Internship: Bachelor and Master of Social Work

Full Job Description

The Children and Family Services (CFS) area of Hennepin County's Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD) is seeking several social work interns to participate in an internship opportunity for the summer.

Bachelor of Social Work interns:
Interns will be mentored by a Child Services Worker (CSW). CSWs work to ensure that the physical, educational, medical, cultural, mental health and general well-being needs of children in out-of-home placement are met while the family is receiving child protection services. A particular emphasis will be securing out-of-home placements for children who are ordered into out-of-home placement and need foster care and continuous placement. Additional expectations include working effectively in teams with other social workers, foster parents, therapists, Guardians ad Litem, medical community, and other professionals. Knowledge, skills and abilities will reflect the role of a Child Services Worker in the child welfare system.

Master of Social Work interns:
Interns will be placed in various units: Child Protection Intake and Screening, Child Protection Investigations, Child Protection Ongoing, Child Protection Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Family Group Decision-Making, Kinship, or other related areas.

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Pay will be based on the intern’s educational degree program:
Bachelor of Social Work: $23.00
Master of Social Work: $24.00

Location and hours:

These positions are hybrid and will be performed on-site at various satellite offices throughout Hennepin County, and remote as job duties require.

Interns are scheduled to work a flexible work shift Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. that could include occasional evenings and weekends as determined by interns and intern supervisors.

Some positions may involve working in a 24/7 environment including overnights and weekends if interning in Child Protection Intake and Screening.

Interns in a Master of Social Work degree program will work full-time at 40 hours a week, and interns in a Bachelor of Social Work degree program will work part time at 20 hours a week, to meet requirements as determined by their university and program.

These internships are intended to begin mid-May 2026. The end date will be determined by interns and intern supervisors. While these positions are designated as hybrid, based on current requirements hires must reside in or relocate to Minnesota or Wisconsin.

About these position types:
These positions are part-time or full-time limited duration, non-benefit earning internships.
These positions are internally classified as an Intern II.
Click here to view the job classification specification.

Note: You must attach a resume and cover letter with your application materials to be considered for this position.

In the Bachelor of Social Work position, you will:

• Collaborate with child protection social workers (CPSWs) to support placements, address administrative tasks, and work internal and external partners to increase child well-being as needed on cases.
• Attend court hearings, if required, and discussions with County Attorneys and CPSWs regarding case updates.
• Make field visits to clients' homes in collaboration with the CPSW (the CPSW should still be seeing the children on cases even with a CSW assigned).
• Provide support to children/youth on assigned cases.
• Design and partner with the CPSWs with the follow through on case and treatment plans.
• Make referrals to appropriate community resources and arrange for services while interpreting social and emotional factors to other's involved in treatment of children/youth.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Social Work Unit Supervisor.

In the Master of Social Work position, you will:
Have responsibilities specifically related to one of the areas below:

Child Protection Intake and Screening: This area answers and documents calls from the child maltreatment reporting line, processes child maltreatment reports, and may possibly respond to emergent child safety cases. This area does not provide direct client contact opportunities.

Child Protection Investigations: This area conducts investigations and assessments of alleged child maltreatment reports.

Child Protection Ongoing: This area provides direct social work services to families in which abuse or neglect has been reported in order to carry out the statutory mandate to investigate, protect children from further harm, and safeguard and enhance the welfare of abused/neglected children.

Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA): This area provides supports and services to Native American families and are responsible for complying with the mandates contained in the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act and the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act. There are two specialized tracks for this unit: ICWA Investigation and ICWA Ongoing Case Management.

Family Group Decision-Making (FGDM): This area is a family-centered, strengths-based, and culturally relevant approach to engaging families. FGDM promotes the collaboration between the family and the agency by gathering parents and extended family to thoughtfully plan for the protection and safety of their children. This process provides families with a true voice in decision making and is most effective when it is deeply embedded into practice. It helps build trust with families as they are significantly involved in decisions that affect their family dynamics. Facilitated family meetings are a key strategy for improving family-centered practice and reducing disproportionality.

Kinship: This area is responsible for the identification and assessment of relative and kin resources for children who have been court ordered into out-of-home placements.

Need to have:

• Must be enrolled in one of the following as of Summer 2026:
  • Current enrollment as a senior year level in a bachelor's degree program in social work from an accredited university and program.
  • Current enrollment in a master's degree program in social work from an accredited university and program.
  • Current enrollment in a Title IV-E Child Welfare Scholars Program at an accredited social work university and program.
• Access to reliable internet connection and self-supported hybrid office space.
• Access to reliable transportation.

Nice to have:

• Experience working with:
  • Individuals of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
  • Computer applications such as Microsoft Office or Google equivalent products (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams).
• Ability to:
  • Communicate effectively both verbally and written.
  • Work effectively with a culturally and increasing diverse client population.
• Attended trainings, courses, or seminars to expand understanding and appreciation of diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness.
• Knowledge of:
  • Principles and practices of social work.
  • Social work ethics.
  • Interviewing and counseling techniques.
  • County and community resources.
  • Norms and values of varying cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

About the department:
Human Services delivers a variety of services to individuals or families that assist with basic needs or encourage client change around specific objectives. We work with individuals as well as systems and communities to develop policy and advocate for the people we serve. The people we serve, and our communities are connected. By helping one, we help the other.

About Hennepin County:

Hennepin County envisions an organization where our commitment to diversity and the reduction of disparities is fundamental in providing excellent service to our community.

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This posting may be used to fill current and future vacancies.

This position may have access to systems or other documentation that contains HIPAA data.

Invitations to interview will be based upon an assessment of education and experience.

Final candidates will be required to pass a background check and urinalysis post interview.

Hennepin County values employee retention and engagement through a culture of individual development. If you are a current employee looking for an internship you are responsible for communicating and seeking approval from your supervisor/manager on an arrangement on schedule and workload prior to accepting the paid internship position. The compensation for the internship will be paid at the amount advertised in this posting.

If you have any questions, please contact:
Talent Acquisition division
Hennepin County Human Resources department
Submit a request at hennepin.us/ask-hr or 612-348-7855