Children Services Caseworker

Greene County Board of Commissioners•Xenia, OH

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This position has the potential for advance placement based on education, experience and operational need. The role involves aiding individuals and families with problems concerning family relationships or other aspects of their social functioning affecting the unity of the family. This is achieved through safety and risk assessment, case management and planning, and interventions that support the well-being of children. The position offers multiple levels (Caseworker 1-4) with increasing responsibilities and pay rates, including performing activities with minimal supervision, assisting in coaching other caseworkers, and potentially acting as a team leader or supervisor in certain situations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a Human-Services related field, or a combination of education and experience sufficient to perform the duties of the position.
Must obtain a job-related bachelor’s degree not later than five years after the date employment commences (ORC 5153.112).
Any equivalent combination of education and/or related work experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above.
Valid Ohio driver’s license and proof of current vehicle insurance required.
1 year of experience in the delivery of Family and Children Services (for Caseworker 2).
2 years experience in the delivery of Family and Children Services (for Caseworker 3).
3 years of experience in the delivery of Family and Children Services (for Caseworker 4).

Nice To Haves

Advance placement based on education, experience and operational need.
Assists in coaching caseworker 1, while maintaining and staying current with own cases (Caseworker 2).
Assists in coaching caseworker 1 and 2 as a team leader, while maintaining and staying current with own cases (Caseworker 3).
Assists in coaching and mentoring caseworker 1, 2, and 3 as a team leader, while maintaining and staying current with own cases (Caseworker 4).
Provides training to agency staff and foster caregivers (Caseworker 2, 3, 4).
Will act as Supervisor in absence of Caseworker III, Caseworker IV, and Supervisor, including conducting case conferences, unit meetings, trainings, and other duties deemed necessary (Caseworker 2).
Will act as Supervisor in the absence of the Caseworker IV and Supervisor, (or as instructed, even while supervisor is present), including conducting unit meetings, training, case conferencing, reading Family Activity Sheets, supervising students, case transfers, quality assurance, and other duties deemed necessary (Caseworker 3).
May perform duties across common units in special circumstances (Caseworker 3, 4).
Demonstrates proficient skills in a specialized area developed through formal training of not less than 24 hours (beyond Core, basic requirements, and overviews or introductory levels; all hours obtained at caseworker 2 level) (Caseworker 3).
Knows the components of and can facilitate an effective meeting (Caseworker 3).
Facilitates Family Team Meetings and Primary Care Team Meetings as needed (Caseworker 3).
Chairs/leads internal work teams (Caseworker 3).
Leads in caseload analysis case reviews and uses established methodology to review cases (Caseworker 3).
Demonstrates expert skills in a specialized area developed through formal training of 40 hours or more (beyond Core, basic requirements, and overviews or introductory levels; all hours obtained at caseworker 3 level) (Caseworker 4).
Coaches, mentors, and provides guidance and leadership to students during their field placement or practicum (Caseworker 4).
Provides student and field supervisors with timely feedback to optimize the student’s learning experience (Caseworker 4).
Developed after employment (Caseworker 4).

