Kids advocate to stay active

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Despite mounting problems, children are resilient, he said.

By ED RUNYAN

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

WARREN — Though Bob Kubiak will be leaving his job as executive director of Trumbull County Children Services sometime next month, don't expect him to disappear to some far-off retirement spot.

"I do have an attraction to public service," said Kubiak, who has held the top spot at the agency since 1999 and has 30 years in child welfare altogether. Kubiak is being replaced by another 30-year Children Services veteran, Marcia Tiger.

Though Kubiak announced his retirement June 5, the Howland man said he still doesn't have firm plans.

"I'm not thinking about it too much," Kubiak, 58, said — except that he plans to remain in Trumbull County and believes he will land back in some type of public role before too long.

"I like solving problems, resolving a crisis. I'll miss that," Kubiak said.

"I'm leaving while I still like the position and still like the work," he continued. "I want to spend more time with my family and explore other challenges."

Kubiak and his wife, Barbara, have three sons and two grandchildren.

Originally from Erie, Pa., Kubiak began his career in Trumbull County, working for the welfare department, and then moved to Children Services. He was executive director of Jefferson County Children Services from 1987 to 1999 before taking over here in 1999.

Views on kids, families

In the 30-plus years he's been working in child welfare, Kubiak said the biggest changes affecting children have been the result of the worsening conditions of families.

"The front-line workers' job has become more difficult because families need more help. They have more intense problems with drug abuse, poverty, single-parent households and unemployment," he said.

"As a result, we're seeing more kids who have behavioral health issues. They haven't developed well to succeed in school or have good relationships with their peers, or they get into trouble in the community," he continued.

"It's not always that they are purposely abusive parents, but because of their limitations, the kids are endangered for behavior that years ago parents could have dealt with more effectively," he said.

The upside of dealing with kids in challenging situations is seeing how well many of them bounce back.

"In Children Services, we are always amazed by the resiliency of kids," Kubiak said. "More kids make it than don't. The headlines focus on the poor outcomes. You don't often hear that most of them have some success."

The Children Services logo is of a child doing a somersault, Kubiak noted, and that image was purposely selected.

"Life is rough and tumble, but fairly often kids have the ability to bounce back," he concluded. "Hopefully our job is to help them through it."

runyan@vindy.com

Monday, August 7, 2006