Senior Social Worker IA&T

Nash County, NC; Nashville (NC); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Nash County Department of Social Services in North Carolina seeks a Senior Social Worker IA&T to execute investigations, assess family risk, and coordinate services for children identified as neglected, abused, or dependent.

This advanced role emphasizes leadership, court preparation, cross-agency collaboration, and crisis response to safeguard children while guiding families toward available resources.

Qualifications

• Two+ years CPS Investigations experience required.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to adapt to frequent changes; leadership skills.
• Court experience and leadership abilities are required.

Responsibilities

• Lead worker: coach interns and less experienced staff; provide guidance and court study preparation.
• Confer with families to develop risk assessments and Family Services Agreements.
• Monitor and update plans; ensure timely documentation and compliance with policy.
• Provide counseling and connect families with community resources and services.
• Coordinate court actions and testimony as needed to protect children.

Skills

CPS Investigations

Communication skills

Leadership

Court experience

Job description

CPS In-Home Unit. Two+ years CPS Investigations experience required. Candidate must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to adapt to frequent changes, court experience and leadership skills.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The Child Protective Services In-Home Unit's primary purpose is to execute the agency's legal mandate to serve families in which abuse, neglect or dependency has been substantiated or found in need of Services. Work in this unit entails: l. Counseling and planning with the child's family intended to strengthen the ability of families to protect and care for their own children, to minimize harm to children and youth, and to ensure permanence in children's lives. 2. Arranging for provision of and assisting families in utilizing appropriate services and community resources. 3. Obtaining the cooperation of law enforcement agencies as required obtaining suitable care and services for the children in or out of their family origin. 4. Initiation of court action when necessary.

Primary Purpose of the Position

The agency is mandated to provide services to children who have been identified as neglected, abused, or dependent. The primary purpose of the Senior Child Protective Services In-Home Social Worker, Investigations, Assessment and Treatment, (SW IA&T) is to execute this mandate. This is an advanced, professional level case work position, providing counseling and case management services for children who are identified as neglected and/or abused or dependent. This is done so by assessing family situations to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the family system and to evaluate the level of risk the child may face in the home. The Senior Social Worker also provides other services to families with children under the age of 18 years who have requested such services from the agency in conjunction with protective services. Treatment and immediate responses will be provided to crisis situations for at risk children in the most complex and hostile of cases.

Work Schedule

Regular working hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, in order to make the mandated number of face-to-face contacts, in some situations, clients may need contact after hours and overtime may be required. Employees are given the option of flexing their workday to accommodate their clients' schedule without putting the Senior Social Worker in an overtime situation. Employee serves on a rotation basis for periodic radio coverage.

II. Duties and Responsibilities

All responsibilities and duties described are essential to the effective performance of a Senior Social Worker IA&T in this position and are listed in ORDER OF IMPORTANCE.

A. Intervention (10%)

The Senior SW IA&T is responsible for reviewing the case and becoming familiar with the family dynamics, identified problems and strengths of the family. Utilizing the Child and Family Team process, a Family Services Agreement is devised jointly with the family based on the Risk Assessment and Initial Case Plan. The Family Services Agreement contains objectives that are measurable, time limited, describe specific desired outcomes and identify necessary behavior changes. Identified needs, objectives and activities are directed toward alleviating the problems that lead to the abuse, neglect or dependency and addressing underlying issues that may contribute to the need for protective services. Once the case plan is devised, the helping process is defined.

B. Lead Worker (35%)

Function in the capacity as a lead worker to provide coaching/guidance to interns and to less experienced workers in case consultations that will help them achieve a higher level of performance. Provide guidance involving application of policy and other job functions including preparation of court studies. Accompany workers as a support in complex situations in absence of a supervisor. Keep supervisor abreast of any work performance or training concerns noted when coaching staff. Provide necessary support to resolve problems and ensure that quality services are provided.

C. Conferences and Staff Development (10%)

Supervisory conferences and staff development activities provide guidance, feedback and evaluation of the worker's interventions and an opportunity to upgrade skills and knowledge of substitute care. Such conferences also allow the opportunity to discuss program questions, agency mandates and monitoring issues as they arise.

D. Providing/Arranging for Counseling or Supportive Services (10%)

The Senior SW IA&T provides counseling to the client directed toward the development and utilization of family support systems including recognition of development and utilization of strengths, overcoming personal, social, and environmental barriers, and utilizing agency and community resources. The worker seeks community resources to assist the client in attaining their goals.

