CHILD WELFARE SPECIALIST TRAINEE 1-3

Salary

Depends on Qualifications

Location

Statewide, LA

Job Type

Classified

Job Number

Regular Shift-CWST1-3-Orleans

Department

DCFS-Department of Children and Family Services

Opening Date

11/18/2025

Closing Date

Continuous

Child Welfare Specialist Trainee 1-3 (Child Protection Services Investigator – Regular Shift)

Join our dedicated team in a vital frontline role within the Child Protection Services (CPS) division of Child Welfare. In this position, you'll play a key role in protecting children by investigating reports of abuse and neglect. This is a regular-shift opportunity, offering a consistent 5-day workweek (Monday – Friday, 8-hour shifts). Some occasional overtime may be required.

If you're driven, and ready to make an impact—this could be the opportunity for you

DCFS is committed to protecting Louisiana's most vulnerable citizens, our children.

Three years of experience in child welfare; OR

Six years of full-time work experience in any field; OR

A bachelor's degree.

EXPERIENCE SUBSTITUTION:

Every 30 semester hours earned from an accredited college or university will be credited as one year of experience towards the six years of full-time work experience in any field. The maximum substitution allowed is 120 semester hours which substitutes for a maximum of four years of experience in any field.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT:

Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent.

A current driver's license and access to a personal vehicle.

NOTE:

The incumbent of this position must not have been convicted or pled nolo contendere to a crime listed in R.S c).

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.

Job Duties:

• Conduct investigations into allegations of Child abuse and or neglect.
• Gather and document detailed case information and records for court proceedings and provide testimony during court proceedings.
• Make timely and appropriate referrals to family services, foster care programs, and other community-based resources to address the needs of children and families.

Position-Specific Details:

• Appointment Type: Probational
• Career Progression Group: Child Welfare Specialist Trainee/1/2/3 (based on experience).
• Location: Region 1 – Orleans, consisting of the following parishes: Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard

Placement will be determined by parish availability and your location preferences.

In accordance with La. R.S. 46:51.2 the department shall conduct a State Central Registry (SCR) check for a potential employee of the department to determine whether or not said individual's name appears on a SCR subsequent to December 31, 2009, and whose duties include: investigations of child abuse or neglect, supervisory or disciplinary authority over children, direct care to a child, or performance of licensing surveys.

In accordance with state laws, selected candidates must pass the following checks before any final job offer will be made: Drug Test, Criminal Background, State Central Registry, and Louisiana State Police Sex Offender and Child Predator Registry.

NOTE: The incumbent of this position must not have been convicted or pled nolo contendere to a crime listed in R.S c).

Must possess a valid driver's license & access to a personal vehicle.

How To Apply:

No Civil Service Test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

• Information to support your eligibility for this job title must be included in this application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections on your application. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

Contact Information:

For further information about this vacancy, contact:

Miranda Batiste via email atMiranda.Issac..Gov.

DCFS is an "Equal Opportunity Employer", and Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.

Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.

As a state employee, you will earn competitive pay, choose from a variety of benefits, and have access to a great professional development program:

Insurance Coverage More information can be found at

Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave

More information can be found at

Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
• Mardi Gras,
• Good Friday,
• Memorial Day,
• Independence Day,
• Labor Day,
• Veteran's Day,
• Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

***** Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor

State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.

Retirement– State of Louisiana employees are eligible to participate in various retirement systems (based on the type of appointment and agency for which an employee works). These retirement systems provide retirement allowances and other benefits for state officers and employees and their beneficiaries. State retirement systems may include (but are not limited to):

• Louisiana State Employees Retirement System ). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
• Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana ),
• Louisiana School Employees Retirement System ), among others