Social Worker, Rapid Response/Relative Search

Sherburne County; Elk River (MN); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay and benefits

Remote and flexible hours

Ongoing education and training

Individual focus rooms

Fleet vehicles

Onsite wellness room

Onsite employee medical clinic

Supportive teams

Job summary

Sherburne County Health and Human Services is seeking a Social Worker Investigator for a Child Protection unit in Minnesota. The role involves assessing risk, referring families to community services, and conducting investigations to safeguard children.

The position combines in-office work at the Government Center in Elk River with field assignments, offering training, flexible scheduling, and opportunities for ongoing education.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work and valid MN driver’s license.
• Social Worker I: Minimum of completed Social Work internship or closely related field.
• Social Worker II: Minimum of 1-year of Social Work experience or equivalent education plus work experience.
• Must have a valid MN driver’s license and reliable vehicle.
• Preferred experience with Signs of Safety training and SSIS system knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and complete Child Protection Investigations.
• Determine court involvement needs and initiate processes through completion.
• Provide testimony in court regarding the matter before the court.
• Utilize Signs of Safety approach to maintain children within their home when possible.
• Coordinate and facilitate Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) meetings and rapid response Consolations.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Work

Job description

Do you have a desire to complete meaningful work that makes an impact by helping to better the lives of the children of Sherburne County?

Join the team of Social Workers in the Child Protection unit of the Sherburne County Human Services!

Our team of knowledgeable and experienced Social Worker Investigators provide assessment, refer families and the public to the appropriate community-based services, and conduct child protection investigations as warranted to ensure the immediate safety of children.

Our Mission: The mission of Sherburne County Health and Human Services (SCHHS) is to promote and protect the health, safety, well-being, and self-sufficiency of Sherburne County residents.

Our Vision: It is the intent of the organization to provide human service programs to the residents of Sherburne County, designed to protect and enhance the lives of vulnerable populations (such as the developmentally disabled, children in need of protective services, vulnerable adults, mentally ill, and others).

The work of Sherburne County Health and Human Services is governed by the pillars of serving People, through collaboration and Partnership, to help resident achieve Prosperity, using an Equity Lens in all we do.

We offer:

• Competitive pay and benefits
• Remote and flexible hours
• Ongoing education and training
• Individual focus rooms
• Fleet vehicles
• Onsite wellness room
• Onsite employee medical clinic
• Supportive teams

This position is located at the Government Center in Elk River, MN, however will also require work in the field. Our regular business hours are Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm, though the department provides staff with flexibility in effort to strive for a desired work/life balance. Sherburne County is one of the fastest growing counties in Minnesota, where you can find a nice blend of suburban and rural life.

Learn more about our workplace culture and a brief overview of our employee benefits.

These examples of typical duties do not include all possible tasks for this classification and do not limit the assignment of related tasks. Regular attendance according to the department's approved work schedule is required for all Sherburne positions.

• Support goals of MAAFPCWDA by preventing out-of-home placement and promoting family reunification.
• Crisis Intervention: Respond immediately when reports of placement may be considered. Evaluate immediate safety risks and design rapid stabilization/safety plan.
• Assessment and Triage: Coordinate and facilitate a Rapid Response Meeting where there is a need for rigorous safety planning to ensure child safety.
• Safety Plan: Utilize core elements of Family Group Decision Making in the context of Child Welfare requirements. Create a plan that outlines risks, goals and roles of those identified.
• Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Clear communication with family supports, community agencies and social services; sharing crisis plan with clear next steps identified.

Child Protection Investigation

• Conduct and complete Child Protection Investigations.
• To determine when court involvement is necessary, what type of court involvement is necessary, and initiate the process and follow through to completion.
• To provide testimony in court regarding the matter before the court, the role of social services.
• Utilize a Signs of Safety Approach to maintain children within their home whenever possible.
• Determine the need for out of home placement when safety cannot be ensured.

Family Group Decision Making

• Coordinate and facilitate FGDM meetings on referral from a variety of Social Services Units utilizing the concepts of the Family Group Decision Making models.
• Coordinate and facilitate Rapid Response Consolations for Child Protection cases where there is an immediate need for rigorous safety planning to ensure child safety. These meetings will need to occur within 24-72 hours.
• During the FGDM Meeting, ensure that the purpose and agenda are being followed; keep invitees on task as well as setting the tone for a professional, respectful, and productive meeting.
• Complete all assigned documentation and prepare paperwork related to family plans.
• Provide education and information on Family Involvement Strategies and Family Group Decision Making to the community. Effectively prepare families for the FGDM process.
• Work as part of a team in the implementation of Family Involvement Strategies.
• Attend regional state meeting, training seminars, and conferences to improve skill levels, and study appropriate literature in the field.

