This has to be the absolute worst job ever. The only reason people take it is because at $39,600 it's the highest paying entry position in the state. First off the stress is unbearable. You have to make safety decisions for children with the most unstable, violent, uneducated, mentally unstable and often drug addicted parents. If you mess up a case your name will be put all over the news. 2 cases in a day is the norm and you will never work anywhere as hard as you have to work here. I've literally been in my office trying to find somewhere to place 4 crying kids while at the same time typing a legal document for court and then receiving an email stating I have a new investigation assigned to more that I must respond to in the next 4 hours. About 65% of the cases are just people harassing other people by calling DCF "anonymously" on them, but you still have to complete a mountain of paperwork even on cases that are pure harrassment. There are no consequences for people making false reports and you'll literally go 3 to 4 times to the same family's home in a month because the people who make the false reports have no consequences.The families live in horrible neighborhoods and are rude, racist and threatening. No job is worth your personal safety. You have no personal protection and it's a miracle none of us were ever seriously hurt out there. Even police officers ask you "how could you do this job?" The management is horrendous and care about numbers only, not about if kids are safe. They bring in a new DA every 3 to 5 years from outside Miami who always think their ideas from little nowhere towns in Florida will work in Miami. The ideas which ALWAYS include more paperwork and more work for the CPI never work and the DA leaves until another new one comes in. The judges tr eat you like you're the bad guys instead of the abusive parents.  Program Office in Downtown Miami is full of people with no caseloads who get those jobs from their friends in management and they sit around all day doing nothing. There is a position created that there job is to ask people why they quit. Seriously?
If anything happens to child on a case you're currently working or have worked in the past, management will immediately throw you under the bus and blame you. They've fired employees who have been loyal for 15 years over nothing and recently even fired a 30 year veteran who was a mentor to almost every investigator.  You will rarely see your family as 16 hour days will come often if you have to remove kids and then claiming your overtime is a struggle of paperwork showing what you did during overtime because your word is never trusted. The administration is 95% female so you know what comes with that. If you do not listen to me and take this job anyways, at least join the union because they are the only ones that will help you if anything goes wrong.

Working at DCF has been an eye-opening experience, particularly when it comes to how employees are valued—or rather, not valued. There’s a clear focus on profit, often at the expense of employee safety. For example, when weather conditions are poor, employees are still expected to show up and work as usual, regardless of the risks. Management seems more concerned with keeping the doors open than with the well-being of their team.

Communication is also a significant issue here. There’s a lack of transparency and clarity about policies, with rules that employees are held to but management often ignores. Policies shift from day to day, making it hard to know what’s expected, and there's a strong sense of inconsistency in how policies are applied, depending on who’s involved.

The wage structure leaves a lot to be desired, especially given the high demands placed on us. We’re expected to put in a lot of effort, but the compensation doesn’t come close to matching it. This imbalance extends into work-life balance as well, with frequent expectations for extended hours and minimal flexibility.

Pay issues are also a problem. There have been multiple instances where pay was delayed, even beyond the legal limits, with no clear explanation or solution from management. This adds another layer of stress and frustration to an already challenging work environment.

Finally, the culture here is another downside. Gossip among higher-ups is common, creating a toxic environment that makes it difficult to feel valued or respected. All of this combined makes DCF a challenging place to work, and I wouldn’t recommend it to those looking for a supportive, fair, and safe work environment.



A typical day at work was to administer AM meds and speak with patients about any concerns about treatments, side-effects, and their discharge plans.  Care plans updated, liaison with infection control.  Weekly and monthly reviews of individual plan of care

  I enjoyed working with the majority of staff at DCF, I learned a great deal about psychiatric drugs and their side-effects from co-workers and psychiatrists and medical doctors.

The hardest part of the job was mandatory overtime that occurred, in average three times a week.   It was difficult to work from 7:00 AM until 11:00 PM and then return to work again at 7:00 AM.  Sometimes patients became violent and the possibility of injury increased.

My favorite part of the job was working with the patients, seeing some of their symptoms go away or be controlled, watching them earn greater privileges on the grounds, counseling them about their personal concerns.

I have mixed feelings about my job as a social worker here. The hours are unpredictable, the work is stressful, and you are pretty much learning the job for the first few months as the training they have new workers do, at least in MA, does not prepare you at all for the actual job. 

However, many people find a deeper purpose here because of the nature of the work, and I think that your experience here really depends on your subjective views and boundaries. You will need to do lots of last-minute overtime and deal with tons of stress, but for many people it is worth it when you make a kid smile because you were able to make a kid smile after a supervised visit with a parent or get a family much needed services that they otherwise would not have gotten without you.

If you feel like you want more purpose/meaning from your job definitely consider this job, just understand that you will be pushed to your limits. But for the right person it is worth it. 

This company is one of the most unprofessional I've ever worked for! My first complaint is the special treatment that is found all around either with males or with people who fit into special cliques which is how you find yourself getting in you have to know someone! They stress you out about numbers telling you how it doesn't matter but they do! I found myself lacking help at times because sometimes you're just avoided? I honestly hated my time there and hated going to work unless it was on holidays which don't pay until you've been there long enough. Here's the kicker if you don't make in numbers it can make you go down on your average and that's how they determine your pay and you are still capped at 12 a hr!

It's hard to work this job and have a home life.  I worked many late hours, you never know why you are going home this job is not a 9-5, it's a job that requires you put it first always.  There are days you may not eat lunch or dinner,  child safety is first.  I've missed a lot of time with my family and missed events.  On the other hand the job is super rewarding,  making a difference one family at a time,  providing services and saving children from further harm.  It's very stressful, hard to get to the gym and to take care of yourself.  One must take time off occasionally to regroup.  It's needed and supervisors will require you do so.

The Department of Children and Families is a state agency in Florida. My daily responsibility was to assure child safety. In order to do this job you have adhere to state policies, and go through intensive ongoing training. The job entailed long hours, and it can be emotionally exhausting. The job required community collaboration, and communication in order to assure child safety. The hardest part of the job was the level of abuse a child endured by the people who where suppose to protect them. The most rewarding, was knowing that I made a difference in a child's life.

The position with the Department of Children and Families is one of the most challenging jobs that I have had the opportunity to work. This position requires a great detail to attention as the cases that you have to oversee, has no room for error. My position as office manager requires me to deal with our clients as well as their families, doctors, psychiatrists and social affiliates. The duties include handling appointments, paying bills, setting up parent conferences, intake of new clients, payroll and all assisted living support to our clients.

● Work-life balance
DCF can be a rewarding career choice.

● Pay & benefits
The benefits are good for the most part. The pay is not. You rarely get a raise. The only time you get one is when the Governor issues one. Doesn't happen often. So basically, you are stuck at the same pay for up to years.

● Job security and advancement
You do have the ability to advance. Although you have to go through the application and interviewing process.

● Management
Management is awesome. At least in my office they are.

● Overall
Dcf is a good place to work. I have been on and off for the better of 12 years. The only down side to working here is the pay. You can be stuck for years at the same rate of pay. Good advance opportunities. Good benefits.

This job has a terrible work/life balance. You have no time to take care of yourself. You pretty much get punished for taking sick leave that you earned, you come back to work with double the case load to catch up to everyone else in rotation. The same thing happens if you are told to flex your work schedule because they don’t want to pay you overtime that you earned by being on the field for over 8 hours a day. if you flex, you come back to work with double the caseload. they’re starting to double the caseload on you if you even take leave that you once again EARNED.
you do not get payed enough for the conditions and hours you work. 

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