Child abuse, neglect, sexual assault.

Those are just a few of the types of cases that Carbon County Children and Youth Services’ caseworkers handle on a daily basis.

Last Thursday, Carbon County recognized these men and women by adopting a proclamation naming June 8-12 as Child Welfare Professionals Appreciation Week.

“I just want to thank them for their diligent job in trying to protect our children and going to some extremely difficult cases,” Commissioner Wayne Nothstein said.

Commissioner Rocky Ahner said that people don’t realize just what these caseworkers handle when they have to go into a home to investigate a case involving a child.

“They put their lives at risk,” he said, noting that caseworkers have been contaminated by drugs that were being made in the homes and dealt with unfit living conditions.

He commended them for all they do.

Carbon County currently has 14 caseworkers on staff to handle hundreds of reports annually.