Accepted Corps Members

Placement

  • Children’s Corps members are placed with NYC child welfare agencies. Corps Members may be placed in prevention, foster care, or residential programs. Placements are located throughout New York City’s five boroughs, in addition to Westchester County.

  • When placing Corps members, we take several factors into consideration: your program and location preference, and your expertise and professional development needs, in conjunction with the agency’s needs. We will consider your preferences but cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requests. Once accepted into the Children’s Corps program, Corps members should be prepared to work at any agency they are placed in.

  • Children’s Corps members are expected to secure their own housing arrangements. Many Corps members meet with one another before and during the Children’s Corps Training Academy and connect with those who are seeking housing as well. Upon acceptance, you can work with staff members and other incoming Corps members to find housing.

    Below are a few home-finding resources:
    Street Easy
    Queer Housing
    Zillow
    Roomi

  • Having a driver’s license is not mandatory but can be useful. Depending on where you are placed, you may be asked to transport children and families to and from various destinations.

Commitment

  • Corps members begin with the Children’s Corps Training Academy in July. Members will begin employment immediately following the pre-service training. Officially, the two-year commitment begins the day the members start work at their placement agency and ends two years after.

  • No. Children’s Corps members make a two-year commitment to the children and families they serve, the program, the provider agencies, and their colleagues.

  • Children’s Corps members are expected to commit full-time to the two-year placement. Due to the intensive nature of the work, Children’s Corps highly discourages members from attend graduate school in the first year of your commitment.

  • You certainly can! This can lead to opportunities for promotion, salary increases, and job security.

  • We hope so! Upon completion of the 2 years, we will hold a celebratory event. You will then become part of the Children’s Corps Alumni Association, a rich and growing network. We collaborate with interested members of our alumni association to support with various aspects of our program.

Training & Support

  • The Children’s Corps Training Academy takes place in New York City. Our pre-service training will be conducted in a hybrid-model with both in-person and virtual components. Corps members will be expected to be in New York City for all of training.

  • Yes. Given Children’s Corps’ mission of preparing members to be effective caseworkers, members must attend all of pre-service training. Corps members who experience an unforeseen personal or family emergency during training must work with FCFC staff to find a suitable solution.

  • Children’s Corps provides comprehensive training and support throughout your two year commitment.

    Children’s Corps Training Academy: We conduct a multi-week intensive pre-service training in New York City, that addresses the theoretical and best-practice models of child welfare. Children’s Corps Training Academy is held in a hybrid model with some trainings and activities taking place virtually, and others in person.

    Agency visit: As part pf the Pre-Service Training, Corps members will participate in a number of Agency Visit days with their respective agencies. Corps members can expect a variety of possible activities including, but not limited to shadowing a court appointment, shadowing a home visits, shadowing a family time visit or family team conference. Other activities can include reviewing case files, meeting with a supervisors or coworker, or learning more about the job. Onboarding activities can sometimes take place during agency days as well — tasks such as fingerprinting and additional pre-work screenings.

    Ongoing coaching, mentoring, and professional development: Throughout the two year commitment, Children’s Corps members receive ongoing support from FCFC staff, their CC peers, their CC Support Specialist, and professional mentors. FCFC staff are available to provide one-on-one support as needed and group support on a monthly basis at Children’s Corps meetings.

Compensation

  • Children’s Corps does not assist with student loans, future educational expenses, loan cancellation or loan forgiveness. Due to the nature of the work, some loan providers may offer partial/full loan cancellation if you stay in your position for a specified time period. Please speak with your loan providers for specific information. There is also the possibility that the agency you’re placed at may offer tuition reimbursement or other forms of support around educational expenses; please speak with your agency’s Human Resources Department, once placed.

  • Children’s Corps Pre-Service Training Academy is unpaid. Members will receive a transportation stipend. We understand that managing this transition requires careful and proactive financial planning for many candidates, however, as many of our current members and alumni will tell you, it is possible to plan accordingly.

  • Salaries vary based on degree, language, position, etc. For those with a Bachelor’s Degree, salaries range from $47,000-$53,000. For those with a Masters in Social Work, salaries range from $51,000-$55,000. For those with a clinical Master’s Degree, salaries range from $56,000-62,000. Corps members are paid directly by the agencies for which they work and receive the same salaries, health coverage, and retirement benefits as other employees in the same position at their agencies.

  • Children’s Corps does not pay for relocation or housing expenses.