mentor

child welfare specialist

Oklahoma Department of Human Services

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working for the state of Oklahoma is a fulfilling experience that I deeply cherish. It perfectly balances professional responsibilities and personal life, allowing me to thrive in both arenas without compromise. Being a part of the state workforce connects me to a larger purpose: contributing to the common good and the betterment of our community. It's a role that instills a sense of pride and belonging, as each day presents an opportunity to make a meaningful impact that extends far beyond my efforts.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The weight of a heavy caseload can bring stress to my professional life. However, the profound realization that I serve as a beacon of hope for many fuels my perseverance. Knowing that I may be the only source of light in someone’s world gives me the strength to navigate even the most challenging days. This sense of purpose, understanding that my efforts can significantly alter someone’s path, inspires an unwavering drive within me. Each case is more than just a file; it represents a life, a story, and an opportunity to make a meaningful difference. This perspective transforms the burden into a privilege, the pressure into passion, and each small victory into a monumental triumph. It’s not just a job but a calling that urges me to rise above and push forward, no matter the odds.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Oklahoma's work culture is renowned for its exceptional quality, fostering an environment where professionalism and warmth coexist harmoniously. Employees in this state often report high job satisfaction, attributed to the supportive and collaborative atmosphere prevalent across various industries. Companies in Oklahoma are known for valuing their employees, offering opportunities for professional growth, and encouraging a balance between work and personal life. This positive work culture is a testament to Oklahoma's commitment to creating a thriving, inclusive, and dynamic professional landscape.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
In the changing landscape of Oklahoma's workforce, the shift towards remote work has transformed what a typical day at the office looks like. Now, employees across the state find their homes doubling as workspaces, where self-discipline and motivation are essential for productivity. The ability to manage our own schedules presents both challenges and opportunities for personal and professional growth. As the sun rises over the plains and coffee brews in the kitchen, the dedicated individuals of Oklahoma’s state workforce are redefining what it means to be satisfactorily employed. We navigate tasks with newfound flexibility, showing that we can collectively contribute to the state's operations and goals even while working apart. This modern approach to employment highlights the importance of self-motivation and adaptability, which are crucial in today’s dynamic work environment.

Your experience within DHS can vary depending on what department you're working in. For example, Child Welfare Specialist is going to have a very different feel to it than Social Services Specialist or Child Support Specialist. I've been with DHS for 3.5 years (2.5 years as a Child Welfare Specialist, 1 year as Child Support) and my general impression is that the majority of my coworkers have been hard-working, dedicated people who care about each other. The work can be difficult due to high caseloads and volume of work, and it feels like there is never enough staff to cover the workloads in more populated cities like Tulsa or Oklahoma City. I can't speak to rural counties but my impression would be that's less an issue there. 

Higher level management tends to make changes to policy or workflow frequently that can be frustrating; there are times I've felt that higher management cared more about hitting quotas and number benchmarks than specifically about their employees. Most of the best support I've received has been from teammates and my direct supervisors or other supervisors I've come to know and trust.

Largely speaking I would recommend DHS to most people - it's a good work environment with average pay for the work you do and good benefits. There's good job security, and usually a clear path to promotions if you're willing to work for them and stick around long enough for a position to open up. The work can be frustrating when you're bound to certain decisions/outcomes by policy, or when you can't put as much effort into a specific case as you would like because of a high caseload. I would like to see the organization staffed more fully, but Oklahoma doesn't tend to be willing to spend more money on DHS to make that happen.

Child Welfare was a fantastic learning experience.  On a daily basis, Child Welfare Specialist would make contact with families, check on the safety of all children who resided within the home, and spoke with parents and friends/relatives regarding the upbringing of the children.  DA Reports were written on an almost daily basis and presented to the District Attorneys regarding the findings of the Child Welfare Specialist's investigation.  In situations where it was found the children were in danger, Child Welfare Specialist would be sworn in before the Judge and testify as to the conditions which made the child unsafe and requesting DHS to remove the children from the home.  The co-workers on my team were outstanding individuals.  Some were new to the job and some were experienced mentors.  The entirety of the staff of DHS were wonderful individuals who were all there because of their drive to help children and to aid parents in learning to deal with difficult situations in a more productive manner and got the families in touch with resources to help raise their children in a safe environment.  The management at Child Welfare left something to be desired.  The management under which I worked was not experienced with having a full team of workers who were working a 100% caseload.  Therefore, she found it difficult to multitask and assist her team in the next steps that were needed to complete a case.  The best part of the job was the experience of having families thank you for helping them, for being so understanding and patient, and for explaining the DHS/CW process in detail and staying in contact with them.  You walk away with a good feeling that you helped someone, even in the smallest possible way.

