A Day in the Life:

Responsibilities include:

• Investigate reported incidents of child abuse, neglect, or dependency, determine whether the incident is substantiated, and develop recommendations to a Juvenile Court or County Director for disposition.
• Assess the level of risk to the child for additional injury or harm, including whether the child is in imminent danger, and may remove the child from the family as the situation warrants, placing a child in a protected environment.
• Perform needs assessments to determine treatment options for families and children reported to be abused/neglected.  
• Testify and prepare pre-dispositional and progress reports, maintain case files, and develop briefing reports for the community child protection team. Develops “informal adjustment” plans with families and children to divert children from the juvenile justice system.
• Develop case plans to assist families and children to become more self-sufficient in a safe and nurturing environment and to ensure a permanent home for the child.
• Develop discharge/transition programming to assist families and children to attain and maintain self-sufficiency in a safe environment.
• Monitor and assess the service capability of treatment programs and providers to ensure consistency with the case plan.
• Accept on-call responsibility as needed to receive and investigate allegations of child abuse/neglect.
• Conduct home studies and family histories and recommend placement for adoption to an adoption team.
• Visit children in out-of-home placements to coordinate family reunification, adoption, or independent living efforts.
• Maintain data to help management evaluate trends in family and child needs.

Foster Care Support & Licensing:

• Guide prospective foster and kinship caregivers through the licensing process.
• Conduct home studies and ensure compliance with state and agency standards.
• Provide ongoing support, training, and monitoring for licensed foster homes.

The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

What You'll Need for Success:

Credentials:

• Bachelor’s degree, or 
• Associate degree with a minimum of two (2) years of human services job experience, or
• Completion of thirty (30) college credit hours from an accredited institution with a minimum of four (4) years of human services job experience, or
• A minimum of at least five (5) years of human services job experience.

Additional qualifications:

• Advanced knowledge of principles and practices of social work, casework, sociology and group and individual counseling including new methods and theories of treatment.
• Thorough knowledge of state and/or federal laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards affecting child protection services, foster care, family preservation and adoption.
• Thorough knowledge of related social services programs and ability to coordinate work among programs. 
• Specialized knowledge of the interrelationships of the various behavioral sciences as they affect care and treatment of patients/clients and/or objectives of social work projects.
• Ability to investigate and interview alleged victims and perpetrators of child abuse or neglect in an appropriate and effective manner.
• Ability to formulate and monitor project guidelines or treatment plans.
• Ability to prepare clear, accurate reports.
• Ability to work with families of diverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds with sensitivity to differences in child rearing practices, relationships and need.
• Ability to work with children with special needs such as mental or emotional conditions, the foster families, or the home willing to accept those children and the professionals who can appropriately provide services to them.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment while managing crises situations including those involving confrontational, aggressive adults being investigated for child abuse or neglect.
• Able to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Must maintain a valid driver's license. 

A degree is not required.  However, at least 5+ years of human services experience applying the outlined knowledge, skills, and abilities in a similar role may be considered.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports: