Family Services Specialist II - CPS

Commonwealth of VA Careers; Chesapeake (VA); On-site; USD 53,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Commonwealth of VA Careers is seeking a Family Services Specialist in Chesapeake to investigate CPS referrals, assess child safety using structured tools, and manage a demanding caseload.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in human services or related field, plus two years of related experience, and involves preparing court documents, testifying in hearings, home visits, and collaboration with law enforcement and health professionals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in human services or related field as primary option.
• Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree plus two years related experience.
• Two years of relevant full-time experience in human services required.

Responsibilities

• Investigate CPS referrals and assess child safety using structured tools.
• Prepare court documents and testify in hearings as required.
• Decide on removal or placement of children with relatives or in foster care.
• Collaborate with law enforcement, mental health professionals and EMS partners.
• Support a demanding caseload including investigations and family assessments.
• Provide direct services and counseling to clients and families.
• Conduct home visits to supervise and document family interactions.
• Maintain records, prepare reports, and coordinate with service providers.

Skills

Strong interviewing skills

Court testimony experience

CPS investigations knowledge

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in human services

Bachelor’s degree + 2 years related experience

Job description

Hiring Range: $58,680.00 to $58,680.00

Full Time or Part Time: Full Time

This job announcement is a courtesy job post for the Chesapeake County local Social Services agency. It is not a position of the Virginia Department of Social Services or any other Commonwealth of Virginia agency. Local employment opportunities may also be available through the local agency’s city or county website/job board(s). https://jobs.cityofchesapeake.net/postings/17317

The selected candidate will:
Investigate CPS referrals concerning allegations of child abuse/neglect, assess child safety and risk utilizing a variety of structured decision-making tools, interviews, and observations.
Prepare court documents related to child safety and appear in a variety of court hearings to testify in cases.
Make sound decisions pertaining to child safety to include removing children from their home and placing children with relatives or in foster care.
Collaborate with law enforcement, mental health professionals, and emergency medical services partners when conducting CPS investigations and assessments.
Support a demanding caseload to include investigations and family assessment referrals.
Model professional behavior and best practices from the Virginia Services Practice Model.
Complete tasks related to Child Protective Services Intake procedures.
Have strong attention to detail and be able to work in a fast paced environment.

Other duties include, but are not limited to:
Conducts interviews or investigations and makes client/family assessments; formulates and implements plan; screens interstate referrals; sends out and reviews home study information.
Provides individual and group counseling for client and family.
Prepares purchase orders for client services, and negotiates provider rates; confirms provider availability and service authorization; verifies client information; processes invoices for payment.
Interacts/coordinates with other agencies, organizations, or family/community members to provide services for client and family/prior custodians; makes referrals for other social services.
Conducts home visits to supervise, observe, and document family interactions, activities, and environment; establishes schedule with parents/prior custodians for child visitation.
Provides direct services to clients/families including teaching basic living, parenting, budgeting, or employment skills, providing mediation counseling, and accompanying clients to appointments.
Collects and compiles information/data, and prepares periodic and special reports; maintains files/records for area of responsibility; develops program forms.
Provides emergency services/crisis intervention for clients/families; protects clients through court involvement; testifies at local, state, and judicial appeals; provides client placement as needed.
Conducts pre-service foster parent orientations and classes to evaluate/screen applicants; recruits and conducts training classes and orientations for volunteers.
Provides information to public on eligibility requirements and available services for assigned area.
Performs routine office tasks such as dictating case notes, data entry, typing correspondence or forms, filing, faxing, telephoning, or photocopying.
Conducts training classes for service providers; certifies and recertifies approved providers; attends professional workshops and seminars to improve professional skills.
Rotates through various service provider roles in such areas as CPS, foster care, and adoption.

The City of Chesapeake offers an exceptional range of benefits. Please browse our Benefits Brochure, for a full list of benefits and employee perks.

Required Qualifications

VOCATIONAL/EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT: In order to be evaluated for vacancies in the Family Services Specialist job series, applicants shall possess the qualifications outlined in (1) OR (2) below:

1) A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in the human services field, including Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Counseling and Guidance, Counselor Education, Human Services, Sociology, Family and Child Development, Aging Studies, Gerontology, Criminal Justice with a minor in one of the above studies, or other related degrees determined by the Department of Human Resources based on the similarity of the curriculum and course content.

2) A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in any field accompanied by a minimum of two years of appropriate and related, full-time equivalent experience in a human services related area. To be considered for promotion, persons currently employed in the Family Services Specialist job series by a local department prior to January 1, 1999, who do not meet the qualifications outlined in either (1) or (2) above, must possess four years of appropriate and related experience in a human services area and must have successfully completed all available competency-based training related to the promotional area.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: In addition to satisfying the vocational/education standards, this class requires a minimum of two years of appropriate and related, full-time equivalent experience.

SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES: Requires a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is in compliance with City Driving Standards.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: Emergency Duty (On-Call) participation is required to comply with mandated responsibilities as listed under Section 63.2-1503,B; Section 63.2-900; and 63.2-1604-63.2-1610, Code of Virginia. Employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term departmental needs and/or City-wide emergencies.

Preferred Qualifications

Current experience working for Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) or have prior VDSS experience in Child Protective Services (CPS)

Experience in Child Welfare

Experience or knowledge of OASIS

Experience writing service plans, reports, or other related types of reports

Experience in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.