An internship at Oakland County DHHS Child Protective Services (CPS) has been pivotal in shaping the experiences of a social work intern. All of the workers within the CPS program have a unified goal of protecting children from abuse or neglect. CPS specialists use the Michigan Child Protection Law as a reference for what they must do to investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect. The specialists are able to recognize signs of current and future risk to a child’s safety by gathering information from interviews and forensic investigations. If evidence substantiates the claim of abuse or neglect, the specialist will need to reference CPS protocol and contact his or her supervisor so that immediate steps can be taken to protect the child(ren). In order to do so, specialists will work with families and the legal system towards the goal of reunification, independent living, or another permanent living situation. It is important for CPS specialists to be able to maintain objectivity and empathy for families living in stressful situations. A CPS specialist will learn about cultures, traditions, and lifestyles different from their own and developing cultural competencies to understand how to determine child safety and well-being within that context. The experience of a CPS intern will show how much impact that one person can have, and it shows interns what they have to look forward to and future opportunities that they will have to change lives.