I gave 4 stars in the job work/life category because the work is very autonomous with, if planned effectively, a good balance with home life.  I gave benefits/ compensation a 2 star rating because for the level of responsibility entitled to a Child Welfare Specialist, we are sorely underpaid. I gave job security/ advancement a 3 star rating because a CWS position is very secured if the job is performed well. Advancement is encouraged as a CWS, but is hard to come by. Management got a 4 star rating because management is as effective as a proper CWS. If a CWS position is well performed, management is effective. Job culture gets a 5 star because its very supportive and inclusive. 
There is no typical day as a Child Welfare Specialist. I can go into the office with no agenda or plan for the day and be busy for a solid 8 hours, or more. Conversely, a day can be planned to the teeth, and an emergency can derail the whole day. Where the 5 star rating for culture comes to play in is when said emergencies arise, there are lots of coworkers available to help. What I've learned is how to be resourceful and effective in getting multiple to do's accomplished, and how to prioritize and meet deadlines effectively. The hardest part of the job is working some of the cases that comes across your desk. Drugs, death, neglect...its all there. Secondary trauma is no joke.  Another difficult aspect is reconciling the weight of responsibility afforded you as legal guardian of multiple children ranging in age from 0-18 years old with your once a month paycheck. The most enjoyable aspects of the job are the autonomy afforded, the resources and people you become familiar with in the community, and the reason your a Child Welfare Specialist, keeping vulnerable children safe.

I worked there for several years until I recently retired.  I have seen many ups and downs and changes.  My co-workers, supervisors, and current County Director are all top notch. This job is fast paced and can be very stressful, but the end result of helping families in need is worth it.  
I can only speak for AFS about the culture and teamwork.  There are other divisions in the building that may have a different opinion of things (one of the big deals at DHS is that everyone gets lumped in together when we really do very different work depending on the division). AFS leadership promotes positivity and teamwork.  Management works with you in regard to your personal situation and will adjust work hours to accommodate special situation.  But don't think for one minute that you will not be held accountable for the work and have expectations regarding how to do the job and how to treat people.  If you can't do that, this is not the place for you.  Integrity and compassion are a must for this job.  If you think you are going to skate by and state jobs are really cushy, you need to be looking somewhere else. You get lots of support and coaching from management, but you still must do your part.
Over the last few years, there have been budget cuts that caused us to do the same or more work with fewer staff.  Supervisors and the county director get in the weeds with you--often helping work cases, answering the phones, and doing other daily parts of worker duties to help out.
The computer systems are definitely in need of an upgrade.
The benefits are great and the majority, if not all, of the cost is covered by a benefit allowance.  As long as you are doing a good job, the security is great.  There will always be people who need social services.

I enjoyed working to bring positive change to people's lives.
A typical day included handling a caseload of up to 60 children,networking, answering dozens of phone calls, escorting children to appointments (doctors, therapists, teachers), placing them in foster homes, and visitation both within my county and surrounding counties.

Management was knowledgeable, but overwhelmed and usually unavailable both emotionally and physically.

Coworkers were very supportive, although very busy. However, I found a great resource in a coworker who became my mentor who took the time to take me out on home visitations and show me what to do as well as taking time to help me understand the massive amount of paperwork.

The hardest part of the job was being expected to do other's jobs. For example, I was sometimes told by a supervisor to go pick up a child, which was an investigator's job. I was never sure whether or not my supervisor was aware of this, but assumed she was and did as instructed. Being untrained left me unprepared and frightened of not knowing what to expect.

Also extremely difficult to take was being overridden by supervisors and/or attorneys who had not spent any time with my children other than a few moments on their court day when I had spent months getting to know the children and families and felt I had a good understanding and sense of their needs.

