17 Family Case Manager Interview Questions and Answers

Family case managers are responsible for assessing the needs of families and individuals and providing necessary resources and support. They work with a variety of clients, including those who are homeless, have mental health issues, or are in the child welfare or criminal justice system.

To be successful in this field, you need to have excellent communication and problem-solving skills. You also need to be able to work with a wide range of people, including clients, their families, and other professionals.

If you’re looking for a family case manager job, you’ll likely need to go through a job interview. In this guide, we’ll provide you with some questions and answers that you can use to help you prepare for your interview.

Are you comfortable working with people who have a wide range of needs?

Family case managers often work with people who have a wide range of needs. This question helps the interviewer determine if you are comfortable working with people who may be experiencing mental health issues, substance abuse problems or other challenges that can affect their ability to function in society. Your answer should show that you understand the importance of helping these individuals and how you plan to do so.

Example: “I am passionate about helping others overcome their struggles. I find it rewarding to see someone make progress toward overcoming an issue they’ve been struggling with for years. In my last role as a family case manager, I worked with a client who had severe anxiety. She was unable to leave her home without assistance from her caretaker. After several months of therapy, she was able to go out on her own and even started volunteering at a local animal shelter.”

What are some of the most important skills for a family case manager?

This question can help the interviewer determine if you have the skills necessary to succeed in this role. When answering, it can be helpful to mention a few of your strongest skills and how they relate to family case management.

Example: “I think communication is one of the most important skills for a family case manager because I need to communicate with many different people on a regular basis. For example, when working with a client who has children, I may need to communicate with their teachers or other school staff members about any changes in the child’s behavior. Another skill that is essential is organization, as I often work with large amounts of paperwork and data. Finally, empathy is another key skill because I am regularly interacting with clients who are going through challenging situations.”

How would you handle working with clients who are resistant to your help?

Family case managers often work with clients who are struggling emotionally or financially. These individuals may be reluctant to accept help, which can make it challenging for family case managers to do their jobs effectively. When answering this question, you should demonstrate your ability to empathize and communicate effectively with others.

Example: “I understand that some people don’t want our services because they feel like they’re a burden on the system. I try to show them that we’re here to support them in any way we can. If someone is resistant to my help, I’ll listen carefully to what they have to say and respond calmly. I find that many people just need someone to listen to them before they’re ready to accept assistance.”

What is your experience working with children?

Family case managers often work with children who are involved in the foster care system. Employers ask this question to make sure you have experience working with kids and can handle any challenges that may come up. In your answer, share a story about a time when you worked with a child or helped them feel more comfortable. Explain how you used your skills to help them.

Example: “I’ve been working as a family case manager for five years now. During my first year of employment, I was assigned a new case where the client had two young children. The children were very shy and didn’t want to talk to me at all. I decided to bring some toys into our meetings so they could get comfortable talking to me. After a few weeks, they started opening up to me more. Now, we play games together during our meetings.”

Provide an example of a time when you successfully resolved a conflict between two clients.

Case managers often work with clients who have different needs and opinions. Employers ask this question to make sure you can resolve conflicts in a professional manner. In your answer, explain how you helped both parties feel heard and respected. Show that you used problem-solving skills to find a solution everyone could agree on.

Example: “In my previous role as a case manager, I worked with two parents who disagreed about their child’s treatment plan. One parent wanted to try an alternative treatment while the other insisted they stick to the original plan. After talking with both parents separately, I learned that the parents had different ideas of what was best for their child.

I suggested we create a compromise by starting the treatment but also allowing the second treatment if it didn’t seem to be working. Both parents agreed to this idea, and after six months, the child showed significant improvement. The parents were happy because they got to do what they thought was best for their child.”

If a client is not making progress, how do you determine the cause and take action?

Interviewers may ask this question to assess your problem-solving skills and ability to make decisions. Use examples from previous experience to show how you analyze the situation, gather information and take action to resolve it.

Example: “When a client is not making progress, I first try to understand why by asking them questions about their current situation. If they are still struggling after taking action on my advice, I will meet with the family again to discuss what’s happening. Sometimes, there are underlying issues that need to be addressed before we can see improvement. In one case, for example, I learned that the child was being bullied at school. After talking with the teacher and principal, we were able to find a solution.”

What would you do if you were assigned to work with a client you did not get along with?

This question can help interviewers assess your interpersonal skills and ability to work with others. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a specific situation where you had to work with someone you did not get along with but still managed to complete the task at hand.

Example: “I once worked with a client who was very demanding and would often try to take over my case management duties. I calmly explained that I was the family case manager and he was only allowed to provide input on his own case. He became upset, but eventually understood that I was just doing my job. After that, he stopped trying to control my work.”

How well do you write? Provide an example of a written report you completed as part of your job.

