Social Worker in Children & Youth Justice

 Looking to make a difference! Become a Defender! 

The Defender Association of Philadelphia is looking for an experienced social worker to join our. Children and Youth Justice Unit (CYJ) which provides comprehensive and holistic legal representation to our older youth and youthful clients within the criminal justice system. Our office recognizes the need for social services to facilitate appropriate support for youth as they learn to navigate a complex legal system. The Social Worker/Social Services Advocate supports, assists, and advocates for Defender clients in a multitude of ways. This position serves as an active partner in the Defender Association’s efforts to obtain the most favorable legal outcome for our young clients. Social Workers/Social Service Advocates work closely with assigned attorneys, clients, family members, probation officers, educators, clinicians, and other service providers throughout the court process

What You’ll Do

• Manage a caseload of 30-50 clients who are youthful defendants in pending criminal litigation with varying needs and case-related deadlines, ensuring timely action and intervention
• Contact family and other support systems to gather information to assist with assessment and treatment planning
• Establish rapport with attorneys and discuss client needs, referrals and potential treatment modalities with attorneys throughout the court process, from assignment through disposition 
• Provide court support to attorneys and clients by appearing in court regularly to provide testimony and social service intervention
• Attend video/teleconferencing hearings. Travel to in-state and out-of-state juvenile facilities, including some week-end travel, to interview clients, evaluate treatment programs and participate in teleconference/video conference court reviews preparing reports for debrief
• Prepare detailed client social summaries, re-entry plans, treatment plans, and mitigation memorandums/reports to identify and humanize the client’s life circumstances in a manner to have a meaningful impact on the client’s legal case
• Assist clients, when necessary, with securing their medical assistance and other insurance funding to link them to treatments and maintain an effective contact log for follow-up and verification
• Participate in community outreach events
• Other duties as assigned

What You’ll Need:

• Minimum of 2-years of employment experience in a social worker or social services position, preferred
• Experience or interest in serving racially and socioeconomically- oppressed clients and communities
• Bachelor’s degree is required. B.S.W. or M.S.W., is preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to quicky establish client rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds during interviews
• Very good organizational skills and be proficient in multi-tasking
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge of social services programs, supports, and agencies that can serve our clients 
• Working knowledge of the juvenile criminal justice system, preferred
• Requires travel somewhere between 2-7 days per month to some locations that are inaccessible by public transportation

Benefits & Perks

• Very generous and rich benefits plan with many employer paid benefit
• Substantial paid time off (35 days of PTO plus all federal holidays)
• Retirement savings plan with employer match
• Free Septa Key card
• We are a PSLF (Public Service Loan Forgiveness) eligible employer
• Meaningful & Impactful Work 
• Ongoing Training and Development of You

Who is the Defender Association? 

The Defender Association of Philadelphia is more than just a law firm. We’re the community’s lawyers. The Defender team – more than 500 attorneys, social workers, investigators, administrators, and other staff – make sure that everyone, regardless of income, has access to high-quality defense when facing criminal charges. Our mission-driven, client-centered model focuses on outcomes that support a system that is fundamentally fair and creates safer, stronger communities. Follow us @PhilllyDefenders (Twitter, Instagram & TikTok) and on LinkedIn. 

 The Defender Association provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, The Defender Association complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training