Careers | Human and Behavioral Sciences Programs | SIU

Child welfare social workers practice in family-based services that address the needs of children, youth and families. They may counsel children and youth who have behavioral problems or have difficulty adjusting socially. Social workers also work to protect children and intervene on their behalf when they are abused or neglected. Some of them work in residential institutions for children and adolescents. Still others specialize in adoption services and assist parents in arranging for adoptions.

Social workers investigate reports of neglect or abuse of children and must evaluate family situations with children's best interests in mind. The emphasis in protective services is to link parents with needed support services and resources to create a safe environment for children. Social workers may recommend temporary foster care when a child's safety is at issue. If children are removed temporarily, social workers will work on plans to reunite families as soon as possible. They may also initiate legal action to terminate parental rights and put the child up for adoption.

Employers

• Public Child Welfare Agencies
• Private Child Welfare Agencies
• Legal Services Agencies
• Adoption Agencies
• Foster Care Agencies
• Child Day Care

Social workers are important members of the healthcare teams in hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. They work together with doctors, nurses, administrators, and other professionals to help patients and their families cope with chronic or terminal illnesses. They assess a patient's needs for medical, and/or emotional treatment, as well as rehabilitation. Social workers help facilitate discharge and provision of supportive services for post-hospitalization by providing patients and the family caregivers with information and referral.

In health settings, social workers also provide case management and often help to organize support groups for families and patients suffering from AIDS, cancer, asthma, substance abuse, chronic illnesses of aging, disabilities, and organ transplants.  They develop new programs, lead support and educational groups, manage social work departments, network with community resources, and serve as a resource on managed-care plans.

Social workers are often hired by agencies that provide hospice care. The hospice movement is increasingly popular in this country. The goal of these agencies is to assist the dying to have optimal quality of life during their final months. Social workers employed by hospices provide counseling to these patients and their families, helping them adjust to the inevitable stressors presented by the dying process. The mission of hospice, which is to help patients take charge of their lives and make their own decisions during this critical period, coincides with the social work mission of helping people help themselves.

Employers

• Acute Care and Rehabilitation Hospitals
• Rural Health and Specialty Clinics
• Hospice and Home Health Agencies
• Nursing Homes
• Health Care Organizations (such as the American Lung Association)
• Public Health Departments

Clinical social workers provide more than half of the counseling and therapy services in the United States. As mental health providers they help clients with mental, emotional, alcohol or drug abuse problems through individual and group therapy, outreach and crisis intervention, and, in many cases, serve as agency directors and administrators.

Social workers in mental health settings provide services for persons who are unable to deal with day-to-day stress due to depression, emotional distress, mental disorders, or mental retardation.  They also assist in planning for supportive services and activities within the community.  Entry level positions include case managers, day treatment facilitators, and residential technicians. Advanced-level positions require a Masters in Social Work degree (MSW).

Employers

• Psychiatric Hospitals
• Family Service Agencies
• Residential Treatment Centers
• Sheltered Work Settings
• Community Mental Health Centers
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Schools
• Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

Social work in public welfare entails administration, implementation, monitoring, and program evaluation of the public welfare system.  Social workers provide information on how to apply for public assistance and other benefits, review eligibility requirements, and arrange for services. Social Workers also train and supervise caseworkers who provide direct services.  The main challenge of public welfare agencies is to develop effective programs for self-sufficiency and moving people from public welfare into the workforce and mainstream of society.

Employers

• Public Welfare Agencies
• Private Social Service Agencies

There is a great need for a professional social work practice in our aging society.  Social workers provide services to senior citizens such as counseling, income assistance, transportation, home care assistance, and recreational activities to help them remain active, healthy, and independent as long as possible. 

They run support groups for family caregivers, advise on the availability of services and long-term care, as well as coordinate and monitor services for the elderly.

Employers

• Nursing Homes
• Senior Centers
• Hospitals and Medical Centers
• Hospice Programs
• Senior Housing Facilities
• Mental Health Centers
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Legal Services Agencies

A growing practice field for occupational or corporate social workers is in employee assistance programs (EAPs).  These programs are available with large corporations, businesses, and labor unions, mostly in urban and industrial settings.  EAP social workers counsel workers and executives alike to help them achieve emotional well-being and improve job performance.  They deal with the diverse problems and situations affecting American workers today:  divorce, single parenthood, substance abuse, domestic violence, depression, eating disorders, vocational rehabilitation, stress, takeovers, layoffs, etc.  In this way, social workers help businesses and organizations improve their productivity.