E. Monitoring and assessment (10%)

The Senior SW IA&T must monitor the Family Services Agreement and complete a Risk Assessment at various intervals in all neglect, abuse and/or dependency cases requiring continued mandated services. After a Family Services Agreement is negotiated, ongoing monitoring and assessment is necessary to determine if the plan continues to be appropriate and that the plan of intervention addresses the identified needs of the parent and children. This monitoring includes regular interviews with the client in the home and requires collateral contact with other public agencies such as mental health, medical professionals, day care providers, health department personnel, and relatives and friends of the client. Updating the Family Services Agreement is necessary when changes in the family occur and it becomes necessary to revise the plan in order to implement an appropriate plan of protection for the child. Court action is used in the event the client does not meet the objective and the safety of the child is at risk. It is the worker's responsibility to provide the supervisor with a factual assessment in order for the joint decision to be made regarding court action. Prior to court action, the worker must complete the Risk Assessment, which indicates the risk and/or harm to the child by remaining in the home.

F. Use of the court and court preparation (10%)

Court activity is very much a part of the Senior Social Worker's duties. Prior to the decision for court intervention or in the case of an emergency, immediately after obtaining a non-secure custody order, the worker will present the case to the Child and Family Team which makes recommendations as to alternatives to court or the children entering into agency custody. In the event that out of home placement is necessary or, to ensure permanence in a child's life, the Senior Social Worker initiates court action through a non-secure custody order and/or petition, assesses placement options (relatives or foster care) and conjointly with the foster care worker develops an appropriate plan for the child. The worker prepares the child and family for separation, placement and the court process. The worker prepares a written assessment for the court, solicits witnesses when necessary, shares information with the child's Guardian ad Litem and testifies in court making the agency's recommendation. The worker must also follow up with written reports for court review as ordered or required. The worker may conduct an investigation of suspected abuse and when evidence of abuse is found, the worker is required to report such information to the District Attorney and law enforcement within a specified time frame, both verbally and in writing. Law enforcement and the Senior Social Worker interviews the victim and perpetrator. Should the perpetrator be prosecuted, the worker may be a witness during court proceedings. Senior Social Workers may be subpoenaed to testify in both civil and criminal proceedings due to their involvement with their clients.

G. Monitoring, Reviewing, Maintaining (10%)

The Senior SW IA&T is responsible for monitoring, reviewing, and maintaining cases through various means. This is accomplished through frequent contact with the client by visiting them in their home, interviews in the agency and telephone contact, collateral contacts and in some situations, periodic court reviews. Both face-to-face and collateral contacts are made monthly according to state standard. The Senior Social Worker formally assesses the client's progress by updating and re-signing the Family Services Agreement on a quarterly basis and whenever there is a major change in the family, reassesses the risk to the child(ren) by completing the Risk Assessment form. These reviews assess the progress of the client in alleviating the factors that lead to abuse, neglect or dependency and whether the client has been able to demonstrate they can provide a safe environment for their child(ren). Further services may be identified at this time. The Senior Social Worker is required to present cases in the agency's foster care review team when a child comes into agency custody. This team closely monitors those children whose custody has been removed from his parents or whose custody has been placed with the Department of Social Services.

H. Interpretation of Child Protective Services (4%)

The Senior SW IA&T is a member of the agencies public forum and occasionally is called on to speak at meetings of community agencies and organizations in an effort to emphasize the preventive nature of the agency's services and to familiarize the community with the reporting laws. The worker assists in providing information to other agencies and local citizens to better help them understand the functions of the agency. This allows for better rapport that leads to better delivery of services and cooperation from other disciplines.

I. Other Duties as Required (1%)

These duties include, but are not limited to, Disaster Relief, including shelter duty, and occasional on-call for emergency child welfare issues. In all duties outlined above, all forms of documentation required by the North Carolina Division of Social Services, North Carolina General Statutes, and Nash County Department of Social Services is included. Obtain at least 24 hours of training annually, after an initial training of 72 hours before assuming case responsibility.

III. Other Position Characteristics

A. Accuracy Required in Work

Great precision is required in this work. The worker must correctly gather information to determine whether or not referrals meet the neglect/abuse laws; investigate each case according to standards to determine if neglect/abuse exists; correctly assess a child's safety needs; and continually assess a family during intervention to assist in alleviating problems which led to neglect/abuse. The worker must be able to meet state standards and assure compliance with CPS policy and best practice. Documentation, time reports, day sheets, and other state and county forms must be completed accurately and timely.

B. Consequence of Error

Initial assessments, investigations, and case management decisions directly affect the safety of children. Incomplete or inaccurate documentation or reports may affect agency funding negatively and may lead to sanctions against the agency.

C. Instructions Provided to Employee

Instructions are provided in written and oral form by the supervisor through scheduled conferences, at agency staff meetings, workshops and professional training sessions attended by the employee. In addition, weeknights, weekends and holidays, a consultant is always available to assist as a second party decision-maker during all phases of CPS intake and initiation, in all child placement responsibility decisions, and in all other situations when a second party is needed.