Case managers often write reports to summarize their work with clients. These reports can include information about the client’s progress, goals and other important details. Interviewers ask this question to make sure you have strong writing skills. In your answer, explain that you are confident in your ability to produce clear and concise written reports. Share an example of a report you wrote for a previous job.

Example: “I am very comfortable writing reports because I’ve done it so many times as part of my job. In my last role, I was responsible for summarizing each case I worked on every week. I would write these reports by hand first, then type them into the computer later. My handwriting is quite legible, which makes it easy to read when I scan the pages into the computer.”

Do you have experience working with government funding agencies?

Case managers often work with government funding agencies to ensure their clients receive the financial assistance they need. Employers ask this question to make sure you have experience working with these organizations and understand how to navigate them. In your answer, share what type of experience you have working with a government agency and explain how it helped you in your previous role.

Example: “I’ve worked with several different government funding agencies throughout my career as a case manager. I find that having this experience is beneficial because it helps me better understand the process for applying for financial assistance. When working with families who are looking for help, I can guide them through the application process and help them gather all the information needed to apply.”

When working with a client, what is your process for building trust?

When working with clients, it’s important to build trust. This question helps employers understand how you will interact with their clients and help them feel comfortable in the role. When answering this question, explain your process for building trust and what steps you take to ensure a client feels safe and supported.

Example: “I find that when I work with a new client, establishing trust is one of the most important things I can do. To do this, I make sure to listen carefully to everything they say and ask questions if I need more information. I also try to be as transparent as possible about my own experiences and background so they know who I am and why I’m qualified to help them.”

We want to improve our customer service. Describe a strategy you would use to improve client satisfaction.

Interviewers may ask this question to learn more about your customer service skills. They want to know how you would improve the quality of their client’s experience with the organization. In your answer, explain a strategy that you used in the past or one that you plan to use in the future.

Example: “I think it’s important for organizations to have a clear and concise process for handling customer concerns. I would implement a system where clients can submit feedback online or by phone. Then, our case managers can respond within 24 hours. This way, we can ensure that all of our clients receive the support they need.”

Describe your experience working with software for case management.

Case managers use software to organize their clients’ information and track the progress of their cases. The interviewer may ask this question to learn about your experience with case management software. In your answer, describe which software you’ve used in the past and what you liked or disliked about it. If you haven’t worked as a case manager before, you can talk about any other software you’ve used that is similar to case management software.

Example: “I have extensive experience using case management software for my previous job. I really like how easy it is to enter data into the system and keep track of all of my client’s information. However, sometimes the software would freeze up on me while I was entering new information, which made it difficult to get work done. I learned to save my work often so I could recover from these freezes.”

What makes you an ideal candidate for this position?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications for the role. Before you answer, think about what makes you a good fit for this position. Consider highlighting any relevant experience or skills that make you an excellent candidate.

Example: “I am passionate about helping families in need. I have worked with many different types of families and understand how important it is to provide them with support. In my previous role, I helped create a family case management program where we provided one-on-one care to families who needed additional support. This experience has given me valuable insight into what works best when supporting families.”

Which industries do you have experience working in?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your background and experience. They want to know if you have any relevant experience working with families in a case management role. When answering, list the industries you’ve worked in and what type of work you did. If you don’t have direct family case management experience, explain what other types of case management or social services you’ve done.

Example: “I’ve worked as a family case manager for five years now. I also worked as a child protective services investigator for two years before that. In both roles, my main focus was on helping children and their families get the resources they needed.”

What do you think is the most important aspect of customer service?

Customer service is an important part of any job, but it’s especially crucial for a case manager who works with clients and their families. Interviewers ask this question to make sure you understand the importance of customer service in your role. In your answer, explain what makes good customer service and give examples of how you provide excellent customer service to everyone you work with.

Example: “I think the most important aspect of customer service is empathy. When I’m working with a family, I try my best to put myself in their shoes and imagine what they’re going through. This helps me better understand their concerns and needs so that I can offer them solutions or resources that will help them feel more comfortable.”

How often do you update your case management software?

The interviewer may ask this question to see if you are familiar with the software they use. If you have not used their specific case management software before, consider describing a similar program and how often you update it.

Example: “I am very familiar with CasePro because I’ve been using it for over five years now. I find that updating my notes regularly is important so that I can keep track of all the information I need to know about each client. In addition, I like to enter any new data as soon as I get it so that I don’t forget anything later.”

There is a conflict between two clients. How do you handle it?

Family case managers often work with clients who have different needs and opinions. An interviewer may ask this question to understand how you handle conflict in the workplace. Use your answer to show that you can remain calm, empathetic and professional when working with challenging clients.

Example: “I try my best to avoid conflicts between clients as much as possible. However, if a conflict arises, I first listen to both sides of the story without interrupting. Then, I explain why each client’s request is not feasible at the moment. If they still disagree, I refer them to their supervisor or another family case manager for further discussion.”