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Social Worker - CPS Ongoing

Marathon County · Wausau, WI · Full time

Posted Sep 16, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

You'd provide ongoing case management to families in child protective services. What draws you to CPS ongoing work?

What they are checking: Whether they understand the hard realities of ongoing CPS and have a lasting reason to do it.

Tell me about a time you worked with other agencies, like schools, therapists or law enforcement, on a case.

What they are checking: Whether they can coordinate an inter-agency team so families get consistent support.

How do you take care of yourself after a hard case, like a removal?

What they are checking: Whether they have healthy ways to manage stress, which affects how long people stay in CPS work.

How do you work with families whose culture or background is different from yours?

What they are checking: Whether they can respect differences while still focusing on the child's safety and well-being.

What would you do

During a home visit, you see signs a parent has relapsed. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they balance child safety with fairness to the parent and follow agency procedures.

How do you manage a full caseload with visits, reports and court dates all due at once?

What they are checking: Whether they can organize their time so nothing critical is missed for any family.

A foster parent and a birth parent are in conflict over visits. How do you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can stay neutral, keep the child's needs central and lower the conflict.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd build a case and permanency plan with a family who doesn't want you involved.

What they are checking: Whether they can engage resistant families and still meet state and federal planning requirements.

How do you assess whether a child is safe to remain in or return to their home?

What they are checking: Whether they understand safety assessment and can tell real danger from risk factors that can be managed.

How do you prepare for court and write reports the judge will rely on?

What they are checking: Whether they can document facts objectively and present them clearly in court hearings.

How do you support a child placed in foster care and their relationship with their parents?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that keeping family bonds matters for children even during out-of-home care.

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The full job description

As published by Marathon County.

Job Posting End Date: Worker Sub-Type: Regular Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Position Summary: The employee will provide a variety of case management services to children and families in the child protective services (CPS) area. Social Work services ensure the safety and well-being of youth, strengthen families, and keep the community safe. Please note: This job posting will remain open until the position is filled. Examples of Work Performed: The following duties are typical for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned. • Determines through interviews, home visits, and other evaluation procedures the range of services needed. • Prepares complete and thorough case/permanency plans as required by local, state, and federal government and prepares ongoing follow-up reports on each case assigned; monitors and adjusts case plans. • Provides case work services either individually or as part of an inter-agency team approach in the areas of family relationships, finances, parent-child relationships, domestic abuse, separation, juvenile delinquency, and other problems in accordance with the needs of the client. • Places children in substitute care settings; maintains ongoing supervision of placements through site visits and evaluates the social adjustment of the children; reports to court and participates in administrative review activities. • Provides case management to children with physical disabilities, mental health issues, and children in need of protective services, juvenile justice youth, and their families. • Provides oversight of youth subject to court orders to monitor community safety. • Provides emergency and ongoing services to families with the objective of preventing family breakup; provides services to reunite families. • Provides court testimony and corresponding timely completion of court documentation. • Provides emergency after hours on-call duties to include telephone and, when needed, in-person responses to situations involving child abuse/neglect and/or juvenile justice. • Participates in professional training programs leading to the ability to perform the full range of Social Worker duties and responsibilities as may be assigned. • Participates in establishing professional development goals that are supportive of broader County goals. • Develops solutions to work issues that add value for our customers. • Maintains regular and predictable attendance, works extra hours as required. • Performs related work as required. • Utilizes evidence-based assessment tools. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: • Understands the County's and department's mission, core values, plans, and priorities for the future. • Ability to contribute to a positive work culture that fosters excellent customer service and teamwork. • Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of social case work. • Knowledge of basic sociology and psychology as it applies to social case work. • Knowledge of the functions and resources of public and private social service agencies and other agencies in the areas of finance, employment, health, etc. • Knowledge of state and federal laws and administrative rules applicable to a public social service agency. • Skill in preparing professional written case plans, summaries, updates, court reports and correspondence and keep accurate and current records. • Knowledge of relevant Wisconsin State Statutes 938 and Children’s Code - 48 and standards. • Knowledge of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics. • Ability to integrate training and experience into practice. • Ability to establish rapport with clients, their families, and their associates so as to enable them to meet their social needs. • Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing. • Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with all agency staff and with members of other agencies to whom clients are referred. • Ability to recognize and build upon the strengths of family members. • Skill in conducting interviews, interpreting laws and procedures, and obtaining cooperation from others in difficult situations. • Skill in using a computer for e-mail, calendaring, basic word processing, and data entry. As an employee of the Department of Social Services and Marathon County, you will play a crucial role in managing and safeguarding confidential and sensitive information. This position requires a high level of impartiality, integrity, neutrality, and confidentiality. Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in social work or closely related field. Must also be licensed as a Social Worker by the State of Wisconsin Examining Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors; OR become licensed within two years of employment. NECESSARY SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS: Possession of a driver's license and a driving record that meets County standards; OR ability to obtain reliable transportation. Physical Requirements: Moderate Physical Requirements - Job requires a combination of desk work and some physical activity. All physical requirements are described with the intent to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job. Selection Procedure: The selection of the successful candidate may be made by assessment of education and work experience, oral interview, review of references, and/or other job-related selection procedures. Depending on position requirements, the selected candidate may be required to satisfactorily complete post-offer assessments, including but not limited to education verification, background checks, driver license verification, physical examination, psychological assessment, and drug screening paid for by the County. Equal Opportunity Employer: Marathon County is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against based on age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information or protected veteran status. Work Conditions: • Hybrid office and field-based work. • Regular business hours with on-call rotation after hours, weekends, and holidays. • Exposure to sensitive and emotionally challenging situations. Compensation: If licensed or eligible to take the open-book online State statute licensing exam and the subsequent in-person State licensing exam, starting annual salary: $65,748.80 + Marathon County benefits If not licensed and not yet eligible to take the open-book online State statute licensing exam and the subsequent in-person State licensing exam, starting hourly rate of pay: $29.53 + Marathon County benefits Special Accommodations: Marathon County will make arrangements to furnish appropriate auxiliary aids and services where necessary and reasonable to afford an individual with a disability the opportunity to participate in the recruitment process. Please notify the Employee Resources Department office or phone (715) 261-1451 to request special accommodations prior to the application deadline. Notice to Applicants: Wisconsin Statutes, Sections 19.36 (7), 64.09 (5), and 64.11 (7) require public employers to treat the following items as a public record: Each applicant’s application, records, recommendations, and qualifications except as provided in Section 19.36 (7), Wis. Stats. that allows the identity of an applicant to remain confidential if the applicant requests in writing that the County not provide access to this information. If you choose not to have this information become a public record, you must make such a request in writing to the Employee Resources Department. If you become a finalist for the position, your identity may be disclosed as required by law

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