Social Work Intern: Child & Family Services

Social Work Intern – Child Protective Services (Spring 2027)

This is a non‑merit internship position with the Health & Human Services – Family Well‑Being and Protection. Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services – Human Resources Enterprise. The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Division of Family Well‑Being & Protection (FWB&P), Child Protective Services, Northern Iowa Service Area is seeking a Social Work Intern to join our team.

This internship will be for Spring 2027 and will be based in the Waterloo office, working in that and surrounding counties.

As an unpaid Social Work Intern in the Family Well‑Being & Protection Division, you’ll walk alongside our Case Managers and may observe Child Protective Workers as they work with families, helping them navigate challenges and build stronger, safer futures together.

Internship hours are typically Monday‑Friday between 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Flexibility in schedule is structured with supervisory approval and ideally set before the internship begins. There may be opportunities for after‑hours experience if requested. If you use your own vehicle, mileage is paid at $0.50 per mile traveled according to Department of Administrative Services (DAS) State Accounting Enterprise Procedures.

• Manage a diverse caseload of children and families that require ongoing service provision to ensure safety (including children placed in foster care and/or under juvenile court oversight).
• Address the needs of children and families including safety, basic needs such as food, hygiene, education, health, and mental health.
• Evaluate ongoing safety and risk of children by conducting home visits and documenting contacts and reports.
• Upload or e‑file timely, accurate, and detailed documentation for court‑involved cases and manage your schedule to accommodate your caseload.
• Respond to situations decisively and effectively as family needs change, with supervisory consultation as needed.
• Engage the family in creating a family‑centered plan in accordance with policy that analyzes strengths and needs.
• Assess ongoing risk to children, develop safety plans, and make recommendations to county attorneys and courts.
• Collaborate with medical/mental‑health community partners, schools, legal partners, law enforcement, and local community resources based on case needs.
• Maintain professional and timely documentation of referred and provided services.
• Attend court hearings.
• Attend and participate in various training sessions offered by HHS and partner agencies.
• Understand and use multiple computer programs and data systems.

• Assess ongoing risk to children, develop safety plans, and recommend actions to county attorneys and courts.
• Frequent interaction with law enforcement, medical/mental‑health partners, schools, and other agencies.
• Apply Iowa Code, agency policy, and sound professional judgment to complex situations involving crises or chronic abuse or neglect.
• Conduct home visits, detailed interviews, and thorough narrative documentation.
• Confront crisis situations and high‑stress situations calmly and orderly.
• Maintain confidential information and prioritize safety as a top priority.
• Obtain information from varied sources, including written materials, phone conversations, and computer databases, and interpret the data.
• Participate in a team environment to manage group processes, facilitate, and encourage cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity.
• Interact with employees and customers in a positive customer‑service manner to resolve problems and answer inquiries.

• Critical thinking skills and plan development.
• Strong observational and analytical skills.
• Exceptional customer service, including de‑escalation of conflictual or adversarial situations.
• Ability to respectfully engage families as partners in safety planning.
• Excellent oral and written communication and report composition.
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