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Family service caseworker skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Florence DiGennaro Reed Ph.D.,

Michelle Kelley Shuler Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical family service caseworker skills. We ranked the top skills for family service caseworkers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 33.5% of family service caseworker resumes contained social work as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a family service caseworker needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 family service caseworker skills for your resume and career

2. Direct Services

Direct service is a service provided directly, that is, through person-person contact which gives no room for any middle or third party involvement.

Here's how family service caseworkers use direct services:

Provided and coordinated direct services to individuals and families as assigned.
Develop and implement a personalized training plan to maintain and upgrade knowledge and skills related to the delivery of direct services.

3. Family Services

Family services often refers to a division of family support that helps a family better understand how to be successful. This may include recommendations for self-care, such as physical or emotional health, or other financial support systems for families in poorer households, which may include a welfare plan or other form of government assistance.

Here's how family service caseworkers use family services:

Served as an agency liaison between families and community organizations in coordinating and providing needed family services.
Incarcerated adults referred for therapy in conjunction with psychiatric care as contracted with Jewish Family Services.

4. DHS

DHS (Department of Homeland Security) refers to the department that handles the USA's immigration enforcement.

Here's how family service caseworkers use dhs:

Managed all facets of the caseloads in the local office in the division of Community Operations of DHS.
Prepared and compiled case files for transfer to local DHS offices and Long Term Care facilities.

5. Mental Health

Mental health is the state of wellbeing in which an individual can cope with the regular stresses and tensions of life, and can work productively without having any emotional or psychological breakdown. Mental health is essential for a person of any age and helps them make the right decisions in their life.

Here's how family service caseworkers use mental health:

Assisted foster families in locating/implementing appropriate educational/medical/mental health services.
Provide in depth case management services that include medical evaluation services, educational and mental health evaluation.

6. Community Resources

Community resources are a set of resources that are used in the day to day life of people which improves their lifestyle in some way. People, sites or houses, and population assistance can come under the services offered by community resources.

Here's how family service caseworkers use community resources:

Cultivate professional relationships with various human service organizations, serving as a liaison between clients and service provider/community resources.
Identify, utilize and incorporate appropriate community resources to assist youth with attaining individual goals and objectives.

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7. Public Assistance Programs

Public Assistance Programs are programs designed to improve the lives of members of the public by offering them the assistance they need either in cash or in-kind like foods, clothes, and everyday items. These programs are often offered by the government to alleviate poverty in the populace. NGOs are also involved in providing public assistance programs.

Here's how family service caseworkers use public assistance programs:

Explain and collect data to determine eligibility for public assistance programs.
Explain eligibility criteria and requirements for public assistance programs i.e.

8. Determines Eligibility

Here's how family service caseworkers use determines eligibility:

Process numerous food stamps and TANF applications on a daily basis.Collects clients data and determines eligibility.

9. Criminal Justice

Here's how family service caseworkers use criminal justice:

Counseled and mentored children involved in the Criminal Justice system.
Researched, contacted, and reported patient information from social services agencies, family members, and criminal justice agencies.

10. DHR

Here's how family service caseworkers use dhr:

Prepared and maintained client records according to State of AL DHR policy and procedures.
Evaluate and monitor services providers to determine if DHR policy is adhered to with only one exception per year.

11. State Services

Here's how family service caseworkers use state services:

Evaluate applicants eligibility for state services based on state and federal guidelines.
Provided referrals to other Department of Human Services programs, state services and local private agencies.

12. Eligibility Criteria

Here's how family service caseworkers use eligibility criteria:

Explained eligibility criteria and requirements for TANF, Medicaid and SNAP.

13. Foster Care

Here's how family service caseworkers use foster care:

Provide Medicaid Rehabilitation Services to children currently in foster care.
Develop and implement permanency plans through reunification, kinship, guardian & custody, foster care, adoption, or APPLA.

14. Kids

Here's how family service caseworkers use kids:

Performed all duties associated with case management for the state Medicaid program called All Kids.
Performed drug screens after hours so the kids wouldn't miss school.

