Description
Protect children from abuse and neglect by investigating reports, assessing risk, and coordinating services to ensure safety, stability, and well-being. Develop and manage case plans that support family preservation, reunification, kinship care, or adoption. Collaborate with courts and community partners to achieve timely permanency outcomes.
- • Receive and investigate allegations of child abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
- • Conduct home visits and safety assessments to determine immediate and ongoing risk.
- • Interview children, parents, caregivers, and collateral contacts to gather relevant information.
- • Develop, implement, and monitor individualized safety and case plans.
- • Provide crisis intervention and create safety plans for at-risk children and families.
- • Coordinate in-home services, parenting education, mental health care, and substance use treatment.
- • Arrange emergency shelter, kinship, or foster care placements and monitor placement stability.
- • Facilitate family preservation, reunification, guardianship, or adoption through permanency planning.
- • Support and supervise family and sibling visitation and coach on parenting skills.
- • Conduct background checks, home studies, and licensing assessments for foster and adoptive homes.
- • Maintain accurate case records, documentation, and court-ready reports in compliance with policy and law.
- • Prepare recommendations and provide testimony at court hearings and administrative reviews.
- • Collaborate with law enforcement, medical providers, schools, and community agencies.
- • Coordinate medical, dental, developmental, and educational services for children in care.
- • Refer clients to community resources and assist with applications for benefits and supports.
- • Evaluate service effectiveness and adjust case plans based on progress and new information.
- • Lead or participate in family team meetings and multidisciplinary case staffings.
- • Conduct ongoing risk and safety reassessments at critical decision points.
- • Ensure compliance with state and federal child welfare statutes, timelines, and confidentiality requirements.
- • Mentor or direct case aides and foster care specialists as needed.
Related specializations
Interview options
Interview options
Interviewee gender
Interviewee accent
Interview time
Related Pathways
Healthcare & Human Services
View
Source
Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
Learn more
Sources & Standards:
This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
