Family Services Specialist

South Dakota AG; Sioux Falls (SD); On-site; USD 74,390,000 - 82,656,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid holidays

Retirement benefits

Job summary

The Department of Social Services / Child Protection Services in Sioux Falls, SD seeks a full-time caseworker to assess safety, provide intervention, and secure stability for children. This role requires excellent customer service, strong communication, and problem-solving skills to work with diverse families.

Duties include completing assessments, collaborating with courts, locating foster and adoptive placements, and maintaining thorough documentation.

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in a human service-related field is preferred.
• Excellent customer service, communication, and problem-solving skills are essential.
• Ability to assess safety and work with diverse families and court systems.

Responsibilities

• Complete assessments with families, analyze danger threats to children, and provide intervention services.
• Offer ongoing safety management and coordinate out-of-home or in-home plans when needed.
• Work with the court system, testify when required, and locate foster/adoptive resources.
• Respond to emergencies 24/7 and collaborate with relatives for placement options.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Problem solving

Active listening

Time management

Critical thinking

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in a human service-related field

Job description

Job Information

Job ID: 38005

Agency: Department of Social Services / Child Protection Services

Location: Sioux Falls, SD

Salary: $27.00 Hourly, depending on qualifications

Pay Grade: I

Closing Date: 10.22.2026

Contract: Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly

This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Social Services. For more information on DSS, please visit https://dss.sd.gov .

Summary

The Division of Child Protection Services impacts children and families' lives every day by assessing safety, providing intervention, and securing stability for children. If you are committed to helping children and families; have excellent customer service, communication, and problem-solving skills; and are dedicated to achieving positive outcomes for children and families, this may be an opportunity for you to make a difference in a child's life.

Responsibilities

This position is responsible for completing assessments with families from diverse economic, educational, and cultural backgrounds alleged to have maltreated their children including analysis of danger threats to children; providing intervention services with families after a determination has occurred that conditions in the home threaten child safety; providing ongoing safety management through out of home placement of child or an in home safety plan when children remain in the home; working with the court system including testifying when children are placed in the custody of the state; finding foster and adoptive homes for children; recommending placements; monitoring children placed in out of home care; case planning; assessing needs of resource families and providing support services; identifying and locating relatives for possible placement resources for children placed in out of home care; responding to emergencies regarding reports of alleged child abuse and/or neglect on a 24 hour basis.

Working Conditions

Duties are performed in a variety of settings ranging from departmental offices to client homes to courtrooms. An applicant may encounter high-level stress and emotional situations, strong differences of opinion, and exposure to physical danger and contagious diseases. This position works with families who have been traumatized by sexual abuse, neglect, physical abuse, and/or emotional maltreatment. This position requires lifting up to 30 pounds in a safe manner. Applicants may be required to work a flexible schedule which may include evening, night, holiday, and weekend hours. Crisis or case situations can occur at any time which may require evening and weekend responses. Considerable field travel may be required to include overnight travel. This position requires a valid driver's license.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

A bachelor's degree in a human service-related field is preferred.

Knowledge Of

• establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships and demonstrate c ompassion, respect, courtesy, and tact when interacting with others;
• actively listen, elicit needed information and communicate information effectively and accurately, both orally and in writing;
• utilize computerized data and technology systems;
• prepare clear and concise documentation, reports, and correspondence that reflect relevant facts;
• utilize time management skills and prioritization of multiple demands in a fast paced environment;
• assume initiative with minimal supervision while utilizing critical thinking skills.

Eligibility and Background

This position is eligible for Veterans' Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

Successful applicant(s) will be required to undergo a background investigation. An arrest/conviction record will not necessarily bar employment.

Successful applicant(s) will undergo an abuse and neglect screening.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

Benefits

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

Contact Information

South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration

Telephone: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus

"An Equal Opportunity Employer"