SENIOR CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60070114

State of Florida; Naples (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Vehicle Insurance Allowance

Job summary

Florida Department of Children and Families seeks a Senior Child Protective Investigator to perform professional investigations of suspected abuse and neglect, conduct interviews, and coordinate with state agencies. The role emphasizes family engagement, case planning, and collaboration with legal services.

Applicants must have a relevant degree, child welfare experience, and obtain certification within 12 months. A valid driver's license and private vehicle are required for daily fieldwork.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (by time of application).
• Bachelor’s or master’s in social work or related field preferred.
• 1 year of child protective investigative experience.
• Must obtain Child Welfare Certification within 12 months after provisional cert.
• Valid Driver License; must possess private vehicle for daily work (proof of registration and insurance).

Responsibilities

• Conduct investigations of abuse, neglect, abandonment or exploitation of children.
• Interview children, parents, relatives and others to collect information.
• Engage families to determine intervention needs and service linkages.
• Develop case plans with Case Manager and safety/present danger plans.
• Prepare reports and provide testimony in court; maintain thorough documentation.

Skills

Child protection knowledge

Ethics in protection

Interview techniques

Risk assessment

Documentation

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Social work degree

Florida Certification Board cert within 12 months

Job description

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SENIOR CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60070114

The State Personnel System is an E-Verify employer. For more information click on our E-Verify Website .

Requisition No:886888

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: SENIOR CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60070114

Department of Children and Families are eligible to apply.

Current employees will be compensated in accordance with the DCF salary policy.

What you w ill d o :

• This is professional work protecting children, working with families and conducting investigations of alleged abused, abandoned, neglected or exploited children. This position will assume an individual contributor role and be a model of child protection practice to other Child Protective Investigators (CPIs).
• Conducts investigations regarding allegations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or special conditions for children.
• Collects information through interviews with the children, parents, relatives, neighbors, and other parties associated with the case.
• Engages families, identifies needs and determines the level of intervention needed to include voluntary services or court ordered dependency services; provides services linkages to agency and community resources based on needs assessment.
• Provides recommendations for development of case plan to Case Manager.
• Conducts initial/ongoing child Present and Impending Danger assessments.
• Develops with the family a signed Present Danger Plan and a signed safety plan for any identified threats and interventions.
• Arranges emergency placement for any child that cannot safely remain in the home.
• Notifies state attorney, law enforcement, child protection team and other required individuals as appropriate.
• Schedules and gathers information for and participates in case staffings,
• Prepares appropriate reports/documentation in coordination with Children’s Legal Services and provides testimony in court.
• Maintains thorough documentation in the client records/appropriate information system(s) and maintains organized client files.
• Reports indication of abuse, neglect and/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.
• Provides subject matter expertise to help less experienced CPIs build increased capacity in investigative skills.
• Provides case consultation and advises and/or co-investigates complex cases with other CPIs to assure appropriateness, clarity, quality, and thoroughness.
• Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with organizations and other agenices involved with child protective investigations such as community based providers, Children’s Legal Services, law enforcement, medical personnel, schools, and other community/agency resources.
• Ensures effective communication with deaf or hard-of hearing Customers or companions in accordance with the ADA and/or Section 504 and shall manage service records and report this data and any resources and/or training needs to their designated program point of contact.

Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree (degree must be conferred at the time of application).
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work or related field preferred. (When applying please attach required education, certification or licensure).
• 1 year of child protective investigative experience.
• Must obtain Child Welfare Certification from the Florida Certification Board within 12 months after obtaining provisional certification. All Investigators must maintain certification as a condition of employment. Information regarding certification can be found at: Florida Certification Board
• Valid Driver License; and
• Must possess operational private vehicle for use in the performance of daily work activities. Selected applicants are required to provide proof of vehicle registration and documentation of the appropriate insurance coverage. The Department provides a Vehicle Insurance Allowance to assist with the cost of insurance coverage due to the use of private vehicle for work purposes.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of theories and practice in child protection.
• Knowledge of professional ethics relating to child protection and counseling.
• Knowledge of family-centered interview and counseling techniques.
• Knowledge of interviewing and observation techniques.
• Skilled in considering child development in guiding placement of children.
• Ability to recognize indicators of abuse and neglect.
• Ability to conduct risk and safety investigations.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to understand and apply relevant laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Ability to actively listen to others.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to maintain well-executed case files.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to utilize computer systems.
• Ability to write accurate investigative reports.

