Child Welfare & Adult Protective Services Internship - Denver Human Services
About Our Job
Who We Are
At Denver Human Services (DHS), we envision a healthy community where people are connected, supported, safe, and well. One in three people in Denver turn to DHS for support at all stages of life. Our employees help children, at-risk adults, families, and individuals navigate social and economic pressures by connecting them to services and experts who support their overall well-being.
About Protection & Prevention
Denver Human Services works to protect Denver's children, youth, and at-risk adults by providing services and advocacy while promoting family stability, respecting diversity, and working to create and strengthen connections to community resources. We work to prevent abuse by providing education, resources, and support to parents, families, and community organizations. Interns will be paired with social case workers located at the main Castro building or at our satellite office.
What We Offer
The City and County of Denver offers a competitive hourly rate commensurate with education. All City and County of Denver emerging talent positions are supported by a trained hiring manager and encouraged to attend up to 4 sessions of professional development each season (Winter/Spring, Summer and Fall). You will be onboarded with a cohort of peers to help you develop your network across the City and go through similar programming throughout your time at the City.
What You’ll Do
Denver Human Services (DHS) will be accepting applications for the 2025-2026 Child Welfare & Adult Protective Services Internship Program in April and May 2025. This internship is intended for college students interested in Child Welfare and/or Adult Protective Services enrolled in a social work program or a related field requiring an internship. Students will have the opportunity to learn how case workers engage and support the most vulnerable children and families within the community and then practice those learned skills with clients. We are committed to providing a rich, educational experience for students to observe and eventually participate in the day-to-day work of case workers engaging with families. Students will have the opportunity to shadow case workers managing caseloads, conducting home visits, preparing for and attending court, interviewing adults and children, attending and participating in internal and external meetings related to parents and/or children, assessing the safety of children, documenting comprehensive reports, etc. The various components within child welfare work collaboratively to provide opportunities for students to become familiar with the child welfare system as a whole and its impact on families and children.
Within DHS, the Child Welfare/Adult Protective Services Division is comprised of Ongoing Child Protection, Ongoing Youth Services, Intake sections and Adult Protective Services, which includes approximately 30 teams. Each of these sections’ functions with support from other areas including Kinship/Foster Care Support, Independent Living, Placement Support Services, Prevention Services, CORE Services, Family Team Meetings, Visitation, and many others. Three unique opportunities within Denver Human Services are the Bilingual, Spanish-speaking team, the Unaccompanied Refugee Minors program, and our Sexual Abuse Intervention Team.
Internships will be a hybrid model of working from home, in the office, and in the field. The internship is flexible with hours based on the student's school schedule and the schedules of the field and task supervisors
Equity, diversity, and inclusion are cornerstones of our values at the City and County of Denver. We celebrate uniqueness and strive to be a world-class city where everyone matters. The staff at DHS, as well as the clients we support, are a representation of the diverse community of Denver.
As an intern, you will have the opportunity to experience:
- Home visits with families, individuals and placement providers
- DHS’ role in court involved cases
- Interviews with adults and children
- Internal and external meetings related to parents, individuals and/or children
- The process to assess the safety of children and at-risk adults
- Documentation requirements
- Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) work internally & within the community
Interested students should apply at Denvergov.org when applications open April 2025. Please contact Emily Rogers Emily.Rogers@DenverGov.Org for questions or information. We would love for you to join us for a rich, educational experience! This is a competitive placement opportunity with valuable learning opportunities. We look forward to hearing from you.
What You’ll Bring
Our ideal candidate has some or all the following experience, skills, and characteristics:
- Pursuing a degree in Social Work or a related field
- Enrolled in a field placement course (REQUIRED)
- Experience handling conflict resolution & challenging situations
- Ability to follow directions under general supervision and/or independently
- Ability to adapt to different environments & people from all walks of life
- Possess good written and verbal communication skills
- Have a passion and commitment to helping others
- Passion for social justice on a macro/micro level
- An interest in not just a social work job, but to change social work
Minimum Qualifications:
Education Requirement: Current enrollment in an accredited college program leading to a certificate, licensure, associates, bachelor’s, or higher degree in, or a recent graduate (completed specified program within 1 year of completion).
Experience: None
Education and Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted.
License/Certification Requirement: Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application.
Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.
Mandatory documentation required to be considered for this position:
- Transcripts - unofficial or official
- Cover letter answering the following questions:
- Have you applied for the Child Welfare Stipend Program? If yes, please indicate whether you were selected to receive the stipend or when you expect to hear back.
- What led you to apply to Child Welfare and/or Adult Protective Services for your internship versus other social work fields of practice?
Location Flexibility
The City and County of Denver utilizes a hybrid model workplace that balances the responsibilities of public service with the benefits of a flexible work environment. Employees work where needed, at a city site and/or in the field several days a week and telecommute remotely at a designated workplace within the State of Colorado the remaining days.
Position Type: on-call
The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.
For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.
About Everything Else
Job Profile
TA3181 Professional Administration Intern
To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.
Position Type
Oncall
Position Salary Range
$19.75 - $22.32
Starting Pay
Based on education
Agency
Denver Human Services
Redeployment during Citywide Emergencies
City and County of Denver employees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other city agencies to support core functions of the city during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor.
The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.
It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact Jobs@Denvergov.org with three business days’ notice.
Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.
For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.