What do cps social workers do

Most states require at least a master's degree in social work, passing the Association of Social Work Boards exam, and completing a specified number of hours of supervised work. When evaluating educational programs, prospective students should seek social work degrees accredited by the Council on Social Work Education, which is a requirement for many jobs and state licensure. Some master's degree programs offer advanced standing to students with an undergraduate degree in social work, though many programs accept related undergraduate degrees.

Many on-campus programs require students to attend school full time for two years to complete the curriculum and internships. Students seeking a master's in social work online may be able to attend school part time while continuing to work. This may extend the time it takes to graduate. Students may study general social work, conduct research, or complete specialized curriculum tracks.

Wages can vary significantly depending on the region and employer. Child welfare social workers may assist families , protecting children and helping adults break destructive habits. As one of the specialized careers in social work, a child welfare social worker may need training beyond an undergraduate degree. Many universities offer concentrations or specialization within their undergraduate or graduate curriculum. Many also offer child welfare certificate programs online while several states offer their own training academies.

Graduates who choose to pursue social work in child welfare often find employment in state agencies, such as the Department of Children's Services.

Duties may include investigating allegations of child abuse or neglect, inspecting homes, and talking to children about any problems they may be experiencing. Those holding a child welfare social worker degree also develop plans to reunite families if children have been removed from a home. Some professionals work through the juvenile justice system and family courts, developing a rehabilitation plan or acting as the child's advocate in legal proceedings.

Other caseworkers connect families to physical or occupational therapy services and help coordinate complex care plans for children with serious illnesses or disabilities. Screening is where the intervention starts — and I take pride in being able to have staff that set a good tone for the services we will be providing. What are the parts of your work that you find most challenging?

And what are the strategies that you employ to cope those challenges? Challenge is in keeping up with numbers and stats for upper management while maintaining high quality work. Shorter hold times, less dropped calls, etc are always big priorities. Frequent meetings as group and individuals, brainstorming sessions, listening to workers about their challenges, devising streamlining systems from ground up — that is what helps.

Could you share a typical case example with a client? Venture, a social worker with Child Protective Services. Do you know what a social worker is? Do you know what CPS is? My job is to make sure kids are safe in their homes with whoever is taking care of them. After conversing about that- sometimes a kid does leave, usually an older teen with much experience with CPS. It really helps to have multiple siblings in investigations that are verbal so you can cross-reference information.

You also have to gauge age and developmental level with asking questions. And I have not taken your children- I did already speak to them in school today, and based on what they said I have no reason to take them. I just need to talk to you so you know what was said about you, what your rights are, and what CPS is going to do to so we can help you and get out of your hair. Moving onto another topic, could you share with us a few targeted questions that only a social worker interviewing for a child welfare position might expect to encounter?

And what types of questions might a social worker seeking a supervisory role in child welfare anticipate? Finally, what advice would you offer social workers interested in entering the arena of social welfare? Thanks so much, Brock, for providing us with this detailed introduction into child protective services social work!

Save Save. The blog was very helpful, especially the part about possible interview questions! I have an interview with CYFD coming up soon. I also appreciate the insight about what to expect when conducting home visits and meeting with children in the school environment. I have to admit that I am most concerned with my ability to defuse uncomfortable situations. I can only imagine how upsetting it would be for a parent to handle this type of situation.

Overall, I found the blog very useful and intriguing. Something I would have wanted to hear more about are possible ethical dilemmas that a CPS social worker may encounter. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your detailed feedback and thoughts about the interview.

It sounds like it was very timely in terms of where you are at in your career. Never talking down to our clients is so important. We have to remember that we would want to be treated with dignity and respect if WE were the client.

Additionally, using acronyms and agency lingo can be very confusing for clients. Good blog with great information! Thanks so much! Yes, I totally agree with you that treating our clients with dignity and respect is paramount. There is nothing routine about legal matters involving children who may be abused or neglected. Contact us at to learn how we may be able to help you keep your family together during a free, initial consultation.

According to the Indiana Department of Child Services, its ultimate goal is to protect children from further abuse or neglect and prevent, remedy, or assist in solving problems that may result in the abuse, neglect, exploitation, or delinquency of children.

To work toward achieving this goal, CPS social workers often counsel families in the system and refer family members to other services, such as drug rehabilitation, psychological counseling, and parenting classes.