Social Worker Trainee - Social And Human Services

Are you passionate about serving the children and families of CT in need? If so, we invite you to discover this outstanding opportunity!           

The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) is recruiting for Social Worker Trainee vacancies. Our mission is partnering with communities and empowering families to raise resilient children who thrive; sharpening the safety focus through prevention across the child welfare system. We are seeking individuals who are looking to advance their career and make a difference.         

Work locations will be in offices located in the following Regions:

• Region 1: Bridgeport and Norwalk
• Region 2: Milford and New Haven
• Region 3: Middletown, Norwich and Willimantic (Please note: Willimantic is part of Windham County)
• Region 4: Hartford and Manchester
• Region 5: Danbury, Torrington and Waterbury
• Region 6: New Britain and Meriden  

Applicants selected for hire should expect to be assigned to one of the above listed offices. State of Connecticut employees participate in a competitive benefits plan that includes healthcare coverage, a retirement plan as well as paid time off.  

If you anticipate completing a qualifying degree by December 31, 2022 you are encouraged to apply.  Candidates will not be appointed until degree is conferred.  

NOTE: 

• Your application for Social Worker Trainee will NOT be considered if you qualify for the Social Worker posting. 
• Not all applicants will be contacted for an interview and you are encouraged to apply for future postings.       

You can learn more about working for our state here and by checking out our latest YouTube video to see what it is like to work at Department of Children and Families:

The Department of Children and Families hiring process includes the following key stages. From application to appointment this process can take a number of weeks.  The stages are:               

1. Application Period:  

• Please ensure that your application is complete. You are unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State of Connecticut. Applicant Support can be reached by email at DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• Candidates who submit an untimely, incomplete or inaccurate application will not be considered for this employment opportunity. Due to the large volume of applications, please do not call/email to confirm receipt or status of your application. If your application submits successfully, a pop-up confirmation displays, which is followed by a confirmation email. You can view all emailed notices on your Personal Status Board by clicking the date in the Last Notice column for this recruitment.
• Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications between now and December 31, 2022 will be considered.  
• Applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies.  
• In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.  
• All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period.  It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception.  Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• This position may be subject to Federal requirements for COVID 19 Vaccination Immunization.  

2. Referral Questions:   

These questions are designed to allow hiring managers to learn more about your abilities and skills related to the Social Worker position.

• The Referral Questionnaire notice is sent to your personal email address and is also viewable on your Online Employment Center Personal Status Board, in the Certification Questionnaires section. To continue on in the hiring process, you must respond to and officially submit the Referral Questionnaire by the deadline stated in the notice. Applicants are urged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status and view all emailed notices, in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
• Please do not call or email about status updates regarding referral questions. If you successfully submit your questionnaire on time, a confirmation page displays immediately following your submission. On your Personal Status Board, the submission date and time display in the Certification Questionnaires section.

Important Note: By the terms of use agreement you acknowledged when you registered for the Online Employment Center, you may only have one (1) profile set up. If you created multiple profiles, you will be unable to access the referral questions. If you suspect you have more than one profile, please email Applicant Support at DAS.SHRM@ct.gov no later than two (2) days before the referral questionnaire deadline to request a profile merge. Please provide the following information in your email: 

• First and last name (including any hyphenated last name, or those with suffixes such as Jr)
• First three (3) letters of your last name at birth
• Address
• Day of birth
• Primary phone number
• Email address  

3. First Stage of Interview process:  

Selected candidates are contacted by the Department Children and Families Human Resources team members for the to collect information and schedule you for interview. Candidates will be asked to supply:  

• Unofficial transcripts for degrees listed on application
• Typed list of three supervisory references  

Selected candidates will have a panel interview with DCF Regional office staff.    

4. Second Stage of Interview:  

They will also meet with DCF Academy for Workforce Development to learn more about the role and responsibilities of a Social Worker and will receive a writing assessment.    

5. Background Investigation:  

Selected candidates will go through a comprehensive review of employment, education, criminal, motor vehicle history and a physical examination (including drug screening).  

6. Appointment:  

Selected candidates are scheduled for their first day of work!

Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Julie Barker, at Julie.Barker@ct.gov.

In a state agency or institution this class is accountable for receiving intensive training in the provision of social case work services to individuals and families.

Receives training in agency social work procedures, personnel policies, program guidelines and legal reporting requirements; receives training in and is given progressively complex assignments involving utilization of interviewing techniques required to assess client needs, elicit information and establish community referral sources; provides basic counseling services to a limited number of clients enrolled in departmental programs, inmates or patients in residence or families of clients receiving services; prepares initial treatment plans, psychosocial evaluation, case histories and other case records as components of a small assigned caseload; refers clients, patients and family members for community or social services, medical or psychological services or housing, financial and employment assistance; motivates clients to increase ability to understand and cope with problems, frustration and anxiety; performs a greater number of specific and complex social work duties and maintains a larger caseload as skills are acquired during training program; performs related duties as required.

Knowledge of reciprocal relationship between individuals and their social, economic and cultural environment; basic knowledge of human social behavior; considerable interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; ability to relate to different cultural and economic backgrounds; ability to organize time, set priorities and manage workload.

A Bachelor's or Master's degree in social work or a closely related field.

Note: Closely related fields are: applied sociology, child development, child welfare, clinical psychology, counseling, human development and family studies, human service, marriage and family therapy, nursing, social and/or human services, education and criminal justice.

Preference will be given to candidates who possess the following:

• Masters of Social Work;
• Internship at the Department of Children and Families;
• Experience (volunteer or internship) working in organizations which partner with families from a variety of cultural, racial and social backgrounds (office, homes, schools, hospitals, court, jails, treatment facilities, etc.);
• Experience (volunteer or internship) working in organizations that support families who are dealing with trauma (e.g. substance abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse), emotionally distraught, mentally and/or physically challenged;
• Excellent writing reports;  
• Experience organizing and prioritizing work and meeting time sensitive deadlines;
• Experience working in roles that are on-call and require mandatory overtime;
• Experience working in a fast pace and high demand work environment;
• Experience in cultural and social justice competence;
• Experience with using interpersonal skills to calm and resolve complex escalate social situations.

1. Candidates cannot be appointed until all degree requirements are completed.
2. DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: Incumbents in this class are required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's License.
3. OTHER AGENCIES: Incumbents may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's License
4. COMMISSION ON THE DEAF AND HEARING IMPAIRED: Incumbents in this class must be able to communicate fluently in American Sign Language.
5. Incumbents in this class may be required to speak a foreign language.
6. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.