Esther Ayers, MSW '14

A recent job layoff and the departure of her oldest son for college seemed like a rude awakening for Esther Ayers, who still had three younger boys at home and in school at the time. Ultimately, it was the catalyst to finding fulfillment and purpose when her active mothering days are done. As a child of migrant workers growing up in Milan, Michigan, Ayers has always been acutely aware of the need for social services in communities where they are lacking, particularly bilingual services and treatment for traumatized children and youth.

“What I really want to do is look at the intersection of child welfare and immigration policy. I would love to use my bilingual skills to work with children and parents impacted by immigration issues, and to research and develop policy that helps reunite these families.”

The Child Welfare Scholarship provides me the opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless.

Esther Ayers’ passion for social work developed over a period of ten-plus years of volunteer service at local migrant camps, as well as working for the Regional Alliance for Healthy Schools-School Based Health Care Centers (RAHS) and an internship with the Washtenaw County Health Department (WCHD).

She’s also a Child Welfare Scholar, one of ten MSW students chosen per year who are committed to becoming child welfare specialists. Her field placement is with the Family Assessment Clinic, located inside Catholic Social Services, where she works closely with supervisors to learn skills such as intake, assessments, progress notes, research, and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy along with Adventure Based Therapy.

“U-M Child Welfare teaches the best Evidence Based Practices when working with abused families. We use many types of techniques with our clients to gain the most information. Equally important is the amount of support the Family Assessment clinic provides to their interns. The Child Welfare Scholarship provides me the opportunity to be a voice for the voiceless.”