Caseworker I / Social Services Worker-DCFS

FT / PT Status – Full Time
Salary – See Position Descriptions
Remote Work / In-Office – Hybrid

Recruiter – Tammy Alfaro | [email protected] |801-538-4221
5/3/2026, at 6 p.m.

Are you looking for a career where you can make a
difference?

Becoming a Caseworker I or Social Service Worker
at the Utah Division of Child & Family Services (DCFS) can be
a life changing event!  If you have a social work background and a passion
to work with children and families, Child & Family Services is the place
for you. Together we can make a difference through service!

This
recruitment will be used to fill Caseworker I/Social Service Worker positions
in Salt Lake County.

Click
here to see a Caseworker at Work

These positions will be filled as a Caseworker I or Social
Service Worker depending upon the qualifications of the applicant.

Key Responsibilities

DCFS Caseworkers and Social Service Workers work to keep
children with their own families whenever safely possible by assessing their
and their families' needs, getting them connected to available resources, and
conducting in-home services of appropriate intensity and duration. They work to
reunify children who have been removed from their homes whenever possible or
find enduring safety and permanence for them through alternative options. To
accomplish this, caseworkers work closely with the subject matter experts, are
provided with regular professional supervision, and complete DCFS Practice
Model Training while performing the following tasks:

• Serves as a point of contact for the Kinship Caregivers with open CPS and Foster Care cases.
• Engages families to elicit, gather, evaluate, analyze and integrate pertinent information to determine a kinship family's capacity to meet safety and quality of care needs for the child; determines strengths, concerns and support needs. 
• Advises and supports staff regarding assessing family background information to expand diligent search options.
• Assist the regional staff with establishing permanency plans, timeframes, and agency decision points.
• Advocates and plans long term care of the child by providing caregivers with full disclosure of responsibilities and permanency options.
• Provides caregivers and staff with pertinent information to timely and successfully transition caregivers along the Kinship Continuum.
• Document in the provider notes in SAFE the efforts to find, retain, support and connect providers to resources.
• Provide awareness of Utah kin navigator services. 
• Acts as a regional liaison with the Office of Licensing and Utah Foster Care (UFC), for barrier free services for kinship families seeking licensure.
• Performs help with preliminary walk throughs, Specific Home Studies for a specific foster care license, and adoption home studies.
• Educates Kinship caregivers regarding the Specified Relatives Grant, and liaisons with the Department of Workforce Services.  
• Provide assistance with needed forms and access to custody Medicaid, payments, and personal vehicle mileage reimbursement. 
• Performs other professional responsibilities as assigned. 

Qualifications
Qualifying professional work experience:

• Previous
  or current employment with the DHHS; working with residential youth or
  adults participating in programs related to domestic violence, abuse, or
  homelessness; working in a domestic violence or homeless shelter, or with
  any agency providing mental or behavioral health services; any public or
  private school in an educational or social work-related role; foster or
  kinship provider, contracted DHHS service provider, or other fields
  closely related to child welfare), or a combination of experience and education
  to equal four years.
• If
  work experience was not full-time, the equivalent must be calculated in
  comparison to full-time. For example, two years of half-time work would be
  equivalent to one year of full-time work.

Caseworker I: Pay $23.60:

• Understands
  human development across the lifespan, and resources in the community, and
  has the ability to provide support and interventions in a culturally
  responsive way.
• Is
  adept at interacting professionally with all levels of management while
  managing a diversified workload and challenging situations.
• Deals
  with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and
  professionalism.
• Communicates
  effectively, clearly, and concisely verbally and in writing.
• Has
  four years of full-time education OR professional work experience related
  to working with children, parents, and/or families, OR a combination of
  education and professional work experience.
• Must
  have a valid Utah driver’s license.

Social Service Worker: Pay $26.21:

• Holds
  an SSW or higher or higher licensure in good standing (required by statute
  UCA58-60-103).
• Understands
  human development across the lifespan, and resources in the community, and
  has the ability to provide support and interventions in a culturally
  responsive way.
• Is
  adept at interacting professionally with all levels of management while
  managing a diversified workload and challenging situations.
• Deals
  with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and
  professionalism.
• Communicates
  effectively, clearly, and concisely verbally and in writing.
• Has
  four years of professional work experience related to working with
  children, parents, and/or families or a combination of education and
  experience to equal four years.
• Possesses
  a current valid driver's license.

Preference
Preference may be given to candidates who:

• Are current or previous employees of the Division of Child & Family Services (DCFS)
• Have completed an internship with DCFS
• Have four years or more years of professional work experience related to working with children, parents, and/or families, OR hold a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, family and human development, human services, criminal justice, bachelor of science in health education and promotion, or closely related degree, OR a combination of professional work experience and education

Supplemental Information:

• Only
  applicants invited to interview will be notified. 
• May
  require 24-hour on-call services/time. 24-hour on-call services response
  time to be determined by the agency.
• Department
  of Human Resource Management rules regarding promotions and transfers
  apply to current employees.
• Travel
  required; you may be required to use your personal vehicle to perform the
  duties of this position; approved mileage is reimbursable through State
  Finance.
• All
  DCFS job offers are contingent upon passing a Background Screening
  Application (BSA).
• Must
  have a Utah valid driver's license.

Physical Requirements  

• Moderate
  - Some of the work performed requires some physical exertion. You may be
  required to stand; walk over rough surfaces; bend; crouch; stoop; stretch;
  reach; lift moderately heavy items (up to 50 lbs.), e.g. lifting a small
  child in a recurring manner and/or for long periods of time.

Working Conditions 

• High
  Risk - Risks found in potentially dangerous or unusual environmental
  stress situations, e.g. working at great heights, working in extreme
  outdoor weather conditions, being subject to possible physical attack,
  etc. 
• Some
  special risks which may require the use of special safety precautions
  e.g., entering clients homes, maybe working around contagious diseases,
  i.e. parasitic infections caused by head lice, bed bugs, scabies, etc. or
  chemicals, i.e. illegal substances, etc.

About the Role

Location – 10008 S Creek Run Way, Sandy, UT 84070
Background Check Required –Yes
Drug Test Required – No 
Schedule Code –B Competitive Career Services 

Why You Should Join Our Team
In Utah, we believe hard work is important, but balance is essential. Finding work/life balance is a vital element to our culture. To find out more about WHY Utah, click here. Other benefits may include:

• Job Stability: Enjoy the security and reliability of employment within a well-established organization.
• Career Growth: Develop valuable skills and gain opportunities for leadership within a large organization. 
• Meaningful Work: Contribute to an important service that benefits the community and supports organizational goals. 
• Supportive Work Environment: Be part of a team that values cooperation, strong work ethics, and mutual support.

The Agency

Become an integral part of a Utah Division working together
to keep children safe and strengthen families in our communities. Experience a
sense of achievement for a job well done and enjoy work life balance! We offer
great health benefits and retirement plans, generous paid time off, and a
balanced work schedule to afford quality time spent with your family. Click
here to see what makes working for the State of Utah awesome: Compensation & Benefits

The goal of Utah Division of Child and Family Services
(DCFS) is to have communities where children grow up safe from abuse, neglect
and dependency, where adults are protected from domestic violence, and where
parents can be strengthened in their capacity to keep their family safe.
For more information about DCFS, click here.

EEO Statement
The State of Utah is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. For accommodations, please contact (801) 957-9390.