Child Welfare Equity Practice Consultant (Closes 1/20)
About The Position
The Child Welfare Equity Practice Consultant is a senior-level practice advisor within the Office of Children, Youth and Families (OCYF). This position provides high-level consultation on child welfare practices through a strong equity lens, helping ensure that services are trauma-informed, inclusive, and culturally responsive for children, youth, and families involved in the child welfare system. This position plays a key role in supporting and implementing the equity strategies developed by the Department of Human Services’ Office of Equity and Engagement (OEE). The consultant works to embed OEE’s goals, tools, and direction into OCYF’s policies, practices, and casework by offering practice-level insights and recommendations to OCYF leadership. The consultant does not lead independent equity initiatives but instead functions as a bridge—ensuring that OEE’s strategic priorities are integrated into everyday decision-making and service delivery across OCYF.
Requirements
- Advanced knowledge of child welfare practice, including safety assessment, risk management, permanency planning, and family engagement.
- Deep understanding of equity, disproportionality, and systemic bias in child welfare systems, including impacts on Black families, LGBTQIA+ youth, immigrant and refugee families, and other historically underserved populations.
- Knowledge of trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and inclusive practice models.
- Familiarity with organizational change principles and applying equity strategies within large public-sector systems.
- Working knowledge of quality assurance, case review, and continuous improvement frameworks in child welfare.
- Understanding of data-informed practice, including interpreting dashboards, trends, and disparities in service delivery and outcomes.
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to convey complex concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
- Skill in facilitating difficult conversations related to bias, equity, and accountability with professionalism and credibility.
- Effective training and technical assistance skills, including coaching and reinforcing practice change over time.
- Knowledge of community engagement and cross-system collaboration within human services environments.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, DHS data dashboards, SharePoint, and virtual meeting platforms (e.g. Zoom, Teams). Familiarity with internal analytics tools and case management systems is preferred.
- Master’s degree in social work, public administration, public policy, psychology, sociology, education, or a closely related field
- At least 3 years of professional experience in child welfare, human services, or a related public-sector or community-based setting, including:
- Direct practice or supervision experience
- Demonstrated experience applying an equity lens to policy, practice, or systems-level work
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field
- At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in child welfare or human services, including significant experience in equity-focused practice improvement, consultation, or systems change.
- Act 33, 34 and FBI clearances.
- Valid driver’s license
Responsibilities
- Equity-Centered Case Consultation & Practice Guidance
- Alignment with DHS Equity Strategy
- Support for Organizational Practice Change
- Cross-System and Community Collaboration
- Staff Training & Technical Assistance
- Data & Evaluation
- Other duties as assigned.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