The most enjoyable part of the job was the opportunity to try each day to make a difference in a child's life.

I take applications from Adult Day Centers and determine eligibility for the State Funded Program.  I answer many calls in regards to Long Term Care Medicaid and Regular Medicaid along with any other calls I receive and explain policies and procedure as well as what members might be eligible for and direct them to the correct place to apply.  I work with the public especially with the Aged and Disabled population.

I have learned many personal skills and how to coordinated programs, how programs are funded, many of the long term care and regular Medicaid guidelines, how to manage staff more effectively.

Management has been in place for many years and change is not always a welcome concept even to improve conditions or effectiveness.  They are very good people and I appreciate their positions, but I feel some of the decisions made with the State Budget could have been handled differently to benefit all Oklahomans.

I have the best co-workers in the office especially in trying times.  I could not ask for a better staff to work with.

The hardest part of my job is not having freedom to express my ideas.  I have many ideas of how to improve processes and make things more accessible, but I am not given opportunities due to my position.

Working with the public is the best part of my job, sometimes it is trying, but I enjoy helping older Oklahomans or any Oklahoman I can help.

A typical day involved conducting child welfare investigations, completing assessments of child safety and DA Reports. Referred and made recommendations to families for outside services to assist in helping families with raising and developing positive family interactions. Attending and testified in court hearings. Collaborated with law enforcement, Oklahoma Juvenile Authorities and outside agencies. Gained knowledge on aspects that place children in unsafe family situations. The hardest part of the job was working was placing children in State Custody due to immediate and impending safety threats, meeting unrealist expectations placed on workers (e.g., closing cases within 60 days with a large case load, working 30 plus hours straight, drive times exceeding over 150 miles a day and initiating 3 to 4 investigations weekly). The work place environment varied from enjoyable to stressful. Supervisors and directors placed extreme pressure on workers at time and lack skills to inspire and encourage workers. There was a large turn over of employees due to the working environment and case loads.  Working with families and assisting them in correcting conditions that placed there children in harms ways was the most rewarding part of the job.

When I interviewed, I asked whether the job would allow for remote work and flexibility. The interviewer said I could work remote after about three months. Almost six months of training went by before I could work remote. 

When you first begin taking cases, you are supposed to have a caseload of 50 percent, which is about six cases. I had 80 to 100 percent within the first two weeks of taking my own cases, and I was immediately overwhelmed. I always had 12 or 13 cases at a time.  I found it impossible to meet deadlines. 

The worst part is that I would be reprimanded daily, but my supervisor never helped me. During that five-month training period, I went out with her once. After that time, she observed me once, said I was going too slow, and took over my interviews. Then she left me alone in finishing the case.

Dealing with the trauma clients we’re experiencing was not the difficulty as far as I was concerned. The high pressure from supervisors made the job very difficult. 

Also, I had comp time I could not use because my day was so unpredictable. I had to use sick leave in order to guarantee I would not be forced to work late. I missed school events for my children. I was forced to leave them home alone sick at times. 

The statement was that I could earn flexible remote work if I met deadlines, but I found the deadlines too difficult to meet. I was very depressed to leave, but I could not continue to neglect my own family.



A typical day included dealing with allegations of child abuse and/or neglect. I worked with parents, attorney's, doctor's, agency staff, peers, and supervisor's to diminish and hopefully eliminate child abuse and/or neglect. This was accomplished with using policy as a guideline with various psychosocial methods and resources. 

I learned that most parents want to be good, dependable, responsible, and loving parents to their children. They lack education and support in most cases. It is possible to diminish child abuse and neglect with appropriate support systems and training to implement alternative parenting skills. 

Management was supportive and available to guide or listen to worker challenges in their job. My co- workers were supportive and open with their experiences. We had weekly lunches together to build positive work relations. 

The hardest part of the job was to discover parents had no love for their child(ren). It is difficult to imagine people that don't care for their child wouldn't give them up for adoption to a loving life. 

The most enjoyable part of this job was to see a family together months and years after working with them and they hadn't had any indicators or reports of child abuse or neglect.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Mentor 1 salary reported	$49,000 per year
Child welfare specialist 1 salary reported	$38,000 per year

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