Child Social Worker

Maricopa County; Durango (CO); Hybrid; USD 35,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition reimbursement

Hybrid schedule

Growth opportunities

Healthcare benefits

Child care benefits

Paid vacation & leave

Wellness program

Retirement with employer match

Job summary

Office of the Public Advocate in Arizona is seeking a Child Social Worker to support attorneys representing children in dependency, severance, and delinquency matters. You will work with child clients aged 8–17, diffusing conflicts and providing critical communication and support to keep vulnerable youths safe.

The role requires experience in child welfare, strong bilingual English/Spanish skills, and the ability to collaborate with a legal team.

Qualifications

• One year of direct experience in the child protection system as a case worker, family advocate, or social worker.
• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Child Development, Behavioral or Social Science, or related field.
• Master's degree in Psychology, Social Work, or related field is valued.
• Two or more years of direct experience in child protection as a case worker, family advocate, or social worker.
• Experience with policies and laws related to child welfare in Arizona.

Responsibilities

• Meets with and communicates with the child in detention, office, or community placements to discuss history, services, and needs.
• Educates the child in the court process, case plan, and recommended services.
• Identifies residential treatment centers, group homes, foster homes, and outpatient programs as resources.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary meetings to advance the child’s interests.
• Testifies in court as an expert witness as needed.

Skills

Child welfare experience

Bilingual English/Spanish

Youth experience

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, or related field

Master's degree valued

Job description

Posting Date 10/07/26 Application Deadline 10/13/26 Pay Range Anticipated Hiring Range: $25.25 - $33.75 hourly Full Pay Range: $25.25 - $42.25 hourly Salary offers are based on the candidate's equivalent experience and internal equity with other employees within the same job classification. While this position is eligible for overtime compensation for all hours worked over 40 in the designated work week, candidates should not expect to work over 40 hours in a designated work week in this position. Job Type Unclassified Department Public Advocate

About the Position

Come be a part of a dynamic legal team as a Child Social Worker at the Office of the Public Advocate! The Child Social Worker serves as a key member of our legal team, working closely with attorneys who represent children in dependency, severance, and delinquency matters, ensuring that the expressed interest of the child is emphasized. This position will involve working with our child clients, typically between the ages of 8 and 17, and their specific needs. We are looking for a skilled problem solver who can diffuse situations and resolve conflicts using good judgment while providing the critical communication and support necessary to keep our most vulnerable community members safe. If this describes you and you highly value serving our community, join our team and make a difference!

About Us

The Office of the Public Advocate seeks professionals, both attorneys and legal staff members, to join our legal defense team! We're committed to the mission of protecting the fundamental rights of our clients. We're dedicated to providing effective legal representation to all indigent persons, those individuals who are not able to afford the services of private lawyers, when appointed by the Maricopa County Superior Court. Our clients include juveniles charged with criminal offenses, parents, and children in dependency and severance matters (loss of parental rights), and people facing court-ordered mental health evaluation and treatment.

Benefits

• Tuition reimbursement
• Exceptional work-life balance, with hybrid and alternative work schedule options
• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County
• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents
• Child care benefits, including access to the Maricopa County Kids Club, dedicated to serving Maricopa County families
• Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave
• Extensive wellness program, including an incentive
• Enrollment in the Arizona State Retirement System, a defined retirement benefit requiring an 11.98% per paycheck contribution rate that includes a 100% employer match on Day 1

Requirements

• One year of direct experience within the child protection system as a case worker, family advocate, or social worker
• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Child Development, Behavioral or Social Science, or other closely related field
• Master's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, or other closely related field is valued
• Two or more years of direct experience working within a child protection system as a case worker, family advocate, or social worker
• Casework within a public defender organization, an Arizona criminal justice agency, Arizona court department, or a probation department
• Experience applying policies, procedures, and state/federal laws related to child welfare within the state of Arizona
• Experience working with youth
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills

Job Contributions

• Meets with and communicates with the child in a juvenile detention facility, the office, and/or at various placements in the community to discuss their history, services, and needs
• Educates the child in the court process, case plan, and recommended services
• Identifies appropriate residential treatment centers, group homes, foster homes, and outpatient treatment programs as a resource for the child
• Participates in meetings with other professionals/stakeholders to obtain additional and current information as the case progresses
• Attends multi-disciplinary meetings with professionals/stakeholders to advocate for and advance the client’s expressed interest and takes notes for the attorney
• Interprets all written, verbal, and nonverbal information obtained; advises other professionals/stakeholders regarding the direction a case should take or services that need to be provided to the child
• Reviews police reports, pictures of evidence collected by detectives, forensic interviews, medical records, psychological and psychiatric evaluations, developmental assessments, counseling records, parent aide reports, educational assessments, substance abuse treatment records, and any other potential exhibit pertaining to a child abuse and neglect case
• Confers with the authors of the above reports as well as with other persons with knowledge about the child’s circumstance
• Testifies in court as an expert witness as needed
• Presents information on developmental expectations, signs, and symptoms of childhood trauma, alternate treatment modalities, child welfare law, child protective services policies and procedures, available community resources, and current best practices in the field to ensure appropriate care and treatment are provided to the child

Working Conditions

• Must possess or have the ability to obtain a valid Arizona driver's license by the time of hire
• Position requires visiting children in a variety of settings, including remote areas of the State and potentially dangerous parts of town
• It also requires that some visits be made outside of the normal work hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday
• Working in close physical proximity with others and public contact may be a common occurrence
• You may be required to lift 15-25 pounds from floor to waist; 15 pounds waist to shoulder or shoulder to overhead; carry 15-25 pounds 100 feet or push/pull 100 pounds 1000 feet
• Work requires travel to and from job-related locations during a scheduled workday, subject to County policies regarding the use of County vehicles and/or private vehicles used on County business

Selection Procedure

Consideration will only be given to candidates who submit online applications. Candidates will be contacted primarily through email and their Workday online application profile. Must pass a pre-Employment background and/or fingerprint investigation as required by statute or policy, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for positions designated as safety-sensitive. Maricopa County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process or to perform the essential functions of the position under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact [e-mail] to initiate the interactive process.

About Maricopa County

Who is that, you may ask? Forbes has rated Maricopa County one of Arizona’s Best Employers in 2024. We are over 13,000 employees strong, providing vital services for one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, with over four million residents who call Maricopa County home. You may wonder what we do, and it may be easier to answer that by asking what are you interested in! Join us and you will become part of a dynamic group of diverse and talented professionals who are passionate about making a difference and giving back to their communities. We offer career paths and opportunities in just about every job category and job level imaginable, so your journey with us is what you make of it! Along with offering purposeful careers, you can expect a rich selection of economical and comprehensive healthcare options, robust retirement plans, tuition and loan payment programs, and multiple paid leave options, as part of an overall generous compensation and benefits package. Thinking about career options, then please think about us! We are Maricopa County, and we are looking forward to working with you.