has spent nearly the last 17 years working for the D.C. Child and Family Services Agency.
The licensed social worker, who is currently the CSFA’s acting director, started her career on the front line as a case carrying supervisor.
Trice told WTOP that Mayor Muriel Bowser’s goal is keep families together, which is an objective that is near and dear to her heart.
“My mom was in foster care. She never was adopted,” said Trice. “A special social worker kept my mom and her family together.”
Those three sentences would not only create Trice’s career path, which included getting her master’s degree in social work from Western Michigan University, but it would cause her to look at foster kids in a special way.
“In their faces I see my mom,” said Trice. “I see in them a chance. I see love. I see in them the opportunity to just be connected to something so big and important and that will last their lifetime.”
At a celebration on the 39th National Adoption Day, the agency shined a spotlight on the more than 60 children and youth that now have a forever family.
While there are 530 kids in D.C. who are in foster care, Trice pointed out that 100 of them are ready for adoption and they are always looking for foster families.
“I don’t want any kid to stay in foster care any longer than they have to, and I know that there are people out there that are really willing to step up and give love and support to the family,” said Trice.
According to Trice, the age range of the children go from infant to 18 — and some to 21.
Trice said she truly loves her job and working with everyone at the agency, along with Bowser’s leadership.
“My why is much bigger than me, and I am here to just continue making sure families can stay together,” said Trice.
If you have room in your heart and home for a foster child, visit the Child and Family Services Agency website or call 202-671-LOVE.
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