Consistent, dedicated, Child Protective Services (CPS) workers have a positive impact on child safety and on providing the best outcomes for children in the State's care. Staff turnover interrupts a child's safety plan, and makes it harder and longer to get children find a safe and permanent place to live. Staff turnover also interferes with the quality of services provided for children and families. This is why it's very important if you are considering a career in child welfare to carefully evaluate your personal characteristics and to understand DFPS work.

Taking this self-assessment will help you determine whether a job in child protective services is right for you and, if so, if you are better suited for a specific type of job. Its purpose is to see if you are likely to remain employed in child welfare. An honest self-assessment can help you decide if working in child welfare is a good fit for you.

When rating each item, reflect on your own personal characteristics and professional career goals. Be as honest as you can in your ratings of each item. Use a pencil or pen and paper and record your rating for each item. There are no right or wrong ratings. When you are done, add up your ratings, then compare your score to the ranges at the end of the self-assessment. If you come in to interview for a job, please bring in your results for discussion.

Download DFPS Self-Assessment (PDF)