Child Welfare Social Worker

Work Type
Family and Children’s Services

Position Number
2023-186

Salary
$54,409

Closing Date
August 17, 2023
Posted August 9, 2023


Agency Name
Carteret County Department of Social Services

Work County
Carteret

Job Contact
Teresa Baker teresa.baker@carteretcountync.gov 252.728.8405

Job Location
210 Craven Street
Beaufort
North Carolina
28516
Job Description

Child Welfare Social Worker The Job Carteret County Government’s Department of Social Services is seeking a Child Welfare Social Worker IA&T to join the Child Protective Services team.  Do you have a Human Services or Social Work degree?  If you want to make a difference in your community, a Child Welfare Social Worker IA&T position may be the role for you!  The Location Office location is at the Department of Social Services in Beaufort, NC. The Details Hiring range $54,409.79 - $59,850.77 Posting expires 8/17/2023 Full-time with benefits including paid medical, dental, vision and life insurance; retirement and 401(k) plans; and, paid sick, vacation and holiday leave. Apply online at https://carteret-apply.pdsvista.com The Job Description General Statement of Duties Performs intermediate advanced human support work receiving and evaluating complaints involving child abuse, neglect, or dependency, conducting investigations and assessments, counseling and assisting clients, providing in-home services to families to ensure safety of children, determining available programs and services, coordinating with outside community agencies for the provision of assistance and services, notifying law enforcement for reports alleging criminal acts, preparing and maintaining files and records, and preparing reports. Distinguishing Features of the Class An employee in this class receives and investigates reports of child abuse, neglect, or dependency. Work involves determining if reported incidents meet the legal definition of abuse, neglect, or dependency, providing supportive counseling to clients, developing service plans, making referrals, coordinating with outside community agencies for the provision of assistance and services, and notifying law enforcement for reports alleging criminal acts. Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Social Worker Supervisor III and is evaluated by a review of records, reports, discussions, client feedback, observation, and overall quality of work. Duties and Responsibilities Essential Duties and Tasks • Receives and investigates referrals of suspected child abuse and neglect; determines validity of child protective service complaints; assesses safety of child or children and acts accordingly. • Consults and adheres to applicable State laws, rules, and regulations, and Child Welfare Policy Guidelines. • Completes courtesy home visits for other states and counties as requested; completes courtesy after-hours home visits for coworkers to ensure that safety plans are being followed. • Performs family assessments; determines service needs; develops family plans with families to ensure safety of children. • Develops safety plans; inspects home for safety hazards; discusses and educates family members about gun and fire safety, safe sleeping, and child development; provides basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, toiletries, etc. • Completes home studies and/or home visits on ongoing cases. • Engages in pre-trial conference with the agency attorney; prepares legal documents including petition; testifies in criminal and civil court cases. • Manages a caseload with clients in difficult and complex cases. • Transports parents and children to drug screens, medical and mental health appointments, etc. • Requests records for dispatch logs, mental, dental, and health records; reviews prior child protective service (CPS) history and criminal checks; reviews medical and mental health records. • Collaborates with various agencies and officials including law enforcement, schools, daycares, mental health providers, juvenile court, medical and legal community, etc. • Makes appropriate referrals to clients. • Manages after-hours phone calls for Social Services that include referrals to Foster Care and Adult Protective Services and Child Protective Services (CPS) intake. • Removes child from home for safety reasons; collaborates with foster care unit to secure placement of child; transports child to placement location in emergency situations. • Develops In-Home Service Agreements; conducts reviews of service agreements; conducts and facilitates child and family team meetings; continually assesses and identifies risk and needs and potential impacts. • Prepares reports and other types of correspondence; maintains case logs; prepares and maintains files and records. • Enters a variety of data into computer system. • Provides back-up intake coverage for CPS. • Provides after-hours coverage for on-call CPS intake. Additional Job Duties • Performs related duties as required. Recruitment and Selection Guidelines Knowledge, Skills and Abilities • Thorough knowledge of County and department policies and procedures. • Thorough knowledge of applicable local, Federal, and State laws, rules, and regulations. • General knowledge of child development and appropriate developmental markers. • General knowledge in operating standard office equipment and associated software (e.g. OLV, Time Force, Compass, etc.). • Thorough knowledge in preparing reports and other types of correspondence. • Ability to perform, organize, and prioritize work independently. • Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing. • Ability to analyze facts and to exercise sound judgment in arriving at conclusions. • Ability to make arithmetic computations using whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. • Ability to compute rates, ratios, and percentages. • Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy. • Ability to articulate program policies accurately and professionally even in adverse situations. • Ability to work under pressure within strict time frames. • Ability to maintain composure in hostile situations. • Ability to work professionally with difficult people, unpleasant subject matters, and with high conflict situations. • Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with clients, associates, judges, law enforcement, physicians, mental health professionals, school officials, vendors, and the general public. Physical Requirements • Work requires the occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds of force to move objects. • Work regularly requires sitting, standing, walking, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle, or feel, climbing or balancing, and repetitive motions, occasionally requires reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling, tasting or smelling, pushing or pulling, and lifting. • Work has standard vision requirements. • Vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. • Hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or to make fine distinctions in sound. • Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, operating motor vehicles or equipment, and observing general surroundings and activities. • Work regularly requires exposure to wet, humid conditions (non-weather), fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold (non-weather), and extreme heat (non-weather). • Work frequently requires exposure to outside weather conditions. • Work regularly requires exposure to blood borne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment. • Work regularly requires exposure to bed bugs, roaches, animals, etc. • Work occasionally requires interacting with clients who have mental health issues. • Work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic). Desirable Education and Experience Graduation from a four-year college or university with a degree in a human services, social work, or related field and moderate experience in human services; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Special Requirements Complete Child Protective Services Pre-Service training within six months of hire. Complete Medical Aspects, Building Awareness and Cultural Competency, Step by Step: An Introduction to Child & Family Teams, Legal Aspects, Child Development & Effects of Trauma, CPS Assessments, and CPS Intake in Child Welfare training within one year of hire. Valid North Carolina driver’s license.
Link to Agency Posting Job