Social Services Specialist - Adoption

State of Mississippi; Mississippi; On-site; USD 38,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Mississippi is seeking a Social Services Specialist - Adoption in Pearl River County to manage case files, conduct home visits, and coordinate services for children in care. The role requires a Bachelor's degree (or licensing) and 3–5 years of relevant experience, with on‑site training and court appearance duties within the Adoption Unit.

You will work across counties, engage with families and service providers, and support permanency planning, while maintaining compliance and

Qualifications

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Efficient organizational and time management abilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and empathy in dealing with clients.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain case files for children in care and document in MDCPS system.
• Visit children in foster homes, facilities and hospitals to assess well‑being.
• Complete investigations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
• Attend court hearings and Family Team Meetings.
• Coordinate referrals for dental, vision, and medical services.
• Assist with staff onboarding and shadowing duties.
• On-call after hours on a rotating schedule.

Skills

Oral and written communication

Time management

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Social worker’s license

Job description

Social Services Specialist - Adoption in 55 - PEARL RIVER COUNTY, MS

State of Mississippi

$38,210.22 - $47,715.60 Annually

Location

55 - PEARL RIVER COUNTY, MS

Contract Type

Full-Time

Agency Minimum Salary

$38,210.22

$47,715.60

About the Agency

The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services has a position available for a Frontline Social Service Specialist position within Adoption Unit. The Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services (MDCPS) is committed to protecting and nurturing Mississippi's at-risk children and families. MDCPS offers a variety of positions statewide, including social work positions providing case management services and working with potential foster families, supervisor positions providing clinical and administrative support, and agency support positions such as policy development, human resources, information technology, program management, training, and budgeting/finance. Working with MDCPS will give you the chance to make a life-changing difference for Mississippi's most vulnerable children and families. If you have any additional questions, you can contact Touya Harrington of Workforce Development at 601-301-8494 or [e-mail]

Responsibilities

Create and maintain case files for children in care; document in MDCPS online database program; Visit children in care in foster homes, facilities and hospitals; Complete investigations of abuse, neglect for exploitation; Complete ongoing safety and risk assessments; Participate in scheduled county conferences/meetings for assigned children-in-care; Make referrals for children-in-care to receive services including dental, vision and medical; Transport children-in-care to appointments and destinations; Arrange for visitation with siblings and parents; Assist with new hires by being “shadow buddies”; On-call for after-hours situation (rotating responsibility with other staff members); Attend court for hearings; Communicate with families, service providers, parents, foster parents and the public; Schedule and attend Family Team Meetings. Along with other duties.This consist of 4 weeks (every other week) of on-site training and 4 weeks of On-The-Job Training, and must pass a comprehensive test prior to continued employment and/or advancement.

What you'll need to be Successful

Professional commitment to and caring about clients and the larger profession of child welfare. Personal resilience and strong self-efficacy beliefs about the ability to work with clients to produce positive client outcomes. Efficient organizational and time management skills. Good oral and written communication skills. Positive work morale. Ability to be flexible in thinking and problem solving. Realistic expectations about the difficulty and challenges of the work. Ability to handle an often-unpredictable work environment

Preferred Qualifications

Typically requires a Bachelor’s Degree and 3-5 years of experience. Appointing authority may require social worker’s license. Agency preferred qualifications:A Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in social work, social services, psychology, educational psychology, sociology, nursing, criminal justice, counseling, marriage and family therapy, family studies, or a related field. In this position, the salary may be based on Education and Qualifications.Valid driver’s license and insurance.

Address 210 East Capitol Street
Suite 800
Jackson, Mississippi, 39201