General Statement of Duties
The primary purpose of this position is to provide child protective services to children at risk of abuse, neglect and/or depending. The social worker must consistently assess the immediate safety and risk of harm to children. Services include an assessment or investigation of all screened in reports of abuse, neglect, and/or dependency in a time limited manner. The primary purpose of the Child Protective Services Unit is to identify and provide protection to children who are abused, neglected and/or dependent. Child Protective Services provides protection to children through family assessments, investigation and in-home services. This unit is charged with helping families to achieve safety for children in their homes.
Duties and Responsibilities/Knowledge, Skills, Abilities
Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their applications to complex casework, treatment, and investigation of abuse or neglect of children; thorough knowledge of policies and procedures as evidenced by the ability to cite the authority of federal and state law; thorough knowledge of individual and group behavior, family dynamics, and medical, behavioral and/or psychosocial problems and their treatment theory. Considerable knowledge of governmental and private organizations and resources in the community. Ability to interact and motivate a resistant involuntary client population and the public who may not agree with the laws, rules or policies of the process or the programs; ability to prepare documentation such as written investigative reports for the court, case records and treatment plans; ability to testify as an expert witness; ability to employ advanced case management interview techniques to establish a supportive relationship and involve families in the initial assessment for the need of services; ability to quickly assess the risks and safety of the client environment during daylight hours, after dark and in high crime areas; ability to employ expert negotiation skills in the most complex cases; ability to analyze and assess child development safety issues in relation to risk factors; ability to analyze tense family situations and make decisions about removing children when the decision has to be made with limited direct information and limited access to consultation; ability to communicate effectively and establish supportive client relationships. Ability to perform manual work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
Child Protective Services Assessment, Investigations and Treatment Services:
Caseworker must respond to legally mandated reports of abuse, neglect, and dependency within a defined timeframe. This response should follow best practice guidelines for the appropriate track of either a Family Assessment or Investigation. Activities of either track include interviewing and observing all members of the alleged victim child’s household, the household itself, the child’s daily environment, identifying and interviewing key collateral contacts and participating in Child and Family Team Meetings. Employee must assess several key areas of the family’s interactions including the child’s safety in the home, the family’s risk level, the family’s overall strengths and needs and the family’s compliance with the identified service needs. All state and federal mandates must be met and documented within the NCFAST Automated System. Employee must continually assess need for Juvenile Court involvement and/or Foster Care placement of the child should the risk level become to great. Employee must also ensure that family is referred to appropriate services as needed and monitor that the family is accessing these services. Employee must coordinate Child and Family Team Meetings to develop goal-specific, targeted, and measurable case plans designed to maintain the child in the home (family preservation) and designed to reduce the child’s risk of abuse, neglect, or dependency by assisting the family in correcting the issues that lead to original involvement. Employee is responsible for reviewing previous Child Protective Services records and must identify and request records from other key professional agencies. Employee is also responsible for coordinating with other agencies to provide the family with any and all services identified, not limited to Child Protective Services. Employee testifies in court, works with court officials, and prepares documents for court submission.
On-Call Coverage:
Caseworker will serve as agency-on-call worker on a rotational basis. According to North Carolina General Statue, the agency must provide protective services for children and adults at all times. In addition to receiving and assessing reports of child and adult abuse/neglect, the agency receives requests for other types of assistance after normal business hours. Such assistance includes crisis management of children in foster care and adults for whom the agency has been appointed legal guardian. Other types of assistance requested involves emergency shelter assistance for homeless people, food, heating and cooling related crisis and crisis involving domestic violence and mental health issues. On-call responsibility is rotated among child welfare social workers classified as a Social Worker IA&T.
Desirable Education and Experience
Master’s degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work experience; or a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience; or Master’s degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a four-year degree in a human services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience; or graduation from a four-year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling or a related human service field providing experience in the techniques of casework, group work or community organization; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. One year of work experience can be credited for completion of the social work collaborative.
