Child Welfare Specialist II (After Hours Worker)

Follow your calling, Find your career!!

Salary Range: $27.57 to $34.46 per hour.  This is a non-exempt (hourly) position.  Please note: Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity. Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant’s salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.

At Mecklenburg County, you’ll have the chance to build a career as unique as you are with support, inclusive culture, and technology to become the best version of you. We’re counting on YOUR unique voice and perspective to help Mecklenburg County become even better, too.  Join us and build an exceptional experience for yourself, and a better working world for all.

Youth and Family Services Division (YFS) of the Department of Social Services (DSS) provides a variation of services to safeguard children by strengthening the protective capacities of families whose children’s health, safety and well-being are at risk. The mission of DSS is to strengthen families and communities through a safety-net of services, collaborations, and hope. The Department’s vision is to define and cultivate an organizational culture that is more compassionate and understanding toward each other and our clients. YFS firmly believes the people who do this work are our most important resource.  As such, children and families deserve trained, skillful professionals to engage and effectively assist them.  If you have a passion for social work and making a difference in your local community, come join our Youth and Family Services team!

Position Summary:

In Youth and Family Services, this position provides community-based services to individuals, groups, families, or communities regarding issues including child abuse, neglect, dependency, delinquency, and adoption. Children and family needs include mental health, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, housing, childcare, or medical care and other life domains. This position in Youth and Family Services, under general supervision, is responsible for providing evaluation, case management, counseling, formal and informal comprehensive assessments, and referral services to assist in meeting the needs of the children and families.

The incumbents will also be responsible for managing the CARES Line (CPS Hotline), processing CPS Intake Referrals, and screening referrals for potential child abuse, neglect, and dependency.

*This position operates strictly outside of standard business hours, with shifts scheduled between 4:00 pm and 8:00 am on weekdays and 24-hour coverage on weekends. This is an 8-hour shift position, and the specific shift for this position is 5:00 pm-2:00 am (weekdays)/ 12:00 pm-9:00 pm (weekends) rotating schedule.

Essential Functions:

Receives reports from the community of suspected child abuse, neglect, and dependence

Screens reports to determine if Child Protective Services (CPS) has legal authority to conduct an assessment

Assigns a response time in which CPS must begin the assessment for an accepted report

Assess needs of individuals and/or families; and provide counseling and services in both individual and group settings and discuss goals, expected outcomes and means with which to meet goals and expected outcomes to include the development of Family Service Agreement 

Assist clients in the completion of required paperwork for items that may determine program eligibility, referrals, or provide job assistance, such as job application

Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems, to determine what services are required to meet their needs

Refer clients to community resources for services such as job placement, debt counseling, legal aid, housing, medical treatment, or financial assistance, and provide concrete information, such as where to go and how to apply

Provide, find, or arrange for support services, such as childcare, homemaker service, prenatal care, substance abuse treatment, job training, counseling, or parenting classes, to prevent more serious problems from developing

Determine clients' eligibility for sponsored programs and financial assistance; and ensure timely benefits and referrals to other agencies, whether internal or community based

Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions

Monitor residential facilities for compliance with licensure standards, provide technical assistance, investigate complaints against licensed facilities

Arrange for medical, psychiatric, and other tests that may disclose causes of difficulties and indicate remedial measures.

Collect supplementary information needed to assist client, such as employment records, medical records, or school reports

Manage records and documentation of services provided and maintain history records

Complete court reports and testify in juvenile and adult court hearings

Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients

Serve as liaisons between students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, medical and behavioral health providers, and other contacts, to help children and adults who face problems such as disabilities, abuse, inability to meet daily functional needs or poverty

May be required to work varying shifts to include evening and weekends

May be required to staff shelters in the event of a disaster

 Please click on this link to view a Realistic Job Preview video. It is our hope that after you view this video, you will gain a better understanding of the different service areas within YFS.  Additionally, identify the area you feel your skills and passions are best suited for, and learn about some of the challenges/rewards you may experience.

Please click on this link to view the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Child Welfare Specialist II Realistic Job Preview video.

Minimum Qualifications:

Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in social work AND one of the following: two years of social work experience; qualifying internship; successful completion of the NC Child Welfare Collaborative program

OR master’s in social work

OR bachelor’s degree in related major AND two years of social work experience

OR master’s degree in related major AND two years of social work experience.

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Social Work or related major

Combination of relevant education and relevant experience accepted? Yes

Licenses and Certifications

Requires a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver's License

Requires County Driving Privileges

Annual Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check required

*Candidate must obtain fingerprint clearance to access the KBCOP database within 90 days of hire.

We recently changed our degree requirement and now accept a larger variety of Human Services degrees such as: Clinical Social Work, Counseling, Criminology/ Criminal Justice, Gerontology, Human Development Learning, Human Services, Psychology, Social Science, Sociology, Substance Abuse Rehabilitation.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master's degree preferred

Bilingual applicants with (Spanish and English) proficiency preferred. Will be required to pass the County’s Bilingual Assessment in order to receive a paid Bilingual Premium.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge of

Intermediate knowledge of social services procedures, practices, and methods

Knowledge of work principles and available resources

Social services procedures, practices, and methods

Social services related federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations relating to provision of public assistance, and social welfare

Case management methods and techniques

Services offered by the county and other local public and private community based service agencies

Skills

Evaluating records to ensure accreditation standards are met.

Exercising judgment and discretion

Maintaining various confidential records

Managing and executing multiple tasks

Possessing strong communication skills

Prioritizing work

Abilities

Adaptability: Maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusting effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures

Building Customer Loyalty: Effectively meeting customer needs; building productive customer relationships; taking responsibility for customer satisfaction and loyalty

Building Partnerships: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, units, or organizations to help achieve business goals.

Building Trust: Interacting with others in a way that instills confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization

Care Management: Having the knowledge and skills to secure relevant patient care data and identify key issues and relationships in the management of patient care; understanding the relationships among assessments, interventions, and patient responses; skilled in documentation of assessments and adjusting physical and cognitive prescriptions as needed

Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided

Customer Focus: Ensuring that the customer perspective is a driving force behind business decisions and activities; crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers’ and own organization’s needs.

Decision Making: Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences

Inspiring Others: Using interpersonal styles and methods to inspire and guide individuals toward higher levels of performance

Managing Conflict: Dealing effectively with others in an antagonistic situation; using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to reduce tension or conflict between two or more people

Work Standards: Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed

Computer Skills

Intermediate in various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite

Reasonable Accommodations Statement:

To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Disclaimer Statement:

This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, requirements or working conditions. Other duties may be assigned based on business need and the supervisor’s request. Mecklenburg County reserves the right to revise the job description at any time. Designated positions may be required to assist in emergency and/or disaster situations.