Employers

• Employee Assistance Programs
• Businesses
• Private Consulting Firms
• Corporations
• Labor Unions

School social workers work closely with teachers, administrators, and other professionals to help children with physical or learning disabilities as well as emotional problems.  They provide counseling and referral services for a range of concerns including family problems, domestic violence, child abuse, neglect, and poverty.  They serve as a liaison between family and school and often between school and community. 

School social workers also provide a number of services to students in special education programs. To work in a school as a school social worker in Illinois, an MSW degree and a Professional Educators License (PEL) are required.

Employers

• Schools: Elementary/Secondary
• Head Start Centers
• Special Education Centers
• Counseling Centers

Social workers in criminal justice make recommendations to courts, serve as expert witnesses, do pre-sentencing assessments, and provide services for prison inmates and their families.  They focus on rehabilitation by providing therapy, drug and alcohol addiction treatment, and basic life-skills training. Many social workers become probation officers or parole officers.  They help ex-offenders access supportive services upon release from prison.  Social workers may arrange for a halfway house, job training, employment, remedial classes, counseling, child care, and/or transportation. 

Social workers may also work in victim services programs, courts, and police departments.

Employers

• Prisons
• Courts
• Police Departments
• Victim Assistance Services

There are numerous opportunities for social workers in community development programs and projects that are designed to provide community, professional, and volunteer services.  This is an area of employment that is expanding as greater responsibility for human service programs is assumed by cities, towns, communities, neighborhoods, and local organizations. 

Social workers participate in establishing and operating such services as homeless shelters, youth activities, free lunch programs, parent training and child care, migrant worker services, educational programs, and services for homebound elderly and persons with disabilities.

Employers

• Community Funded Projects
• Religious Organizations
• Neighborhood Organizations
• Americorps
• Vista

International Social Work involves direct services in child welfare, family planning, health and mental health, international adoptions, human rights advocacy, and refugee programs through relief and international aid organizations.  Social workers also assist governments in developing delivery systems and training programs.  They provide technical assistance and are involved in research projects.  International organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Red Cross, the United Nations, and numerous non-government organizations employ social workers.

Employers

• Relief Organizations and Agencies
• International Human Rights Agencies
• Peace Corps
• Non-Government Organizations

Simulations Facilitator IDCFS CPTA Simulations

Description

The targeted salary range for this position is $2,580 - $4,583 per month. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while considering internal equity.

Simulation Facilitation for Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Child Protection Training Academy. Oversee the development of simulation content for investigations, intact, and permanency workers and supervisors for recognizing and responding to child abuse and neglect.

Note: There are two positions available.

Examples of Duties

90% - Primary 
• Provide training to DCFS Investigators, as well as DCFS and private sector Intact and Permanency staff in the classroom for the simulation education experience and work collaboratively with DCFS and University Foundations training facilitators to synthesize information learned in classroom as into skill based experiential learning.
• Provide coaching, support, and debriefs with learning participants during residential, mock medical/multi-purpose lab, and courtroom simulations, such as:

o Modeling examples of strengths based feedback

o Ensuring learning participants’ skills are reflected on in a safe learning environment

o Reviewing learning participants’ concerns and discussing organic questions in the moment

o Ensure learning participants utilize and adhere to rule and procedure

o Modeling examples of suggested phrases to complete investigative or casework process

o Modeling examples of how to address safety concerns and how to mitigate

• Support field trainers or other Office of Learning and Professional Development trainers (if and when utilized) in the classroom as needed, modeling classroom management and delivery of content.

10% - Other Requirements
• Prepare/stage residential labs, mock court room, and mock medical/multi-purpose lab for simulations.
• Assists the Simulation Technician Logistics Coordinator, Lead Facilitator and Simulations Directors in ensuring actors are in place and learning participants complete all simulation experience tasks. 
• Work collaboratively with university partners, DCFS, and stakeholders in providing input as it pertains to the relevance and mission of the Department’s ongoing use of simulations.
• Endorse and educate the community and outside interests on the mission and goals of the DCFS and the mission of the DCFS.
• Attend other DCFS trainings as identified by the Office for Learning and Professional Development.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree in a human service related field.*
   
   2. Four (4) years of combined work experience including Illinois direct service experience in child protection investigations and/or child welfare.*
   
   *Note:  Master’s degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year of work experience

Supplemental Information

Illinois Residency Requirement: Pursuant to the State Universities Civil Service System, out-of-state candidates must establish Illinois residency within 180 calendar days of the start date for this position

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