Candidate Profile (application) must be completed in its entirety.

Include supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.

Account for and explain any gaps in employment so that the hiring process is not delayed.

Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.

It is unacceptable to use the statement “See Resume” in place of entering work history.

If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at [phone].

B enefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits.

With 12,000 employees across the state DCF promotes opportunities and training for all. Our jobs are among the most challenging, complex, and difficult in State government. They are also among the most rewarding. All employees are encouraged to take advantage of available Department opportunities for advancement and professional development.

Where you will work:

Florida is the only state that borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. In other words, no matter where you land in Florida, you’re never more than 60 miles from a body of saltwater. And if the beach isn’t your scene, there are 175 state parks to explore! Meanwhile, Floridians hail from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and walks of life, making it an incredibly diverse melting pot that many residents and visitors to Florida love. The Sunshine State is a great place to live and work – Come join our team!

About Department of Children and Families:

Mission: The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Vision: We are a highly skilled workforce committed to empowering people with complex and varied needs to achieve the best outcomes for themselves and their families. In collaboration with community stakeholders, we will deliver world class and continuously improving service focused on providing the people we serve with the level and quality that we would demand and expect for our own families.

Values: A workforce that operates with integrity maintains loyalty to a code of ethics that requires the courage to take responsibility for providing the highest quality of service to the vulnerable. We are a solutions-focused learning organization built on a foundation of transparency in action and accountability of results. Both within the organization and among our stakeholders, we thrive in a culture of respect for diversity of opinion that is nurtured through open communication. High performing and committed, we are unified in our goal of excellence in achieving quality outcomes for those we serve .

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you will be required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.

The position will perform all job tasks in accordance with laws, rules, regulations, policies, and requirements applicable to state and federal laws or procedures.

We hire only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers.

Participation in the State of Florida Direct Deposit Program is required as a condition of employment per F.S. 110.113 , and enrollment must be completed within the first 30 calendar days of your appointment .

SELECTIVE SERVICE:

Male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26 th birthday or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire. For more information, please visit the SSS website: http://www.sss.gov .

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT:

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and, if applicable, Chapter 408, F.S.

No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency. Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or the People First Service Center at 1-877-562-7287. Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

Pursuant to Chapter 295, F.S., veterans and veterans’ preference eligible persons may receive preference in employment and are encouraged to apply. For applicants claiming Veterans' Preference, please attach your supporting documentation when you apply for a vacancy. Applicants may also fax their supporting documentation to People First at 1-888-403-2110 by the closing date of the advertisement.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

Location:

NAPLES, FL, US, 31112 NAPLES, FL, US, 34144 NAPLES, FL, US, 34104 NAPLES, FL, US, 33327 NAPLES, FL, US, 34114 NAPLES, FL, US, 34101 NAPLES, FL, US, 33962 NAPLES, FL, US, 34109 NAPLES, FL, US, 34117 NAPLES, FL, US, 34112 NAPLES, FL, US, 34102 NAPLES, FL, US, 34108 NAPLES, FL, US, 34113 NAPLES, FL, US, 34119 NAPLES, FL, US, 34103 NAPLES, FL, US, 34120 IMMOKALEE, FL, US, 34142

For assistance, call the People First Service Center at [phone] Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time. Pursuant to Florida Law, 110.211 F. S., the State of Florida is an EEO employer.