Family Services Specialist I

FHLB Des Moines; Virginia Beach (VA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Retirement plan

Holidays and paid leave

Hiring bonus

Job summary

City of Virginia Beach is seeking a Family Services Specialist I to investigate and assess reported child maltreatment in the Child Protective Services divisions. You will work with police, medical, social work, and mental health professionals to protect children and support families.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in a human services field or equivalent experience, plus a valid driver’s license and the ability to work in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a human services field (social work, counseling, gerontology, guidance and counseling, family and child development, psychology, or sociology) or a Bachelor’s degree plus 2 years related experience.
• Current and valid driver’s license.
• Experience with child protective services preferred.

Responsibilities

• Investigate and assess alleged child maltreatment under supervision.
• Document accurate investigative narratives, safety and risk assessments.
• Engage families and build trust to ensure child safety alongside MDTs.
• Standby on-call duties after normal business hours on a rotating basis.
• Complete interviews and document interactions within 24 hours.

Skills

Case Management

Court Testimony

Crisis Assessment

Education

Bachelor's degree in a human services field

Bachelor's degree + 2 years related experience

Job description

Job Posting End Date:October 12, 2026Department:HUMAN SERVICESCompensation Grade:G23Compensation Range & Starting Salary:Pay Range: $55,494.40 - $80,995.20Starting salary may be negotiable based on qualificationsJob Exempt (If No, Position is eligible for overtime):NoScheduled Weekly Hours:40About Us:Recognized as one of America’s Best-In-State Employers for 2024, the City of Virginia Beach is proud to offer a diverse and dynamic work environment. Our workforce plays a crucial role in delivering exceptional government services to both our citizens and fellow City employees. Apply now to join an organization where you truly make a difference.Job Duties and Preferred Qualifications:The City of Virginia Beach Department of Human Services is recruiting for a Family Services Specialist I (FSSI) to work in our Child Protective Services divisions. The FSSI will, under the supervision of a Human Services Supervisor, investigate and assess alleged child maltreatment. The FSSI must be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team facilitating a team approach with police, medical, social work, and mental health professionals.Specific duties include, but are not limited to:Manage a high-volume workload of CPS referrals and demonstrate the ability to make independent decisions based on knowledge of policies and procedures.Document detailed, and accurate investigative narrative, dispositional assessments, safety assessments, and risk assessments.Engage children and families to maximize information gathering and to build trust to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to ensure child safety.Utilize trauma informed strategies to overcome challenges and build upon family strengthsSpend time in the community visiting client’s homes, schools, court, and collateral visits that are pertinent to each family’s referral.Conduct safety and risk assessments on an ongoing basis with each assigned referral. Review assigned referrals with their immediate supervisor, or designee.Take appropriate actions to ensure that children are separated from unsafe situations by utilizing natural support in the family and community and at last resort recommending placement in foster care.Write court affidavits and petition the Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court for child protective orders and or emergency removal orders.Organize and participate in Family Partnership Meetings and varieties of team meetings designed to support and engage families.Receive and screen new allegations of child abuse/neglect. Make appropriate validity decisions and make plans for immediate response to new CPS referrals.Ensure that all referral interviews and interactions are documented within 24 hours.Work in collaboration with police, mental health professionals, emergency medical services partners with triaging families and conducting investigations.Standby on-call duties after normal business hours on a rotating basis.The City offers a generous benefits package which includes health, dental and life insurance, retirement, and savings plans, maternity/paternity and parental leave, and Holidays and Paid Leave.A $3,000 hiring bonus is being offered for this position. Hiring bonuses shall only be for new hires of original full-time employment or reemployment as defined in Human Resources Policy No. 5.0.$500 will be awarded in the first paycheck.$1000 will be awarded upon completion of the six (6) month interim performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”.$1,500 will be awarded upon completion of the employee’s one (1) year probationary period and a performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”.Additional requirements:• DMV Transcript: Yes• CDL: No• Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse: No• CPS Check: Yes• Physical: No• Respirator: No• Psychological Screening: No• Polygraph: No• At Will: NoMinimum Requirements:Minimum Qualifications: Must possess a minimum of a Bachelors degree in a human services field (social work, counseling, gerontology, guidance and counseling, family and child development, psychology, or sociology); or possess a Bachelors degree in any field accompanied by a minimum of two (2) years related experience in a human services area. Must have a current and valid driver’s license.Special Requirements: All employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term department needs and/or City-wide emergencies.Skills:Case Management, Court Testimony, Crisis AssessmentWorking Conditions:Per HR Policy 6.19, Americans with Disabilities, the City follows the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in all hiring and employment decisions. The City shall not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring and employment practices. The City shall make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant or employee with a disability upon request unless the accommodation would cause an undue hardship on the operation of the City’s business.The Working Conditions Summary is intended to provide a general overview of the environmental conditions inherent in the job setting, as well as the physical, mental, and sensory requirements necessary to perform the essential functions of the position in the noted job profile. Please copy and paste the URL below into your web browser to view the Working Conditions Summary for this position.https://workingcondition-summary-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/P3880.pdfOfficial Job Descriptions:To browse official job descriptions, please access this link - https://virginiabeach.gov/careers/job-descriptions-pay-plans?search=&group=EVRS Contribution: All full-time employees are required to contribute 5% of annual salary toward their retirement account; in accordance with VRS retirement provisions. This will be handled through a pre-tax payroll deduction.Drug Free Workplace: The City of Virginia Beach maintains a drug free workplace.Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement: The City of Virginia Beach is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive work environment. We do not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status as defined by applicable law.