By Brooke Rouse, B.A. and Marketing Manager

A Calling Rooted in Compassion 

Social work goes beyond the title. It’s rooted in compassion, relationships, and a shared belief that every child deserves safety and connection. Social workers Jessica (Jess) Simes and Katelyn (Kate) DeShane embody this daily by using intentional, attachment‑based approaches to support children in foster care and strengthen families. Jess and Kate invest deeply in coaching foster parents, helping them navigate challenging behaviors with patience and understanding. They’ve seen how guidance rooted in attachment can transform family dynamics and give caregivers the confidence to support meaningful growth. 

“Social work is more than a profession; it’s a calling from compassion, relationships, and the belief that every child deserves safety and connection”. 

Creating Safe Spaces and Rituals  

After Jess and Kate are introduced, the focus quickly turns to the kids and what helps them feel comfortable enough to open up. Both enjoy working with pre‑teens, knowing this age often needs honesty, consistency, and patience more than anything else. Progress usually happens slowly. Kids don’t always share everything at once, trust builds in small moments over time. 

Sometimes those moments come from simple outings. A trip to get your nails done, grab ice cream, or visit the library might seem small, but for a child, it can be the first time they feel truly noticed. You never know which interaction will make a child feel safe enough to talk. Just as often, connection comes from quieter moments, reading the same book together and chatting about it, sitting side by side, or sharing something familiar. In one case, Jess started a mini book club with a foster child.  

Routines help too. Returning to the same places, keeping plans predictable, and creating small rituals gives kids something steady they can count on. These moments aren’t about the activity itself.  they’re about showing kids they matter and that adults can be consistent and safe. 

Rather than formal meetings, Jess and Kate often meet kids where they’re most comfortable: quiet spaces, familiar settings, or calm activities. They adapt to each child’s comfort level, knowing trust grows best when kids aren’t pushed before they’re ready. By meeting children at their pace, real connection starts to form, and that’s when growth happens. 

Supporting Families Through “Parenting Backwards” 

A core strategy that Jess and Kate teach is known as “parenting backwards,” an approach for children who may have missed early developmental or attachment experiences. Instead of responding to a child based on their chronological age, caregivers meet them at their emotional or developmental age, then build skills from there. 

Many children in foster care may present older or act independent, but still need nurturing, co‑regulation, predictability, and reassurance that typically develop in early childhood. Because their nervous systems are often wired for survival, traditional discipline or long explanations can feel overwhelming and ineffective. “Parenting backwards” shifts the focus toward connection before correction. 

Sometimes the most powerful response isn’t a lesson, it’s simply preserving the relationship and offering a reset. 

Caregivers prioritize safety, regulation, and relationships by using shorter interactions and quick repairs after tough moments. In combination with predictable routines, and intentional responses, this approach lowers anxiety, rather than escalating it. 

By meeting foundational needs first, Jess and Kate help caregivers lay the groundwork for genuine behavioral change. 

Professional Expertise and Heart 

Social Workers are required to hold a degree in social work and obtain licensure. Guided by honesty and clarity. They challenge the misconception that social work is simple.  It requires deep knowledge of trauma, development, family systems, and relational science, paired with compassion, advocacy, and professionalism. 

A Steady, Transformational Presence 

Through everyday moments of care, consistency, and empathy, Jess and Kate make a meaningful impact on the daily lives of children and families. Their work is transformational not because of big grand gestures, but because of the steady, heartfelt presence they bring to those they serve.