Foster Care/Adoption Worker

Albemarle County; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 73,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Health insurance

Pension/retirement plan

Education/training opportunities

Job summary

Albemarle County's Department of Social Services seeks a Foster Care/Adoption Worker to provide leadership in case management, assess families, and develop comprehensive psychosocial plans. The role includes crisis intervention, coordinating services with mental health, education, legal, and medical professionals, and serving as a guardian for foster children as needed.

The position requires a relevant Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with related experience, strong communication and planning

Qualifications

• Requires Bachelor's degree in Human Services or relevant field with 2+ years in Human Services.
• Experience with required training programs or equivalent combination.
• Knowledge of laws, policies and regulations relevant to the program.

Responsibilities

• Assess cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children and families and develop psychosocial case plans.
• Provide direct counseling using family-systems approaches to strengthen families.
• Lead as case manager coordinating services among professionals from multiple disciplines.
• Ensure coordination and effectiveness of comprehensive services to families.

Skills

Social work principles

Communication

Planning & organizing

Client assessment

Team collaboration

Regulatory interpretation

Computer skills

Report writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Human Services

Bachelor's degree + 2 years related experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Case management software

Job description

Foster Care/Adoption Worker (Family Services Specialist II)

Department of Social Services

12 Months, Full-Time

Non-exempt, Pay Grade 33

VRS-Eligible, Benefits-Eligible

Essential Functions

• Interprets laws, policies and regulations as applied to specific area of responsibility.
• Assesses cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children and their families, and develops and implements sophisticated psychosocial case plans which integrate psychodynamic, systemic, medical, and social-ecological treatment approaches, and incorporates concurrent planning.
• Provides direct counseling, applying family-systems treatment models to complex, family situations, in such a way as to strengthen families and prevent family dissolution.
• Serves in a leadership role as case manager in planning, organizing, and coordinating service delivery by professionals representing a variety of disciplines.
• Works collaboratively with mental health, education, legal, medical, and other human services professionals in a team approach to service delivery, with responsibility for assuring coordination and effectiveness of comprehensive services to families.
• Functions as legal guardian for agency foster children (e.g., responsible for child's well-being, consents for medical treatment, etc.).
• Performs crisis intervention.
• Makes placements of children and adolescents into alternative care, including foster homes, group homes, and residential treatment facilities.
• Plans, oversees and participates directly in court intervention to protect children and to achieve goals of permanency for children.
• Provides supportive services to promote self-sufficiency and to prevent child abuse/neglect and placement of children out of their homes.
• Writes comprehensive psychosocial assessments and service plans.
• Provides coverage after hours and on weekends, on an on-call basis, for emergencies involving abuse or neglect of children and adolescents, and for situations requiring immediate attention regarding children in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services.
• Completes necessary federal, state and local planning and reporting requirements.
• Assesses, secures, and monitors financial resources for which the child is eligible (e.g. social security, child support, etc.).
• Follows the requirements for funding authorization and service payments for services and maintenance costs for foster children.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Competency: Knowledge/ Skills/Abilities

• Working knowledge of: social work principles and practices; current social, economic and health problems; institutions and the methods of the helping process; individual and group behavior;
• Skill in using personal computer with associated software;
• Ability to identify social problems and client strengths and needs and to assess the ability to individual and families to utilize services in problem solving;
• Ability to recognize and accept the rights, responsibilities and differences of others;
• Ability to work effectively with individuals and families in helping them attain success;
• Ability to plan and organize work;
• Ability to understand and interpret laws, policies and regulations;
• Ability to communicate and establish effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, other professional and technical staff, social agencies and the general public;
• Ability to prepare reports and maintain records.

Required Education And Experience

• A minimum of a Bachelor's degree in the Human Services field; or a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field, accompanied by a minimum of two (2) years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Service related area.
• 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.

Preferred Qualifications/Certifications

• Possession of a BSW degree, MSW degree, and/or a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Work license desirable. Masters preferred.

Physical And Mental Requirements

• Possession of a valid appropriate driver's permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Workers in this position are required to drive and they must meet eligibility requirements of the County’s safe driver policy.
• Administers work to the public typically in client's home, often in remote rural areas.
• Frequent contacts with clients and coordination with other public and private agencies (I.e. school, courts, clinics, etc.) are required.
• Involves frequent driving, walking, and standing. Must be able to assist physically dependent individuals.
• Must be willing to travel occasionally overnight.

Remote Work

This position is not eligible for remote work. All County staff must maintain residence within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Salary Range

The hiring range for this position is $35.00 - $38.69 per hour (approx. $72,802 - $80,466 per year). Starting offer is based on applicable education beyond minimum requirements and internal equity. The position also provides excellent benefits including 12 paid holidays, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, VRS retirement, and continuing education/training opportunities. This is a full time, FLSA non-exempt position. Internal candidates will receive pay adjustments in accordance with Local Government Personnel Policy,

• P-60.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Position open until Friday, September 25, 2026.

Virginia Values Veterans

Albemarle County is a Certified V3 organization.

Eoe/Eeo

Albemarle County is an equal employment opportunity employer, and does not discriminate against any group or individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age or disability in regards to any aspect of employment policy and practice: recruitment, testing, selection, assignment, pay, conditions of work, training, leave, overtime, promotion, discipline, demotion, and separation.