Social Worker III

The primary purpose of this position is to provide advanced level social work services for up to 15 children and their families in which the agency has assumed custody due to abuse, neglect and/or dependency.  The focus is to assure children reside in a permanent, safe and suitable homes within 12-24 months of entering foster care.  The social worker may provide reunification services, or in cases where reunification does not occur seek an adoptive home, a guardianship or custody arrangement, or another alternative permanent placement (APPLA). 

The major responsibilities and duties of the social worker include comprehensive and on-going assessment of children and their families, development of an Out of Home Family Services Agreement in conjunction with a Permanency Planning document, implementation of services, strategies and supports as outlined in the Family Services Agreement (Case Plan) and provide supportive counseling and guidance to resource families to insure children have their physical, emotional and psychological needs met. This position will be expected to write court reports and testify in court including preparation and or testimony for review hearing, adjudication and termination of parental rights cases. 

• The work is performed within the Child and Family Services Division.
• Continually assess information from various collateral contacts and resources in the community to determine whether children are safe in current placements and when considering reunification with parents. Report any concerns of abuse or neglect identified.
• To work with clients who can be frequently uncooperative, threatening, or hostile regarding mandatory intervention with their family.
• To stay abreast of and comply with all changes in program policies, laws and regulations.
• To arrange and accompany children to medical, mental health or developmental examinations to ensure wellbeing needs of children are being met.
• Worker must maintain regular contact with the families and various collaterals including but not limited to education personnel, medical and mental health providers.
• Ability to effectively function under stress and to deal with conflict situations and hostile personalities. 
• Ability to use a computer, navigate the internet, send/receive emails, and use common software applications such as Microsoft Office. 
• Should be able to organize work and balance multiple cases, documentation, and other responsibilities.
• Understand family dynamics and risk factors that impact a family’s ability to care for children.
• Have strong verbal and written communication skills. 
• Should be skilled at assessing and evaluating indicators of child maltreatment and utilize critical thinking skills to process barriers for clients.
• Maintain records organized and current to assist in preparing for state reviews and audits.

Comprehensive and On-Going Assessment to include

•  Strengths and Needs and Family Reunification Risk Reassessment as required by policy. 
•  The ability of children to function within their biological family or within an alternative family setting to include Face to face visits must occur within 7 days of placement and then at least monthly to assess the child’s adjustment to their placement.
• Service providers ability to meet the developmental, mental health, and medical needs of both the children and their families.  
•  Appropriateness of the resource family (foster, kinship or adoptive) and their ability to meet the specific needs of the child. 
•  Potential relative placements for their ability to not only provide for the immediate needs of the child but the long-term needs if the permanent plan changes from reunification.
• Use the required assessment tools and evaluations at the required time frames as mandated by policy. As required by policy at each home visit either formally or informally assess for safety and well-being needs of the children with specific policy guidelines concerning safe sleep for children under the age of 1.
• Conduct trauma screenings and refer for appropriate trauma assessment and treatment services at initiation of services and every 6 months thereafter and refer for Trauma Informed Comprehensive Clinical Assessments as determined needed and ensure service recommendations for children are provided.
• Perform comprehensive Kinship assessments when children are placed with kins. Request and attend staffing of home studies of potential families that may provide placements with legal permanency through custody or guardianship. 

Development of the Out of Home Family Services Agreement (Case Planning)

• Must be completed within 30 days of placement and in partnership with the family.
• Must address the maltreatment and issues that brought the children into DSS custody.
• Must include specific services, strategies and supports needed to achieve the permanent plan.
• Must include a primary permanent plan and a concurrent plan that will be implemented if the primary plan is not achievable within the required time frames.
• Includes documentation to show the involvement of the family in the development of the agreement with clear time-specific objectives and activities that relate the strengths and needs of the parents. Noncustodial parents must be contacted and included in the development of the plan.
• Includes a visitation plan for children with their families and siblings if they are placed in separate homes. 

Implementation of the plan (Case Coordination, Direct Service Provision & Supportive Counseling)

• Negotiates and coordinates visitation for child and family. Arranges for supervision of visits when needed.
• Arranges for transportation of children and/their families to various appointments. Directly provides transportation only when there are no other suitable options.
•  Arrange/participate in Child and Family Team meetings, Permanency Planning Reviews,  and Shared Parenting process. Reviews the case plan as warranted by the family’s progress. 
• Coordinates with involved professionals such as therapists, doctors, school personnel, attorneys, judges, Guardian Ad Litems, speech therapists, etc. Requests evaluation, reports and other documents. Reviews professional evaluations and includes recommendations in the case plan. Ensures that recommendations of medical providers are followed as written.
• Discusses sensitive issues with children and their families in a supportive and confidential atmosphere.  
• Provides reunification services such as teaching appropriate parenting skills, problem-solving skills and assisting parents in making safe decisions concerning the welfare of their children. 
• Referral or monitoring of services needed to address maltreatment issues as appropriate, including referrals to DSS-provided clinical treatment such as TF-CBT
•  Prepares child, birth family, foster family and adoptive family for changes in the child’s placement and resulting separation and grief issues. As appropriate, referral to a therapist is made. Assist families in understanding psychological safety and the difficulties children may experience when they experience moves and changes in their life.  
• Educates families in basic child development and behavioral management techniques. Provides feedback to families and child. Mediates between parties. Maintains life book. Prepares child for adoption. Worker supervises child’s foster and adoptive placement until permanence and/or court relief is achieved.
• Work cohesively with external agencies to include, residential facilities, LME/MCOs, private licensing agencies to coordinate mental health services recommended for children. Complete extensive applications to service providers as determined necessary.
• Complete Interstate Compact home study requests as determined necessary and travel out of state every 6 months to visit children in out of state placements.

Fiscal Management 

• Serve as protective payee for some clients and will manage client’s financial affairs. The worker may assist the child’s family with financial counseling or referral. Insure children’s funds are used appropriately and remain within the budgetary limitations of their entitlement such as SSI or Social Security.
• Assist in maintaining the financial security of the agency by completing day sheets accurately and timely.
• Submit Child-specific Financial Agreements prior to placement.
• Assist families in identifying service providers that are within their financial means and/or accept their insurance when available.
• Submit all vouchers, pay agreements, time sheets, mileage forms within policy guidelines.

Administrative Functions

• Attend case staffing, unit meetings and Division Meeting.
• Complete all mandatory preservice training and 24 hours of additional training per year of service.
• Serve as a part of the Craven County Civil Defense team in the area of shelter management in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
• This position also assists in disaster relief efforts that includes but is not limited to shelter duty. Assignment to emergency shelter duty during times of potentially dangerous or manmade disasters is an essential function of this position and you shall be required to fulfill these duties when instructed. Position may perform other duties as assigned by the Social Work Supervisor III, Social Worker Program Administrator I, Social Work Program Manager, Director, and Deputy Director.

Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative (Child Welfare positions only); Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience; Master's degree in a human services field and one year of directly related experience; Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience; Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience.

Equivalent Training and Experience: MSW or BSW degrees are preferred. Other appropriate combinations of education and experience will be considered for trainee / work-against status. Directly related experience is defined as human services experience in the areas of case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psycho-social therapy and treatment planning. 

Special Requirements

• G.S. 153A-94.2(b) Subject to SBI criminal history record check prior to hire.
• Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license; any restrictions on North Carolina’s driver's license must not prohibit the performance of the essential functions of the position.

Salary : $61,119