Children's Services/ICW - Child Welfare Caseworker I

Puyallup Tribe of Indians • Tacoma, WA

16h • Onsite

About The Position

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians is committed to protecting and exercising the inherent inalienable sovereign rights of the Tribe and Individuals in the interest of the Medicine Creek Treat Territories, as stewards to ensure preservation of our cultural and environmental integrity for common good and prosperity for all.

Position Summary:
To develop, implement and evaluate case plans for families who are working with Puyallup Tribe Children Services. Facilitates family reunification or other permanent placement planning as deemed necessary by the Tribal Court. Initiates life-changing decisions based solely on the best interest of the children.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A. in a related social services field or a B.S.W.) from a four-year college or university.
• Intermediate word processing skills (Microsoft Word) is required.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Must possess independent decision making skills, have or be willing to learn de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification and HIV/AIDS training certificate.
• Must pass Washington State Department of Social and Health Services criminal history and CPS background inquiry every two years unless otherwise indicated.
• Must have and maintain a valid and unrestricted Washington State driver’s license and proof of insurance. Driver’s License must not contain any restrictions that would otherwise prevent an employee from driving a GSA vehicle.
• Must be insurable to occasionally drive Tribal vehicles.
• Must be willing to obtain and pass a TB (tuberculosis) test.
• Willing to attend training for professional development.
• Knowledge of legal requirements of Puyallup Tribal Court- Children’s Code, and U.S. Federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.
• Knowledge of Native American family dynamics. Sensitive to and familiar with the social/cultural needs of Tribal children and their families.
• Must pass tuberculosis test.
• Knowledge of DCYF systems and procedures.
• Willing to travel with little or no notice.
• Requires the ability to operate a typewriter, personal computer, multi-line telephone, calculator, facsimile and photocopier.
• Requires the ability to read, write, communicate, and interpret information accurately in English.
• Requires the ability to concentrate and consistently produce accurate work.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required talk or hear.
• The employee is frequently required to sit.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; reach with hands and use hands to finger, handle and feel.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge and experience using spreadsheet applications (Microsoft Excel) is preferred.
• Experience interviewing children and families is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Works collaboratively with assigned CPS investigators and families in developing initial case plans.
• Initiates, facilitates and assists in obtaining referrals to outside agencies and professional providers in establishing services necessary to achieve case plan goals in collaboration with parents and families.
• Consistently engage in active efforts throughout the life of the case with children, parents and families.
• Performs case consultation and collaboration with court personnel, professional therapists, medical personnel, school officials, legal professionals, and other community agencies for optimal outcomes of case plans.
• Prepares detailed, comprehensive and fact based Social Service reports and testimony to court in accordance to the Child and Family Protection Code. Develops case summaries, and attends predetermined and emergency court proceedings. Stays informed of all court proceedings (i.e. Children in Need of Care, reviews, etc.).
• Adhere to all of the Child and Family Protection Code timeframes which includes all court required filings.
• Arranges and supervises (when necessary) visitations between children, parents, siblings and extended family members to maintain familial bond when safe and appropriate.
• Maintains up to date case records of case progress including, but not limited to; case notes, court documents, school and health records, correspondence, placement records, and visitations. Also responsible for administration of financial support records, service agreements, service episode information, tribal affiliation and enrollment.
• Prepares and presents various case summaries for team, supervisor and the Puyallup Tribe Indian Child Welfare Act Committee when needed and applicable.
• Maintains and ensures extreme level of confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries regarding clients.
• Conducts regular and emergent home visits and monthly health and safety with children, parents and placement providers to maintain the wellbeing of children in the care of Puyallup Tribe Children’s Services.
• Participate in regular case staffing with supervisor and promptly inform of any significant changes in the case.
• Prioritize workload based on client needs.
• Transport clients to and from appointments as needed.
• Completes and prepares in-depth home studies for the purpose of adoption, guardianship and relative/kinship placements of children.
• Completes all appropriate background clearances prior to placing a child in a home.
• Available to respond to afterhours emergencies as needed.
• Ability to adapt and be flexible to constant changes in Tribal and State Children’s Services systems.
• Adheres to the Child and Family Protection Code; Duty to Report Child Abuse and Neglect.
• Participates in departmental staff meetings and trainings.
• Will continuously engage in professional development including but not limited to, cross training throughout the department and keeping up with the latest trends and best practices of child welfare service delivery.
• Participate in departmental community outreach.
• Responsible for rotating as back-up coverage for after hour emergencies.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• employer paid medical, dental, vision, life insurance, a retirement/401(k) plan with profit sharing, paid holidays, and paid time off including birthday leave.

What This Job Offers

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