CHILD PROTECTION SPECIALIST - BLOOMINGTON

Job Responsibilities

Under direction of the team supervisor, receives and investigates reports of child abuse and neglect within mandated time limits; assesses immediate safety of children and initiates appropriate levels of protection needed; conducts home evaluations, observing family situations relating to allegations of abuse and neglect; interviews clients and professionals to obtain information for the purposes of making a finding and determining protection and service needs; conducts service assessments; on a rotating basis, assigned to 24 hour “on call” duty in addition to normal assignments; prepares investigation reports; selects, summarizes, and presents case material for transfer to permanency caseworker or community agencies; determines the need for and coordinates the placement of children in substitute care facilities.

• Receives and investigates reports of alleged child abuse/neglect within mandated time limits; assesses immediate safety of children and initiates appropriate levels of child protection needed; drives to conduct home evaluations, observing family situations relating to allegations of child abuse/neglect; interviews clients and professionals to obtain information for purposes of making a finding on the allegations and determining protection and service needs; conducts service assessments; provides information and referral services to community agencies, purchase of service agencies, and the permanency unit; briefly monitors families referred to community services; on a rotating basis, assigned to 24 hour “on call” duty in addition to normal assignments, to ensure that services are provided as mandated by statute and policy.
• Prepares investigation reports for assessing validity of reports of allegations; completes forms authorizing payment for services provided to clients; prepares other statistical and narrative reports, which include documentation in the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System; completes service assessments and opens case records.
• Selects, summarizes, and presents case material for transfer to permanency caseworker or community agencies; attends supervisory conferences and consults with other disciplines regarding casework planning; makes recommendations for additional follow-up services.

(Job Responsibilities continued)

• Determines the need for and coordinates the placement of children in substitute care facilities; provides recommendations and testifies in court regarding investigative findings.
• Attends multi-disciplinary diagnostic and technical staff conferences to assess needed services; develops and maintains working relationships with community and other state agencies; explains agency responsibilities to the community.
• Transports clients when taking protective custody, when placing them in substitute care, and when changing placement location; transports clients to appointments (i.e., court hearings, medical appointments, counseling sessions, police station, etc.) and to necessitate the delivery of client services.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Preferably requires a master's degree in social work;
• OR
• Requires a master's degree in a related human service field, in criminal justice, criminal justice administration, or law enforcement and one year of directly related professional experience;
• OR
• Requires a bachelor's degree in social work and one year of directly related professional experience;
• OR
• Requires a bachelor's degree in a related human service field, in criminal justice, criminal justice administration, or law enforcement and two years of directly related professional experience.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires ability to satisfactorily pass an in-depth background check as a condition of employment.
• Requires possession of a valid driver's license, daily access to an automobile, and proof of vehicle insurance.
• Requires ability to serve on 24-hour "on call" duty

Physical Requirements

• Requires physical, visual and auditory ability to carry out assigned duties.

Education Major

• social work
• or a related human service field, in criminal justice, criminal justice administration, or law enforcement