Relative Search

• Complete relative assessments on all identified relative permanency options, utilizing the 10 Best Interest Factors in determining the relative’s ability to meet the child’s needs.
• Open secondary work groups on all cases assigned for Relative Search.
• Coordinate the completion of local background checks on identified relatives/kin.
• Provide necessary information to clerical support so that relative search letters can be sent.
• Assist with the coordination of contact/visitation for children in out-of-home placements and their relatives/kin, including utilizing relatives for respite, if appropriate.
• Begin relative search on all assigned placement cases within 30 days of placement.
• Meet with children, parents, and all known family members/kin to gather information for purposes of locating relative/kin placement options.
• Meet with the primary case manager on the case as needed to share information found and assessed during the relative search process.
• Attend concurrent permanency planning meetings on cases assigned.
• Make referrals for Family Group Decision Making meetings and attend these meetings where the primary goal is to identify permanency options and develop plans for permanency.
• Document relative search efforts in SSIS and complete the relative search section on all court reports for the primary case manager.
• Initiate ICPC referrals when out of state relatives are being considered and placement and/or permanency option.
• Complete Social/Medical History’s on cases where adoption is being considered as a permanency option.
• Participate in case transfer meetings.
• Attend and participate in all court hearings as needed.
• Write court reports as required at the 90-day review hearing and as needed, until relieved of efforts by the court.
• Monitor permanency timelines and request permanency notification (2nd letters) be mailed to all identified relatives/kin at the time the agency files a permanency petition.
• Make a final permanency recommendation to the court upon completion of relative search.
• Ensure that relative search efforts are exhausted and obtain the court’s ruling to be relieved of efforts prior to case closure.
• Rule out concurrent permanency options, as necessary, through the court. Provide notice to those being ruled out of the hearing in which this will be reviewed by the court.

To Learn More About Child Protection Work and the Programs, Resources, and Services Within Child Protection, Please follow the link: https://dcyf.mn.gov/individuals-and-families/family-services/child-safety-and-family-preservation

To Learn More About Family Assessment Response Work, Please follow the link: https://dcyf.mn.gov/individuals-and-families/family-services/child-safety-and-family-preservation/family-assessment-response

To Gain Knowledge of What It Really Means to Be a Social Worker Within a Child Protection Unit in Minnesota, Please follow the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEJhyxo4BJI

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Work or closely related field. Must have a valid MN driver's license and reliable vehicle.

Experience

Social Worker I: Minimum of completed Social Work internship or closely related field.

Social Worker II: Minimum of 1-year of Social Work experience or equivalent education plus work experience.

Must have a valid MN driver's license and reliable vehicle.

Preferred Experience Beyond Minimum Qualifications

Candidates experienced with Social Worker Foundations training, Signs of Safety training, Corner House training, Trauma training, and working in the state SSIS system. Experience with conducting child protection investigations is also preferred.

Hiring Salary Range:

Social Worker I: $32.36 - $38.85/hour (Grade 12)

Social Worker II: $34.63 - $41.57/hour (Grade 13)

Hours

The core hours of the department are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. This position may require work outside of normal business hours.

Union

Teamsters

Interview

Selected applicants will be notified via email the week of November 16th to schedule a 10-minute phone interview, for November 23rd and potentially November 25th.

Hybrid/Remote Option

Position is in-house for at least the first 6-months for training, then has the option to be hybrid/remote after that.

Physical Requirements

Must be able to endure extended travel, up to 8 hours or more per day. Must be able to provide own means of transportation when county vehicles are not available. May be required to travel to remote areas and in all weather conditions.

Must be able to exert very moderate physical effort in light work, typically involving some combination of kneeling, crouching, and crawling, and which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of moderate weight (15-25 pounds).

Typical Working Environment: 80% Inside Work (office and field work), 20% Travel. (These percentages are an estimate and may vary based on job duties.) Work is performed both in the office and in the field (some examples of settings include client's: homes, apartments, hospitals, group homes, schools, shelters, correctional facilities, and treatment facilities). Headaches, eyestrain, and other related occupational hazards reflect the most common potential for injury in the office. Field visits to clients' homes may expose employee to unsanitary conditions, communicable illnesses, infrequent exposure to health hazards, unpredictable and/or unsafe environments. Likelihood of verbal abuse and threats from hostile, frustrated clients and may include unpredictable situations.