Child Welfare Placement Worker

Office of Shared Administration•Statewide, WV

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Bureau for Social Services champions the security, permanence, and welfare of children and vulnerable adults, empowering individuals and strengthening families. Formerly the Bureau for Children and Families, the Bureau for Social Services operates under the West Virginia Department of Human Services, serving children, adolescents, and vulnerable adults facing abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation. Equipped with extensive training to handle delicate situations with compassion and dignity, these workers contribute to the advancement of a vibrant and healthy West Virginia by facilitating access to crucial healthcare, essential social services and benefits, and fostering safe, supportive, and healthy environments. Through this hard work, at risk populations can begin to thrive within the community.

Requirements

Valid WV driver’s license
Reliable transportation
Strong communication skills, both oral and written
Maintain detailed case records and extensive documentation
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
Accessibility to a phone
Successful completion of a background check is required for employment.

Responsibilities

Recruit, locate, and evaluate prospective foster care homes.
Train new and active home providers.
Conduct periodic reviews of providers and initiate corrective action plans when needed.
Interact with various professional practitioners in the fields of social work, mental health, court, and the legal system.
Perform written documentation of casework and related activities.
Attend ongoing training to develop comprehensive knowledge of State and Federal social welfare laws, rules, regulations, and evolving protocols regarding child abuse and neglect.
Conduct interviews to identify safe placement options for victims of abuse or neglect by talking with and visually observing prospective providers, their homes, or facilities.
Assess prospective placement candidates using established guidelines to determine if the needs of the children can be met under the current requirements.
Complete reviews of care providers to determine dynamics and problems that may have arisen since placement.
Develop effective communication with new foster home providers that address safety, well-being, and permanency of children.
Attend court hearings, testifying before the court, and making appropriate placements of children, including but not limited to staying with relatives, in foster homes, residential treatment facilities.
Evaluate the progress of families or living environments towards meeting objectives of safety/service/treatment plans, the need to modify plans, and the eventual disposition of cases.