Child Social Worker

Maricopa County • Phoenix, AZ

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Come be a part of a dynamic legal team as a Child Social Worker at the Office of the Public Advocate! The Child Social Worker serves as a key member of our legal team, working closely with attorneys who represent children in dependency, severance, and delinquency matters, ensuring that the expressed interest of the child is emphasized. This position will involve working with our child clients, typically between the ages of 8 and 17, and their specific needs. We are looking for a skilled problem solver who can diffuse situations and resolve conflicts using good judgment while providing the critical communication and support necessary to keep our most vulnerable community members safe. If this describes you and you highly value serving our community, join our team and make a difference!

Requirements

• One year of direct experience within the child protection system as a case worker, family advocate, or social worker
• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Child Development, Behavioral or Social Science, or other closely related field
• Must possess or have the ability to obtain a valid Arizona driver's license by the time of hire

Nice To Haves

• Master's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, or other closely related field
• Two or more years of direct experience working within a child protection system as a case worker, family advocate, or social worker
• Casework within a public defender organization, an Arizona criminal justice agency, Arizona court department, or a probation department
• Experience applying policies, procedures, and state/federal laws related to child welfare within the state of Arizona
• Experience working with youth
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills

Responsibilities

• Meets with and communicates with the child in a juvenile detention facility, the office, and/or at various placements in the community to discuss their history, services, and needs
• Educates the child in the court process, case plan, and recommended services
• Identifies appropriate residential treatment centers, group homes, foster homes, and outpatient treatment programs as a resource for the child
• Participates in meetings with other professionals/stakeholders to obtain additional and current information as the case progresses
• Attends multi-disciplinary meetings with professionals/stakeholders to advocate for and advance the client’s expressed interest and takes notes for the attorney
• Interprets all written, verbal, and nonverbal information obtained; advises other professionals/stakeholders regarding the direction a case should take or services that need to be provided to the child
• Reviews police reports, pictures of evidence collected by detectives, forensic interviews, medical records, psychological and psychiatric evaluations, developmental assessments, counseling records, parent aide reports, educational assessments, substance abuse treatment records, and any other potential exhibit pertaining to a child abuse and neglect case
• Confers with the authors of the above reports as well as with other persons with knowledge about the child’s circumstance
• Testifies in court as an expert witness as needed
• Presents information on developmental expectations, signs, and symptoms of childhood trauma, alternate treatment modalities, child welfare law, child protective services policies and procedures, available community resources, and current best practices in the field to ensure appropriate care and treatment are provided to the child

Benefits

• Tuition reimbursement
• Exceptional work-life balance, with hybrid and alternative work schedule options
• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County
• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents
• Child care benefits, including access to the Maricopa County Kids Club
• Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave
• Extensive wellness program, including an incentive
• Enrollment in the Arizona State Retirement System, a defined retirement benefit requiring an 11.98% per paycheck contribution rate that includes a 100% employer match on Day 1

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level