ChildLine Caseworker

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework up to 2 days/week

Job summary

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania seeks a ChildLine Caseworker for the Office of Children, Youth and Families. You will handle reports of suspected child abuse, interview callers, and ensure proper referrals to investigators across Pennsylvania.

The role emphasizes empathy, confidentiality, and adherence to state laws. As a frontline responder, you’ll work full-time with shift coverage, including nights and weekends, and may telework up to two days weekly.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Candidates must meet PA residency requirements.
• Legal requirements apply under the Child Protective Services Law.
• Employment preference for qualified veterans.

Responsibilities

• Callers informed of rights and confidentiality of referrals.
• Interview callers to understand referrals.
• Search statewide records for prior referrals.
• Apply laws and policies to determine actions.
• Analyze and forward reports to appropriate agencies.
• Review investigation outcomes before final approval.

Skills

Empathy

Interpersonal Skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

THE POSITION Do you want to turn your empathy and interpersonal strengths into life-changing support for Pennsylvania families? The ChildLine Caseworker with the Office of Children, Youth and Families plays a key role in protecting children and assisting families. This position allows you to use your communication skills to help ensure that concerns about child safety are handled quickly and responsibly. You will work in a supportive environment where teamwork and compassion guide daily decisions. Step into a role where your efforts help enhance the well-being of communities across the state!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK This position receives and processes reports of suspected child abuse and neglect and ensures they are directed to the correct investigative agency. As a ChildLine Caseworker, you will perform the following duties:

• Caller Support: Inform callers of their legal rights and responsibilities and explain confidentiality of referrals
• Interview Work: Interview callers to understand the nature and facts of each referral
• Database Search: Search statewide records to locate previous referrals involving child abuse or neglect
• Decision Making: Apply laws and policies to determine appropriate referral actions
• Report Processing: Analyze and forward reports to county agencies, law enforcement, or other investigators
• Outcome Review: Review investigation outcomes for accuracy before final approval in the statewide database

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description .

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment, 37.5 hours per week
• Hotline coverage is ensured through shift work on a 24/7 basis. Shifts are determined based on seniority and are subject to change based on operational needs. The current available shifts being offered are as follows and can have varying break days that may be any two consecutive days within the seven-day period:
• 12:00 AM to 8:00 AM
• 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
• 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM
• 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM
• You may have an opportunity to bid into these shifts as positions become available, based on seniority:
• 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM
• 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
• 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Due to operational demands, there are opportunities for voluntary overtime. Any remaining overtime needs will result in mandated overtime. Mandated overtime can be scheduled any time outside of your regularly scheduled shift, including break days and holidays. Incumbents in this position should expect to work overtime on a weekly basis, averaging 10 hours per week.
• Training hours will mostly be 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, but will consist of other shifts as needed. Training typically lasts three months.
• ChildLine is located at 2525 North 7th Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110. This is the only work location in the Commonwealth for this position.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time up to 2 days per week. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will be required to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. Your work from home location must be within reasonable travel distance to headquarters, as you will be expected to travel to the office with or without advanced notice. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary:In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Other Requirements

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements

• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
• Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. 7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
• your score may be lower than deserved.
• you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.