Caseworker I/ Social Service Worker Kinship team- DCFS Southwest Region (Cedar City)

FT / PT Status – Full-Time Salary – See Position Description Remote Work / In-Office – Hybrid Recruiter – Eliana Sigler | esigler1@utah.gov | Application Deadline – 5/3/2026

Only current DCFS employees are eligible to apply for this opportunity

Caseworker I / Social Service Worker-Kinship Team

The Kinship Caseworker or Social Service Worker is responsible for providing supportive services to ensure kinship caregivers can support a child in their care during Child Protective Services and Foster Care interventions. Kinship Caseworker or Social Service Worker will identify services and supports tailored to meet needs of the caregiver and/or child to achieve agency best practices. The goal of the Kinship Caseworker or Social Service Worker is to reduce challenges and barriers that delay or prevent transparent entry into the Kinship Care Continuum.

This position will be filled as a Caseworker I or Social Service Worker depending upon the qualifications of the applicant.

Key Responsibilities

• Serves as a point of contact for the Kinship Caregivers with open CPS and Foster Care cases.
• Engages families to elicit, gather, evaluate, analyze and integrate pertinent information to determine a kinship family's capacity to meet safety and quality of care needs for the child; determine strengths, concerns and support needs.
• Advises and supports staff regarding assessing family background information to expand diligent search options.
• Assist the regional staff with establishing permanency plans, time-frames, and agency decision points.
• Advocates and plans long-term care of the child by providing caregivers with full disclosure of responsibilities and permanency options .
• Provides caregivers and staff with pertinent information to timely and successfully transition caregivers along the Kinship Continuum.
• Document in the provider notes in SAFE the efforts to find, retain, support and connect providers to resources.
• Provides awareness of Utah kin navigator services.
• Acts as a regional liaison with the Office of Licensing and Utah Foster Care (UFC), for barrier free services for kinship families seeking licensure.
• Performs help with preliminary walk throughs, Specific Home Studies for a specific foster care license, and adoption home studies.
• Educates Kinship caregivers regarding the Specified Relatives Grant, and liaisons with the Department of Workforce Services.
• Provide assistance with needed forms and access to custody Medicaid, payments, and personal vehicle mileage reimbursement.
• Performs other professional responsibilities as assigned
  
  

Qualifications

• Is a current Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) employee.
  
  

Caseworker I: Pay $23.60:

• Understands human development across the lifespan, and resources in the community, and has the ability to provide support and interventions in a culturally responsive way.
• Is adept at interacting professionally with all levels of management while managing a diversified workload and challenging situations.
• Deals with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and professionalism.
• Communicates effectively, clearly, and concisely verbally and in writing.
• Has four years of full-time education OR professional work experience related to working with children, parents, and/or families, OR a combination of education and professional work experience.
• Possesses a current Utah valid driver's license.
  
  

Social Service Worker: Pay $26.21:

• Holds an SSW or higher or higher licensure in good standing (required by statute UCA58-60-103).
• Understands human development across the lifespan, and resources in the community, and has the ability to provide support and interventions in a culturally responsive way.
• Is adept at interacting professionally with all levels of management while managing a diversified workload and challenging situations.
• Deals with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and professionalism.
• Communicates effectively, clearly, and concisely verbally and in writing.
• Has four years of professional work experience related to working with children, parents, and/or families or a combination of education and experience to equal four years.
• Possesses a current Utah valid driver's license
  
  

Preference

• Is a current Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) employee.
• Interacts with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, tact, and professionalism.
• Excellent oral, written, research, presentation, analytical, organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Ability to provide education and advocacy on behalf of kinship families; and strong empathy and understanding of the unique role, needs and challenges of kinship caregivers.
• Ability to promote placement stability and positive permanency outcomes.
• Ability to respond quickly to time sensitive requests.
• Ability to engage with high level personnel and build partnerships.
• Knowledgeable Child Protective Services and Foster Care best practices.
• Ability to travel.
  
  

Supplemental Information

• Only applicants invited to interview will be notified.
• May require 24-hour on-call services/time. 24-hour on-call services response time to be determined by the agency.
• Department of Human Resource Management rules regarding promotions and transfers apply to current employees.
• Travel required; you may be required to use your personal vehicle to perform the duties of this position; approved mileage is reimbursable through State Finance.
• All DCFS job offers are contingent upon passing a Background Screening Application (BSA).
• Must have a valid Utah driver’s license.
• A position’s eligibility for hybrid work is established by agency management and is subject to change at their discretion at any time and for any reason.
• The State of Utah requires all employees to physically work inside the State of Utah Boundaries.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Moderate - Some of the work performed requires some physical exertion. You may be required to stand; walk over rough surfaces; bend; crouch; stoop; stretch; reach; lift moderately heavy items (up to 50 lbs.), e.g. lifting a small child in a recurring manner and/or for long periods of time.
  
  

Working Conditions

• High Risk - Risks found in potentially dangerous or unusual environmental stress situations, e.g. working at great heights, working in extreme outdoor weather conditions, being subject to possible physical attack, etc.
• Some special risks which may require the use of special safety precautions e.g., entering clients homes, maybe working around contagious diseases, i.e. parasitic infections caused by head lice, bed bugs, scabies, etc. or chemicals, i.e. illegal substances, etc.
  
  

About The Role

Location –

DCFS Cedar City Office

106 N. 100 E.

Cedar City, Utah, 84770

United States

Drivers License Requirement-Employees hired for this recruitment will be subject to the Driver Eligibility standards found at the following link: https://adminrules.utah.gov/public/search/driver eligibility/Current Rules

Background Check Required – Yes

Drug Test Required – No

Schedule Code – B - Competitive Career Service

Why You Should Join Our Team

Benefits

In Utah, we believe hard work is important, but balance is essential. Finding work/life balance is a vital element to our culture. To find out more about WHY Utah , click here . Other benefits may include:

• Job Stability: Enjoy the security and reliability of employment within a well-established organization.
• Career Growth: Develop valuable skills and gain opportunities for leadership within a large organization.
• Meaningful Work: Contribute to an important service that benefits the community and supports organizational goals.
• Supportive Work Environment: Be part of a team that values cooperation, strong work ethics, and mutual support.
  
  

The Agency The goal of Utah Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) is to have communities where children grow up safe from abuse, neglect and dependency, where adults are protected from domestic violence, and where parents can be strengthened in their capacity to keep their family safe.

For more information about DCFS, Click Here

EEO Statement The State of Utah is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. For accommodations, please contact (801) 957-9390.