Responsibilities

Performs related duties as required.
Determines whether children are safe or at imminent risk of harm.
Assesses allegations of abuse or neglect of children.
Develops an initial assessment or investigation plan, including whom to interview and in what order, what records and documents to obtain, what examinations to conduct, and who should be involved.
Analyzes assessment data and determines the need for interventions.
Assesses, delivers, and coordinates the delivery of services to abused, neglected, or dependent children, families, and substitute caregivers.
Determines whether children are safe in their own homes and what interventions will be needed to protect them.
Continually assesses children and families for abuse, neglect, and safety.
Ensures that needed emergency or crisis intervention services are delivered to the child and family.
Demonstrates a commitment to strengthening families and empowering others to solve their own problems.
Supports the capacity of people to grow and change.
Studies children’s physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral makeup and applies knowledge of human behavior and successful intervention methods with adults and children at various developmental stages to determine the underlying behaviors or conditions that contribute to risk or maltreatment such as substance abuse, domestic violence, mental illness, etc.
Works with the family to identify the behaviors or conditions that must be addressed to reduce or eliminate the risk of maltreatment.
Evaluates the family’s progress toward reducing or eliminating future maltreatment risks.
Identifies strengths and needs and engages the family in a strength-based, family-centered assessment process.
Assesses a family’s readiness to change and employs appropriate strategies for increasing motivation and building the helping relationship.
Refers children, parents, family members, and substitute caregivers to supportive community resources for services (including, but not limited to childcare, mental health services, substance use treatment, homemaker services, emergency and crisis intervention, etc.) to help them address issues that may be placing children at risk.
Makes visits with all children in care according to agency procedures and state mandates.
Arranges and supervises visits between children in placement and primary families.
Develops, writes, implements, monitors, and enters strengths-based, family-centered plans for each family into the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS), keeping objectives current, applicable, and within appropriate limits.
Demonstrates the ability to maintain accurate and comprehensive case management documentation and reports within required timeframes.
Writes, reviews, compiles and maintains accurate, up-to-date case management records.
Presents self to agency personnel, clients, and the public in a professional, competent, and culturally sensitive manner void of discrimination, sexual harassment, exploitation, coercion, manipulation, abuse, neglect, impaired practice, and conflicts of interest.
Develops and maintains professional relationships with families while treating them with courtesy, respect, dignity, empathy, and as individuals.
Establishes and maintains effective relationships with representatives of various social services agencies, county officials, court officials, law enforcement, and other parties interested in children services.
Develops collaborative relationships to provide team-oriented services and accomplish agency mission.
Supports community activities that may have an impact on the agency.
Actively participates in internal agency meetings, including but not limited to case reviews, semi-annual reviews, family team meetings, division meetings, agency work teams, etc.
Prepares and files court complaints, motions, and case-related documents with the court.
Prepares case testimony and documentation for court hearings.
Coordinates with the prosecuting attorney to present the case to the court.
Attends court hearings.
Collaborates with representatives of the judicial system on case-related matters.
Identifies and locates appropriate placement resources for children entering care or moving while in care.
Plans for, places, and is responsible for services to children in foster, kinship, adoptive homes, group homes, and treatment centers, including the support of caregivers.
Completes search and engagement activities.
Works with primary families to create a permanent plan for a child in their own home, kinship care, foster care, group care, or adoptive care.
Locates prospective foster and adoptive homes.
Participates in adoption match meetings as requested.
Assesses the specific needs of children available for adoption.
Handles requests for and provides post-finalization services.
Provides services to kinship care providers, foster parents, and adoptive parents.
Completes home studies on possible kinship caregivers and documentation for placements.
Assists kinship caregivers in identifying and accessing appropriate training and support.
Researches and writes a thorough Child Study Inventory for children in the permanent custody of Greene County Children Services.
Completes semi-annual updates of Child Study Inventories for children remaining in the permanent custody of Greene County Children Services.
Provides culturally competent services to clients, the public, and colleagues in a manner sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socio-economic characteristics.
Provides after-hours coverage, as required by the beeper rotation schedule.
Transports clients and/or children in agency and personal vehicles.
Attends training based on identified training needs and utilizes concepts learned in training to improve practice.
Completes annual required training.
Knows and adheres to applicable agency procedures and states rules.
Protects clients’ rights to privacy and confidentiality as established by law and professional standards of practice.
Understands and incorporates the agency’s Code of Ethics into casework practice.
Articulates the needs of families and children to the community and solicits appropriate community involvement in meeting those needs.
Provides training to the community.
Works to prepare foster caregivers, mentors, or support persons to effectively meet their obligations and assures up-to-date information is available to enhance their effectiveness.
Participates as agency representative on external county and state teams and work groups.
Develops skills and knowledge of other service areas through activities such as cross-training and job shadowing.
Coordinates special projects as assigned.
Conducts case transfers and case conferences.
Facilitates Family Team Meetings as needed.
Coaches, mentors, and provides guidance and leadership to less-tenured caseworkers, including but not limited to: answering questions, attending court, going on client visits, explaining paperwork, timelines, policies, procedures, etc.
Provides training to agency staff and foster caregivers.
Will act as Supervisor in absence of Caseworker III, Caseworker IV, and Supervisor, including conducting case conferences, unit meetings, trainings, and other duties deemed necessary.
Shares information from training with unit staff.
Will act as Supervisor in the absence of the Caseworker IV and Supervisor, (or as instructed, even while supervisor is present), including conducting unit meetings, training, case conferencing, reading Family Activity Sheets, supervising students, case transfers, quality assurance, and other duties deemed necessary.
May perform duties across common units in special circumstances.
Demonstrates proficient skills in a specialized area developed through formal training of not less than 24 hours (beyond Core, basic requirements, and overviews or introductory levels; all hours obtained at caseworker 2 level).
Knows the components of and can facilitate an effective meeting.
Facilitates Family Team Meetings and Primary Care Team Meetings as needed.
Chairs/leads internal work teams.
Leads in caseload analysis case reviews and uses established methodology to review cases.
Demonstrates expert skills in a specialized area developed through formal training of 40 hours or more (beyond Core, basic requirements, and overviews or introductory levels; all hours obtained at caseworker 3 level).
Coaches, mentors, and provides guidance and leadership to students during their field placement or practicum.
Provides student and field supervisors with timely feedback to optimize the student’s learning experience.
Developed after employment.