Narrator: Some participants in this video assumed the role of consumers. Music Narrator: Narrator: Every day, children and youth are abused and neglected by their parents and caretakers. Abuse and neglect cut across every socioeconomic background. Narrator: County caseworkers play a critical role in preventing child abuse and neglect and in ensuring that all abused, neglected, or dependent children are protected from further abuse and neglect. Caseworker Client: Yes, I have concerns about the Caseworker Client: Well, it was the other night about 9 o’clock and I heard the children screaming, and… Narrator: What does it take to be an effective Supervisor Michele: When filling caseworker positions in Children and Youth Services, we often find that applicants’ job expectations are not realistic. Supervisor Michele: They want to work with children and families, but they don’t realize they’ll be working with children and families where the children are abused and neglected. Father: I don’t beat my kids. Why don’t you guys investigate somebody who does. Caseworker James: I understand you are angry with me coming here today. Supervisor Michele: Some clients will curse at you and distort the truth, and you need to remain professional. Supervisor Michele: We’re also getting students who are coming out of college with degrees and no experience. The children and youth environment is foreign to them. They must transition to a profession with responsibility related to making decisions about families and determining the families’ ability to maintain a safe environment for their children. It is often necessary to make life or death decisions, which can be very overwhelming. One case can create so much work. Supervisor Michele: When filling caseworker positions, I look for the characteristics of our top performing caseworkers, such as the ability to make sound decisions and handle stressful situations. Verbal and written communication, observational, organizational, and interpersonal skills are critical. Knowing how to work with people from different races, religions, ethnics groups and social backgrounds is also important. Narrator: Upon employment as a professional staff member, caseworkers must continue their education by participating in formal classroom and extensive on-the-job training. All caseworkers are required to complete 120 hours of in-service training as part of the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training program. Caseworker: …if the mom kept the perpetrator out of the home and there was no access to the child Instructor Dorothy: Okay, that is exactly right. Caseworker Casey: One of the most important classroom training lessons was learning how to form positive working relationships with all types of people. The training provided me with skills to assess safety and risk and to develop case plans with families to keep children safe. These skills are critical to my day-to-day responsibilities. Caseworker Casey: My on-the-job training consisted of shadowing a seasoned caseworker. I watched him interview a family and then complete a risk assessment form. Later, he went to court and used that information as part of his testimony. Father: What are you talking about? Who’s calling? Caseworker James: Concerned citizens are calling. Narrator: Children and Youth County Caseworkers are primarily responsible for: conducting assessment and/or investigations, developing service plans, and coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating service delivery. Caseworker Cindy: At Children and Youth Services, I investigate child abuse and neglect. Caseworker Cindy: I’m responsible for assuring the safety of children by conducting home visits and completing risk assessments. I refer families for community services such as parenting, educating, counseling, budgeting, domestic violence services, and drug and alcohol services. Caseworker Cindy: Your daughter is making allegations that your husband has sexually abused her. Have you spoken with your daughter today? Mother: Today before school was out. Caseworker Cindy: Were you aware that this was occurring? Mother: No Caseworker Cindy: I need you to cooperate with me so we can expedite this. Mother: There is nothing to investigate. He would never touch her. Caseworker Cindy: I understand. Mother: He would never touch her. He would never do that to her. Caseworker Cindy: Mrs. Haines, I just need you to work with me and to cooperate with me. Our investigation takes 30 to 60 days. When those allegations come into our office, we have to investigate them. Mother: There’s no need to investigate. Caseworker Cindy: I am responsible for monitoring the family’s progress which may involve coordinating efforts with any number of systems such as adult and/or juvenile probation, law enforcement, school districts, Mental Health/Mental Retardation, hospitals, court, residential facilities, and counseling agencies. Caseworker Cindy: Communication with these agencies requires extensive documentation in order to assure safety, assess risk and document progress or lack of progress for every client contact. Caseworker Cindy: If I determine that a child is not safe in his or her home, I will petition the court to remove the child. This process includes: writing court petitions and summaries, testifying and locating placement options. Some placement options are placement with kin or relatives or placement in foster homes, group homes or residential placement facilities. Caseworker Cindy: I arrived at the home at approximately ten o’clock am. Lawyer: AM? Caseworker Cindy: Yes. Lawyer: And Amber again is five years old? Caseworker Cindy: Yes, sir. Lawyer: Is Amber to be enrolled in school? Caseworker Cindy: Yes, she should. Caseworker Cindy: When making casework decisions, I have the support and direction from my immediate supervisor and the managers of our organization. Supervisor Robin: That’s great, Cindy. I’m glad you had the opportunity to talk with her about her options. It’s really critical that she knows what they all are in making this critical decision. You did a great job with her. Narrator: What is the work environment like? Caseworker Kate: As a caseworker at a children and youth service agency, you must be flexible and willing to change your plans for the day without any notice due to an emergency. Caseworker Kate: This may require working late into the evening or prior to the start of the workday in order to accommodate your client’s work schedule. You may need to make alternate arrangements for your own personal commitments. Sometimes weekend work is required so children in placement can visit with their families or emergency investigations can be completed. Caseworker Kate: I am responsible for visiting the homes and assessing the safety of about 50 to 75 children within a five-week time period. A great deal of time is spent traveling to and from clients’ homes. Caseworker Kate: During home visits, I have been exposed to hostile, angry clients, people who were intoxicated and/or high on drugs, and severely abused children. I have also been exposed to unpleasant and unsafe housing conditions. Homes have been infested with cockroaches, have had broken steps, and reeked of urine, feces, vomit and body odor. Caseworker Kate: Despite these conditions, I must be able to function as a professional, caring individual who is not judgmental. Narrator: As with any job, there are challenges and reward of being a county caseworker. Caseworker Kim: As a children and youth caseworker, the most difficult challenge for me is helping a child to move from his home to a safer, temporary home. Caseworker Kim: As I mentioned before, we’ve been unable to identify any family and friends to help you with David. Mother: I won’t drink anymore. Caseworker Kim: I mentioned before you do continue to drink. Mother: I’ll be able to take care of him. Let me use the telephone. I can call somebody to help me with him. Mother: Please don’t take him. Please don’t take him. I want him to stay with me. I can find somebody to help me with him. Caseworker Kim: He’ll be fine. He’ll be fine. Caseworker Kim: The greatest reward is when a client such as Mrs. Maddox willingly has achieved all of her goals and her children are returned to her care and grow up safe and successfully enter adulthood. Caseworker Kim: I know your mom worked really hard so that you and your sister could come home today. I know you’re really happy about being home. Narrator: We hope the information in this job preview will help you make an informed decision about whether a county caseworker job is right for you. With this understanding, you should ask yourself these questions and decide if you are suited for the job: Will I find job satisfaction as a county caseworker? Am I the type of person who can be an effective county caseworker and handle the demands of serving people with special needs? Music Narrator: The State Civil Service Commission thanks those who have made this production a success. The Script Development Team Management, Supervisors, Training Staff and Caseworkers from: ( Family Members Role Playing Clients Court Participants Apartment/Home Owners Facility Representatives: A production of The and commonwealth media services @ 2005 The