15. Substance Abuse

Here's how family service caseworkers use substance abuse:

Identify areas of potential risk to self-sufficiency including child safety, family violence, substance abuse and health issues.
Analyze complex information to identify substance abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and mental illness.

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What skills help Family Service Caseworkers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on family service caseworker resumes?

Dr. Florence DiGennaro Reed Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Chairperson, Director of the Performance Management Laboratory, University of Kansas

In my experience, employers appreciate real-world experience where students/recent graduates can apply the knowledge they learned in their courses to actual work settings. Thus, graduates who have had service-learning practicum courses, internships, or other relevant experiences have resumes that tend to stand out to future employers.

What soft skills should all family service caseworkers possess?

Michelle Kelley Shuler Ph.D.

Department Chair: Human Services, Austin Community College

I would refer to this skill set as "essential" and consist of compassion, empathy, teamwork, the ability to listen, a sense of humor, and most importantly, the ability to practice self-care. I include self-care in this list because working in the human service field can be exhausting and emotionally overwhelming. Taking care of ourselves helps to prevent burnout and possibly leaving the profession.

What hard/technical skills are most important for family service caseworkers?

Michelle Kelley Shuler Ph.D.

Department Chair: Human Services, Austin Community College

a. Must have strong basic computer skills and knowledge of software such as excel spreadsheets, google docs, etc. Most, if not all, agencies use electronic health records and treatment planning, so it is necessary to be competent in this area.
b. A degree and additional certifications will assist you in seeking employment. It will also increase your level of competency and diversify the communities you serve. For example, at Austin Community College, we offer our students a chance to complete a certification in Mental Health First Aid Training. This increases their marketability and skill level.

What family service caseworker skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. April Jones

Chair, Tuskegee University

There is a high demand for social workers and a national shortage of social workers , which makes it an open market to join the profession. Moreover, in a changing world with many social problems that need the skillset of a social worker to address them on multiple levels.

What type of skills will young family service caseworkers need?

Dr. Thomas Dearden Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Indeed, the way we work is changing. The skills that young graduates will need are diverse. Transferable skills and soft skills will certainly be marketable. These include traditional crafts such as communication, but I also think the world expects more empathy from its employees. Young graduates with an understanding of racism, sexism, and environmental responsibility will become increasingly important.

What technical skills for a family service caseworker stand out to employers?

Dr. Abby Templer Rodrigues Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Sociology, Missouri State University

Employers look for oral and written communication skills, the ability to work effectively in diverse teams, analytical and quantitative reasoning, and the ability to adapt to new technologies (Ciabattari et al. 2018). Employers specifically prefer college graduates who have experience applying these skills through internships, service learning, senior projects or collaborative research, field projects, or study abroad (Ciabattari et al. 2018).

References

Ciabattari Teresa, Lowney Kathleen S., Monson Renee A., Senter Mary Scheuer, and Chin
Jeffrey. 2018. "Linking Sociology Majors to Labor Market Success." Teaching Sociology 46 (3): 191-207.
Handwerker, Elizabeth Weber, Peter B. Meyer, and Joseph Piacentini. 2020. "Employment
Recovery in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic." Monthly Labor Review, December, 1-24.
Langin, Katie. 2020. "U.S. faculty job market tanks." Science 370(6514): 272-273.

Do you want to know more?

List of family service caseworker skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a family service caseworker resume and required skills for a family service caseworker to have include:

Social Work
Direct Services
Family Services
DHS
Mental Health
Community Resources
Public Assistance Programs
Determines Eligibility
Criminal Justice
DHR
State Services
Eligibility Criteria
Foster Care
Kids
Substance Abuse
Federal Programs
Collateral Contacts

Support Services
Medicaid
Law Enforcement
Community Services
Court Hearings
Community Agencies
Client Data
Child Care
Court Orders
Comprehensive Assessments
Court Reports
Protective Services
Discharge Planning
Crisis Intervention
Financial Assistance
Family Court
TANF

Public Assistance
Computer System
Child Protective
Housing Assistance
Medical Assistance
Medical Professionals
Sexual Abuse
Crisis Situations
Foster Children
Risk Assessments
Neglect Cases
Social Services
Domestic Violence
CPS
Clinical Services

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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