Social Worker IA&T

Work Type
Family and Children’s Services

Position Number
10566

Salary
$62,360

Closing Date
January 29, 2024
Posted January 19, 2024


Agency Name
Craven County Department of Social Services

Work County
Craven

Job Contact
Craven County Department of Social Services 252-636-4900

Job Location
2818 Neuse Blvd
New Bern
North Carolina
28562
Job Description

Primary Purpose

The primary purpose of this position is to provide family based social work services designed to strengthen and empower families while ensuring the safety of children in cases in which abuse, neglect and/or dependency have been alleged or found. Primarily this will be provided through in home services and treatment. This position will routinely be required to serve as back-up for the afterhours social workers. The employee will be required to attend court and submit court reports. If the agency is given custody of the child by the court the social worker will be expected to continue to provide social work services until the child achieves safety and permanence.

Essential Functions

 
  1. The work is performed within the Child and Family Services Division.
  2. Continually assess information from various collateral contacts and resources in the community to determine whether abuse, neglect and/or dependency have occurred or continue to occur.  State mandated assessment tools are utilized to aid in determining the level of risk to the children.
  3. To work with clients who are children from newborn to 18 years of age who have not been emancipated or married that are suspected or found to be abused, neglected and/or dependent.   Clients are also the parents or caretakers of these children who frequently are uncooperative or hostile regarding mandatory intervention with their family.
  4. To work with cases received from Child Protective Services Intake Worker, transfers from other counties, the Courts, other child protective services agencies outside the state.
  5. To stay abreast of and comply with all changes in program policies, laws and regulations.
  6. To arrange and accompany children to medical, mental health or developmental examinations in order to gather information for case planning  and/or for initial placement into Foster Care.
  7. Worker must maintain regular contact with the families and various collaterals including but not limited to education personnel, medical and mental health providers.
   Percentages of time spent performing the following duties: 20%      Comprehensive and On-Going Safety and Risk Assessments   to include:
  • Reviews all clinical assessments, agency documents and other evaluations that may provide insight into family dynamics and underlying mental health, social or physical needs that must be addressed to insure children’s safety and well-being.
  • As required by policy at each home visit either formally or informally assess for safety and well-being needs of the children.
  • Complete DSS-5227 or DSS 5226 Family Risk and Reunification Reassessments at the time of Family Service agreement development and updates, whenever significant change occurs in the family, prior to any new court action and within 30 days prior to case closure.
  • Assess family  strengths and needs informally throughout the life of the case and formally using the DSS-5229 prior to completing a Family Services Agreement and 30 days prior to case closure in an In Home Services Case.  For families with children living out-of-the home the Strength and Needs should be performed within the same time frames of Permanency Planning Meetings.
  • Conduct trauma screenings and refer for appropriate trauma assessment and treatment services at initiation of services and every 6 months thereafter.
  • Perform comprehensive Kinship assessments when assisting families with temporary safety placements or prior to asking the court to sanction a relative placement. Request and attend staffing of home studies of potential families that may provide placements with legal permanence through custody or guardianship.
  • All families will receive a comprehensive Parenting Inventory to assess for parent’s attitudes, beliefs and skills related to their ability to safely parent their children.
20%     Development of the Family Services Agreement (In Home and Out-of-home Case Planning)  
  • Must be completed within 7 days of initiating In Home Services or 30 days of placement and in partnership with the family based on information discussed at the Child and Family Team  (CFT) Meeting. Both  parents, other primary caregivers, and any other persons who are involved in and critical for  the successful completion of the agreement.   Children should be included if cognitively and emotionally able to participate.
 
  • Must address the maltreatment and issues that brought the children into mandatory services and include objectives and  activities that are measurable, time-limited, and describe specific desired outcomes, and identify necessary behavior changes.
 
  • Must include specific services, strategies and supports needed to achieve safety, permanence and well-being needs of the children .
 
  • Must include a primary permanent plan and a concurrent plan that will be implemented if the primary plan is not achievable within the required time frames.
 
  • Includes documentation to show the involvement of the family in the development of the agreement with clear time-specific objectives and activities that relate the strengths and needs of the parents.   Noncustodial parents must be contacted and included in the development of the plan.
 
  • Includes a visitation plan for children with their families and siblings if they are placed in separate homes.
40 % Case management and implementation of direct treatment and supportive  services related to the case plan  .
  • Arranges for and provides direct services to help the family change the maltreating behavior.  This includes giving information, instruction, guidance and mentoring regarding parenting skills, child development and the importance of developing a nurturing and permanent home for children.
 
  • Coordinates with involved professionals such as therapists, doctors, school personnel, attorneys, judges, speech therapists, etc. Requests evaluation, reports and other documents. Reviews professional evaluations and includes recommendations in the case plan.  Insures that recommendations of medical providers are followed as written.
 
  • Referral or monitoring of services needed to address maltreatment issues as appropriate, including referrals to DSS-provided clinical treatment such as TF-CBT and ABC for infants up to 2 years old.
 
  • Arrange/participate in Child and Family Team meetings and Shared Parenting process. Reviews the case plan as warranted by the family’s progress.
 
  • As required by policy conduct face to face visits with all children and interview each child regarding safety and well-being issues.
 
  • Prepare children , biological parents and resource parents for any changes in residence a child may experience while services are being provided. Assist families in understanding psychological safety and the difficulties children may experience when they experience moves and changes in their life.
 
  • Prepare children and their families for court when in home services are not successful and court action is sought. Participate in Prehearing conferences and prepare court reports by due dates so attorney’s receive reports prior to the court date.
 
  • Provide reasonable efforts to insure children can either be reunified with their family within one year or find permanence through custody, guardianship or adoption.
10%     Fiscal Management 
  •  Submit all vouchers, pay agreements, time sheets, mileage forms within policy guidelines.
  • Assist in maintaining the  financial  security of the agency by completing daysheets accurately and timely
  •  Submit Child-specific Financial Agreements prior to placement.
  • Assist families in identifying service providers that are within their financial means and/or accept their insurance when available.
10%     Administrative Functions
  • Attend case staffing, unit meetings and Division Meeting
  • Complete all mandatory preservice training and 24 hours of additional training per year of service..
  • This position also assists in disaster relief efforts that includes but is not limited to shelter duty. Assignment to emergency shelter duty during times of potentially dangerous or manmade disasters is an essential function of this position and you shall be required to fulfill these duties when instructed. Position may perform other duties as assigned by the Social Work Supervisor III, Social Worker Program Administrator I, Social Work Program Manager, Director, and Deputy Director.
 

Minimum Education and Experience

Master’s degree from an accredited school of social work 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 Master’s degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a four-year degree in a 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 techniques of casework, group work or community organization; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Additional Information

Physical Requirements The worker must be able to lift up to 80lbs such as car seats and small children and must not have any physical restrictions, which would limit their ability to work outside of the agency.
Link to Agency Posting Job