Family Services Specialist - Adoptions

The City of Roanoke is seeking a Family Services Specialist to work within our Adoptions Division.  The position carries a caseload of 12-14 children and meets with each child, in their place of residence, once a month; therefore, there may be times where travel is required and may span two or more days. Learn and integrate a trauma-informed, client-centered approach, using an anti-oppressive lens, into the work with clients. Develop, implement, and monitor plans to meet needs and establish permanency. Prepare reports for the court and testify to the contents of the reports. Maintain professional and accurate documentation of client interactions, services, plan progress, and home visits. Attend internal and external meetings, trainings, and workshops. Interacts in a professional manner with court personnel, attorneys, therapists/counselors, school personnel, Family Assessment and Planning Team members, and other service providers. Works with potential adoptive families to apply for adoption assistance and assists in the process of adoption finalization through the circuit court. Provides child-specific recruitment to identify potential adoptive homes for children on their caseload. Completes thorough case reviews, conducts information searches, and prepares thorough and accurate reports. Ability to work outside of business hours when necessary. Must have clear written and verbal communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills, organizational skills, and the ability to work as part of a team while also independently generating task functions. Must be able to maintain a professional demeanor when under pressure and be assertive when necessary. Position participates in a rotating after hours team that responds to emergency Child Protective Services (CPS)/Adult Protective Services (APS)/Foster Care situations. Possession of a valid appropriate driver's permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Bilingual, Spanish/English speakers encouraged to apply. Desirable qualifications include an understanding of the child welfare system, experience working with others from varying backgrounds and demographics, and experience and comfort working with children and adults with mental health and behavioral needs. . Bilingual, Spanish/English speakers encouraged to apply.

  ***NOTE: If you do not hold a State of Virginia Drivers License, you will be required to provide a certified copy of a DMV report from the state of previous residence before you can be considered for this position.***
The City of Roanoke is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA/M/F/Disability Employer.

To elevate the performance of the organization, we are committed to respecting, celebrating, and embracing the collective mixture of differences and similarities between our employees as a rich tapestry. Our behaviors will demonstrate open communication, and we will seek opportunities to learn, recognizing and rewarding actions that promote acceptance while suspending judgment. By doing this, we will foster an inclusive, open work environment that delivers excellent service and creates a more vibrant and inviting community.

This is a non-exempt position. SUMMARY 
Supports and assists agency clients with personal, social, health and economic needs.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Interviews clients to assess the nature and extent of needs

Identifies problems, counsels with clients and confers with supervisor in preparing social studies in the formulation and delivery of service plans

Maintains records through the course of client's service relationships with agency

Makes referrals for service to agencies, such as clinics, employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, etc

Performs work with agencies such as juvenile and domestic relations courts, circuit courts, etc

Provides protection and care to abandoned, abused and neglected children and adults on a regular and emergency basis in potentially dangerous situations

Works with abusive or neglecting parents and families to help effect changes in family situation, usually in a family home setting

Makes decisions to remove children from dangerous situations and recommendations regarding institutionalization of adults and children

Studies homes for day care, foster care of adoption placement and/or foster care and adoptive placements

Maintains case records, prepares written reports of services, findings and actions

Serves as agency representative on a variety of multi disciplinary teams

Shares a 24-hour on-call rotation

Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

 QUALIFICATIONS
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services.

LANGUAGE SKILLS 
Ability to read and interpret documents such as laws, policies, regulations, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to respond effectively to inquiries orally and in writing. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. 

REASONING ABILITY 
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

***CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS*** 
Possession of a valid appropriate driver's permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia.  If you do not have a Drivers License issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia, you must submit a certified copy of your driving record issued by the DMV from your previous state of residence with your application.


PHYSICAL DEMANDS  
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. Requires the ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work. Tasks may involve extended periods of time at keyboard or work station. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk. Some lifting, carrying, pushing and/or pulling of objects and materials of light weight up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include ability to adjust focus.

Must be willing to work outside normal work hours and respond to both routine and emergency situations.

SENSORY REQUIREMENTS 
Some tasks require the ability to perceive and discriminate sounds and visual cues or signals. Some tasks require the ability to communicate orally.

WORK ENVIRONMENT  
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Performance of essential functions may require exposure to adverse environmental conditions, such as traffic hazards, violent individuals, communicable diseases, or rude/irate customers.

This is a job description and not an individualized position description. A job description defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but it is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.

Salary : $49,939