Child Protection Social Caseworker I/II

Larimer County Department of Health and Environment; Colorado; Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision

401(a) with employer match

457(b) Deferred Compensation

Paid time off

Remote work stipend

Job summary

Larimer County Department of Human Services is seeking a Child Protection Social Caseworker within the CYFA Division, with opportunities as Intake or Ongoing Child Protection Caseworker. This hybrid role requires at least one day in the office, travel for trainings, and remote-work setup support.

The position emphasizes intensive casework with adolescents and families, collaboration with partners, and advocacy across systems.

Qualifications

• Experience with adolescents and juvenile justice; community partnerships.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Experience in case management, risk assessment, crisis intervention, and counseling in child welfare.
• Knowledge of Colorado Children’s Code and related child welfare regulations.
• Assess risk, develop treatment plans, and counsel families to resolve problems.
• Maintain confidential information.
• Ability to respond to conflict situations.

Responsibilities

• Provide intensive case management to adolescents and families.
• Assess youth and families to determine ongoing support needs.
• Complete documentation promptly.
• Attend court hearings, agency meetings, and trainings.
• Collaborate with Juvenile Justice partners and youth teams.
• Advocate for youth and families across systems such as education and probation.
• Support other caseworkers with challenging assessments or cases.
• Work in the field visiting youth, families, and partners.

Skills

Adolescents experience

Bilingual English/Spanish

Case management

Risk assessment

Crisis intervention

Counseling

Child welfare laws

Confidentiality

Conflict resolution

Education

Bachelor’s degree (social work or related)

Valid driver’s license

State training academy certification

Continuing education requirements

Job description

Overview

Are you looking for a rewarding career as a Social Caseworker? We are seeking highly motivated, innovative, and enthusiastic staff members to join our Child, Youth, Family & Adult Protective Services (CYFA) Division as a Child Protection Social Caseworker! This position can be filled in either of these specialized areas within the CYFA Division: Intake Child Protection Caseworker or Ongoing Child Protection Caseworker. At Larimer County Department of Human Services, we strive to be responsive and provide timely resources in partnership with our community so individuals and families are healthy, supported, and safe. Read more about the significant work we do on our website: https://www.larimer.gov/humanservices To learn more about how we serve the Larimer County community, visit our website: https://www.larimer.gov/humanservices. This is a hybrid position and requires at least one day/week in the office. You must have adequate internet access and space for remote work. Larimer County provides a one-time remote work stipend to assist with equipment and office supply needs for remote workspaces. Training may require you to travel up to two hours each way, three days a week, for approximately three weeks. You must submit three professional references with valid contact information as part of this application. The schedule varies day to day, and you are expected to work outside regular business hours as needed.

Responsibilities

What you'll be doing:

• Providing intensive case management to adolescents and their families.
• Assessing youth, young adults, and families to determine the necessity for ongoing case support.
• Completing all required documentation in a timely manner.
• Attending any court hearings, agency meetings, and trainings.
• Collaborating with Juvenile Justice partners and members of the youth's/young adult's team.
• Advocating on behalf of youth, young adults, and families within various systems such as education and probation.
• Supporting child protection caseworkers with challenging adolescent assessments or cases.
• Working extensively in the field visiting with youth, young adults, families and collaborative partners in a variety of settings.

To view the full job description, visit: https://www.larimer.gov/hr/careers/job-descriptions#/app/detail/Social_Caseworker_I OR https://www.larimer.gov/hr/careers/job-descriptions#/app/detail/Social_Caseworker_II

What We're Looking For

• Experience working with adolescents, juvenile justice, and collaborating with community partners.
• Preferably be bilingual in English and Spanish.
• Experience with principles, practices, and objectives as related to case management, risk assessment, crisis intervention, and counseling in a child welfare program.
• Understand the scope and application of laws (Colorado Children's Code, Volume VII) and regulations pertaining to physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and child welfare.
• Assess risk, develop treatment plans, and counsel family and clients on methods of problem resolution.
• Maintain sensitive and confidential information.
• Effectively respond to conflict situations and people in conflict.

Qualifications

Depending on qualifications, this position may be hired as a Social Case Worker I or II. To move forward in the hiring process, candidates must meet the required minimum qualifications. That said, we encourage you to think about your unique background and skills before applying. People often underestimate how their experiences match up with a role’s needs. We encourage you to apply if you meet the minimum qualifications and believe your skills and perspective can add value to this position.

Social Caseworker I Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree from a higher education institution with coursework related to the job responsibilities of social caseworker required. Coursework examples can include and are not limited to, the development of human development and behavior, family intervention techniques, diagnostic measures, or therapeutic techniques.
• Possession of a valid Driver's License by date of hire required.
• Completion of certification from the State training academy prior to the end of the nine month probationary term is required.
• Upon employment, must maintain annual continuing education hours and state training requirements.

Social Caseworker II Qualifications

• One (1) year of experience as a Social Caseworker I with Larimer County, or as a professional social caseworker in either a public or private agency, after obtaining a qualifying degree required. A Master's Degree in an appropriate field as defined below may substitute for experience.
• Bachelor's Degree from a higher education institution with coursework related to the job responsibilities of social caseworker required. Coursework examples can include and are not limited to, the development of human development and behavior, family intervention techniques, diagnostic measures, or therapeutic techniques.
• Possession of a valid Driver's License by date of hire required.
• Completion of certification from the State training academy prior to the end of the nine month probationary term is required.
• Upon employment, must maintain annual continuing education hours and state training requirements.

Benefits

Here’s what Larimer County offers for all Regular, Limited Term, and Appointed positions:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits
• FSA or HSA (depending on the medical plan)
• Short- and Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Basic Life/AD&D Insurance
• Accident and Critical Illness Insurance
• Retirement Plan 401(a) with employer match
• 457(b) Deferred Compensation
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays

Want to dive into the details? Check out Larimer County's Benefits.

https://www.larimer.gov/hr/benefits

Supplemental Information

Do you speak Spanish? You may be eligible to receive extra pay from Larimer County's Second Language Compensation Program. To learn more about the program visit: https://www.larimer.gov/hr/employee-relations/2nd-language-compensation

Office hours for this position will be located at one of the following three locations: 1501 Blue Spruce Drive, Fort Collins, CO 2555 Midpoint Drive, Fort Collins, CO 200 Peridot Avenue, Loveland, CO.

All new employees and rehires will be required to submit fingerprints for a CBI criminal background check (c.r.s. 26-6-104).

An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of required pre-employment testing. Depending on the position, these checks may include, but are not limited to: reference checks, motor vehicle reports, employment verification, education verification, fingerprinting, criminal history information, physical, and a drug screening. As marijuana is an illegal substance under federal law, testing positive for marijuana (medical or otherwise) or any other substance for which the county tests, will result in the contingent offer of employment being revoked. Successful completion of the drug screen is defined as obtaining a negative result.

All application components must be submitted by 11:59 PM MT on the closing date listed.

Larimer County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment in all employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity or expression, and sexual orientation), national origin, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, military status, or any other characteristic protected by law or regulation.