D. Guides, Regulations, Policies and References

1. Volume l, Children's Service Manual
2. Service Information System Manual
3. North Carolina General Statutes applicable to Child Protective Services and Foster Care Social Work Code of Ethics
4. County and Agency Personnel Handbooks
5. Instructions from Director, Assistant Director, Program Administrator, and Supervisor and On-Call consultants

E. Supervision Received

Employee receives review through scheduled conferences, meetings, informal interaction, reports, and an annual performance appraisal. Review for timeliness, quality, and accuracy is also received through periodic random case reviews by the supervisor, Children's Program Representatives and the State Review by State staff.

F. Variety and Purpose of Personal Contacts

Employee has contact with Unit staff, other units within the agency, clients, Health Department, other social services departments, Guardian Ad Litem Program, Mental Health, medical personnel, crisis organizations, churches, civic organizations, judicial system, law enforcement, Emergency Services personnel, and the general public. Contacts are often used as a means to assist in planning and/or meeting the needs of clients as a part of the human delivery system and to aid in assessing client's current situation.

G. Physical Efforts

Employee must be able to move within and without the agency, climb stairs, and use office equipment described in section I below on a frequent basis. Employee occasionally lifts small children, camera, suitcases, toys, car seats, etc. in performance of duties. Employee must travel to meetings within the county as well as workshops and meetings out of the county. Overnight stays are sometimes necessary.

H. Work Environment and Conditions

Work is performed in a county social service agency with contacts in the field. Employee encounters hostile clients, some of whom are dangerous. Clients include mental patients, alcoholics, and substance abusers who are sometimes verbally abusive and threatening. Field contacts are sometimes required even in adverse weather conditions such as snow, sleet, extreme heat and natural disasters. Employee is exposed to infectious diseases such as scabies, head lice, flu, AIDS, etc. All staff are aware of precautions to take when such events occur. All staff are also trained in the use of fire extinguishers.

I. Machines, Tools, Instruments, Equipment and Materials Used

Employee uses agency computer, printer, copier, calculator, camera, automobile, telephone, cell phone, car seat, and VCR/DVD in order to perform duties. When conducting investigations, employee sometimes finds it necessary to use anatomically correct dolls. Employee must have immediate access to a vehicle to perform essential functions of the job.

J. Visual Attention, Mental Concentration and Manipulation Skills

Close visual attention is required when operating a motor vehicle. Intake, investigations, and case management duties all require visual attention and mental concentration. Body language, eye contact, and behavior of family members assist the Senior Social Worker in assessing the family situation and must be viewed carefully. Preparation of court reports, development of protection plans, and completion of risk assessments require very intense mental concentration as does reviewing placement options for children. The Senior Social Worker must carefully document times, dates, and other factual information so that accurate assessments and recommendations are made. Employee must have physical dexterity required to successfully and efficiently operate machinery and tools outlined in section I above.

K. Safety for Others

Employee makes decisions daily that affect the lives of clients and continuously assesses the safety of children and the environment of our clients. Employee devises protection plans, Family Services Case Plans and completes risk assessments. Employee also makes recommendations regarding the removal of children when homes are not safe and the return of children when homes are safe. Employee must carefully evaluate the needs of children in placement responsibility and their caregivers to determine the best plans for children. Worker abides by confidentiality guidelines to protect clients and uses caution when operating a motor vehicle when transporting clients.

L. Dynamics of Work

Child Protective Services and Placement Services are periodically affected by changes in methodology, guidelines, legislation, and shifting program emphasis. 1. Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices and their application to complex casework and community problems in order to effectively work with the wide cross section of clients and their presenting problems. 2. Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques. 3. Considerable knowledge of developmental stages and tasks, human behavior and social economic problems and their treatment as the worker is responsible for identifying children who are abused, neglected, or dependent, assessing the contributory factors and making recommendations for solutions to the identified problems. 4. Considerable knowledge of governmental and private organizations and other resources within the community. 5. Considerable knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies which govern Child Protective Services. 6. General knowledge of methods and principles of casework supervision and training. 7. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, associates, administrative superiors, social medical, legal, civic and religious organizations. 8. Ability to supervise, train or orient lower-level employees, students, or interns. 9. Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely‑orally and in writing. 10. Ability to plan and execute work effectively and meet deadlines. 11. Ability to operate an automobile. 12. Ability to use a personal computer and access the State Network. 13. Ability to effectively function under stress and to deal with conflict situations and hostile personalities. 14. Ability to function with a high level of autonomy. 15. Ability to function cooperatively with members of a team. 16. Ability to accept constructive criticism. 17. Ability to refrain from causing or contributing to disruptions or hostility in the workplace. 18. Ability to make thorough assessments through intense observation skills, interviews and social work practice and be able to accurately orally and in writing communicate the process and results of the assessment.

Education and Experience Requirements

Two years directly related experience in NC Department of Social Services.

License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation

1. Minimum North Carolina automobile liability insurance. 2. Valid North Carolina driver's license is required. 3. Must have a car available for work.