Social Worker Iv (I A&T)-Child Protective Services

Job Description Summary:
This is advanced, professional level casework providing protective, investigative, counseling and case management services for children who are at risk for neglect and/or abuse. Employee will provide social work services including treatment and immediate response to crisis situations for at-risk children in the most complex cases in the agency. Work involves investigation of alleged neglect and abuse, substantiation of the alleged neglect or abuse as prescribed by federal and state guidelines, providing expert testimony in court hearings and following -up with case management and preventive services for clients. The employee will analyze situations and determine appropriate courses of action immediately or in short time spans and often under very stressful conditions. Employee may provide group, family or individual case management to clients of any age and any developmental, mental, medical, substance abuse, financial or family problem. Employees typically report to a Social Work Supervisor III under general supervision. The employee may have combined investigative and in-home services (treatment) roles or may have separate functions depending on the caseload needs and the size and organizational structure of the CPS unit of the agency.
Responsibilities and Duties:

• Employee will investigate/assess allegations of neglect, abuse and dependency.
• Employee will make case decisions of CPS reports based on DHHS policy with federal and state guidelines.
• Employee will be responsible for: face to face contacts with clients, making home visits, school visits, collateral contacts, provide transportation as needed to clients.
• Employee will manage a caseload of clients providing guidance, support and referrals.
• Employee may at times be required to assume custody of children in the course of their job. They will need to provide expert testimony in court hearings.
• Employee will be responsible for maintaining current (within 7 days) narrative in their cases.
• Employee will be responsible for completing required DHHS Child Welfare forms in each case in a timely manner.
• Interact with other professionals in a professional manner
• Employee is required to be flexible to meet the demands of the unpredictable situations and hours of the job. Child Protective Services is a federally mandated responsibility of the department.
• The employee will be expected to work over the typical 40-hour work week and will at times work a varied schedule over and beyond the agency's business hours of 8-5 in order to accommodate the schedules of the families we serve.
• Employee will work an afterhours schedule to include weekends and holidays if assigned on-call duty in order to be available to respond immediately to any situation concerning the possible abuse, neglect or dependency of a child.
• Timely submit required data collecting forms. Timely and accurately complete internal Daysheets, Executime and other required documents.
• Other reasonable duties as assigned to include but not limited to working in an Emergency Shelter and assisting with emergency food and nutrition services.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Considerable judgement in determining whether abuse or neglect has occurred, to what extent and how it occurred.
• A significant understanding of clients' personalities based on assessments and interviews.
• An understanding of social work principles, techniques and practices and their applications to complex casework, treatment and investigation of abuse or neglect of children.
• Thorough knowledge of policies and procedures in Child Welfare
• Knowledge of individual and group behavior, family dynamics and medical, behavioral and/or psychosocial problems
• Resource knowledge to make appropriate referrals to the clients
• Ability to interact and motivate others. Ability to work with others who may be resistant to assistance from the agency.
• Ability to prepare documentation such as written investigative reports for the court and case records.
• Ability to testify in court; ability to demonstrate advanced case management interview techniques and negotiation skills in often-complex cases.
• Ability to quickly assess the risks and safety of the client environment during daylight hours, after dark, and in questionable environments.
• Ability to assess safety issues vs risk factors; analyze tense family situations and make decisions about removing children when the decision has to be made with limited direct information.
• The employee should be able to communicate effectively and demonstrate the ability to establish supportive relationships with community partners and the client population.
• Employee must be able to work a flexible schedule to accommodate the needs of the client

Education/Certification:

• Master's degree from an accredited school of Social Worker and one year of social work experience
• OR a Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience
• OR a Master's degree in counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience
• OR a four-year degree in Human Services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience
• OR graduation from a four-year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling or a related Human Service field providing experience in the technique of casework, group work or community organization or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

***One year of work experience can be credited for completion of the Social Work Collaborative.Work Environment/Location/Physical Demands:

• Employees work in offices, but work involves visiting homes, schools, health and mental health facilities and other service agencies.
• Employees manage a caseload of clients in the most difficult and complex cases. Hazards of the job may include contact with irate clients and/or family members who may be hostile, resistant or violent. Some homes may be poorly maintained and have unsafe living conditions. Some required contacts may occur in unsafe areas where the threat of violence is real or in an isolated area where access to emergency services may be difficult.
• Employees must be flexible with their schedule
• The work environment is fast paced, unpredictable and highly stressful. The policy standards, caseload sizes, and often-disturbing experiences can at times cause emotional distress. The work environment is also rewarding and fulfilling as the Social Worker empowers, assists and provides Protective Services to the family
• Employee should have the ability to perform manual work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Employment Type: Full-Time Regular