Becoming a DYFS Social Worker: Requirements & Career Path

DYFS social workers serve both families and children at risk or in need of intervention.

Social workers for the Department of Youth and Family Services, assist families with obtaining food stamps and cash assistance, place children in foster homes when necessary and provide a wide range of supportive services to families. In some states, the agency that handles these needs is called DYFS; in other states, the agency goes by another name like Department of Health and Human Services or Cabinet of Child and Family Services.

Step 1

Enroll in a university offering a bachelor's degree in social work. Complete the program, earning your bachelor's degree in social work, which usually takes four years of full-time study.

Step 2

Enroll in a university offering a master's degree in social work. Complete the program, earning your master's degree in social work, which generally takes one to two years of full-time study.

Step 3

Contact the Department of Youth and Family Services while earning your master's degree and arrange to complete an internship, required as part of your educational process, with that agency. If no internships are available with your local DYFS, complete your internship with some other agency where you work with families in need of help.

Step 4

Contact the social work licensing board in your state and apply for your social work license. Licensing requirements vary slightly from state to state.

Step 5

Apply for a job at your local DYFS.