Social Worker Iii - Adoptions

Description

Johnston County Department of Social Services has an immediate opening for a Social Worker III - Child Placement Adoption Services, located at 714 North Street, Smithfield.

Located in the eastern half of North Carolina and part of the Research Triangle Region, Johnston County is part of the fastest growing region of the state. Johnston County is the fastest growing county in the state with a population of 216,000 residents.

Hiring salary range is commensurate with experience and excellent benefits package available.

Benefits include:

• Health
• Dental
• Vision
• Retirement
• 401k
• Paid holidays
• Sick leave/ Vacation leave & more

Internal applicants must apply on-line to be considered.

Preference will be given to the applicants with prior Child Welfare experience and/or completion of mandatory Child Welfare training.

The Children’s Services Unit of the Johnston County Department of Social Services provides Protective Services Intake, Investigations, Emergency On-Call, and In-Home Services; Permanency Planning; Foster Care Reunification and Placement; Independent Living; Recruitment and Training for Foster Parent Families and Adoptive Applicants, Agency Adoptions; and completion of Home Study requests from other North Carolina Departments of Social Services and the Interstate Compact. The primary purpose is accomplished by Supervisors and Social Workers within the unit who receive and screen reports of suspected abuse, neglect and/or dependency; investigate said complaints to determine which have risen to the substantiation level requiring involuntary intervention; creating goal oriented Family Services case plans, which are problem focused and insure the safety of client juveniles by maintaining the original family unit or arranging substitute care appropriate to the child’s needs when parents/caretakers are unable or unwilling to provide minimal standards of care. Children’s Services further carries out the agency’s mandate on Permanency Planning and to license and supervise Foster/adoptive homes into which abused, neglected and/or dependent children may be placed. Children’s Services is divided into four sub-unit teams two of which are in the CPS area (Intake, Investigations and In-Home Services) and two encompass all aspects of Child Placement (Adoptions, Permanency Planning, and Licensing).

Duties and Responsibilities

The primary purpose of this position is to provide adoption case management services for foster children ages 0-18 years of age. When a parent or caretaker can no longer provide basic needs for their children, it is the responsibility of the State to become involved with the family and provide necessary services to address the abuse or neglect issues that warranted the removal of the children from the home. If these intervention strategies are not successful, placement outside of the parental family unit may be necessary and a more permanent plan of care is established for the child. This position works with the child and the court system in attempts to secure a more permanent living arrangement once the child has been legally clear for adoption. This could range from locating an adoptive home to secure a legal guardian for the child all while continuing to provide ongoing foster care services.
This position serves a diverse a make-up of parental families, families who have drug or alcohol related problems and families who are having difficulty in coping with everyday stresses. The targeted population are children 0-18 years of age who are victims or abuse, neglect or dependency, but may serve children up to age 21 if they remain in school or are employed. The majority of clients have limited knowledge of child development, poor parenting skills, low self-esteem and, in some cases, no extended family network that can provide a support system. This position will be responsible for any and all court reviews, agency foster care reviews, risk assessments and family and/or individual case plans which occur while the Social Worker is the case manager of said case.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, group work and community problems.
Considerable knowledge of a wide range of medical behavioral and psychosocial problems and their treatment.
Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques.
Considerable knowledge of governmental and private organizations and resources in the community.
Considerable knowledge of the laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program.
General knowledge of medical terminology, diseases processes and their treatment as they relate to decisions regarding clinical interventions and appropriate therapies based on medical or psychological diagnosis.
Skill in establishing rapport with a client and in applying techniques of assessing psychosocial, behavioral, and psychological aspects of client's problems.
Ability to supervise, train, or instruct lower-level Social Workers, students, interns in the program.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of caseload and their families as well as civic, legal, medical, social, and religious organizations.
Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively.

Desired Education and Experience

Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative (Child Welfare positions only); Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience; Master's degree in a human services field and one year of directly related experience; Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience; Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience.
It is preferred that a copy of an unofficial transcript be attached to the application at time of submission for qualification purposes. Please note should a transcript not be attached, it may be requested.

*Will accept Social Worker II work against, if fully qualified applicants are not located.*

*Please document all work history relevant to the position for which you are applying. Determination of qualifying for the position and salary may be based on years of experience listed on the application itself, not in supplemental documents attached. Failure to document complete work history may affect qualification determination and salary. Electronic applications cannot be amended once submitted.*

Please note: Final candidates subject to pre-employment drug screen and background check (includes criminal and motor vehicle records)

Johnston County provides a comprehensive, affordable insurance and benefits program.

Employees are offered a diverse selection of benefits including medical (no-cost for the employee plan), dental, life, and supplemental benefit coverages. Employees can also take advantage of our on-site wellness clinic and virtual telehealth program, both at no-cost!

Additional benefits include participation in the NC Retirement System, a 401(k) match option, generous paid leave and holiday schedule, tuition reimbursement, and more! To learn more, visit www.myjcbenefits.com

• This description applies to benefits eligible positions.