CHILD PROTECTION SPECIALIST
About The Position
This position serves as a Child Protection Specialist within the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). DCFS is deeply committed to the welfare and protection of children, with the goal of protecting children by strengthening and supporting families. In every effort, from receiving hotline calls to reaching family reunification or foster care and adoption, children and families are the focus. This role involves preparing and maintaining reports, assessments, and case documentation, as well as selecting, summarizing, and presenting case material for transfer to permanency or intact/prevention caseworkers. The specialist will determine the need for and coordinate the placement of children in substitute care facilities, attend multi-disciplinary conferences to assess needed services, and transport clients when taking protective custody, placing them in substitute care, or changing placement locations. The position requires a valid driver's license, daily access to an automobile, and proof of vehicle insurance, along with completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history. Physical, visual, and auditory ability to carry out assigned duties is also required. Overtime, including evenings, weekends, and "on call" capacity, is a condition of employment.
Requirements
- Requires a valid driver's license, daily access to an automobile, and proof of vehicle insurance.
- Requires completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history.
- Requires physical, visual and auditory ability to carry out assigned duties.
- Overtime is a condition of employment, and you may be requested or required/mandated to work overtime, including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime. This requires the ability to work evenings and weekends. This also requires the ability to work in a 24 hour “on call” capacity.
Nice To Haves
- Preferably requires a master’s degree in social work
Responsibilities
- Serves as Child Protection Specialist
- Prepares and maintains a variety of reports, assessments, and case documentation
- Selects, summarizes, and presents case material for transfer to permanency caseworker or intact/prevention caseworker
- Determines the need for and coordinates the placement of children in substitute care facilities
- Attends multi-disciplinary diagnostic and technical staff conferences to assess needed services
- Transports clients when taking protective custody, when placing them in substitute care, and when changing placement location
- Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above
Benefits
- A Pension Program
- Competitive Group Insurance Benefits including Health, Life, Dental and Vision Insurance
- 3 Paid Personal Business Days annually
- 12 Paid Sick Days annually (Sick days carry over from year to year)
- 10-25 Days of Paid Vacation time annually - (10 days in year one of employment)
- Personal, Sick, & Vacation rates modified for 12-hour & part-time work schedules (as applicable)
- 13 Paid Holidays annually, 14 on even numbered years
- Flexible Work Schedules (when available dependent upon position)
- 12 Weeks Paid Parental Leave
- Deferred Compensation Program - A supplemental retirement plan
- Optional Pre-Tax Programs such as Medical Care Assistance Plan (MCAP), Dependent Care Assistance Plan (DCAP)
- Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility
- GI Bill® Training/Apprenticeship Benefits eligibility for qualifying Veterans
- 5% Salary Differential for Bilingual Positions
- Commuter Savings Program (Chicago only)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
