CPS Conservatorship Worker- Current DFPS Interns Only

Texas Health & Human Services Commission • Waco, TX

7d • $3,817 - $5,372 • Onsite

About The Position

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) works to build on the strengths of families and communities to keep children and vulnerable adults safe through investigations, services, and referrals. CPS Conservatorship Workers are legally responsible for a child’s welfare after the child is removed from home and placed in CPS conservatorship. They monitor the child’s care and work with parents, extended family, caregivers, and legal parties to help the child find a permanent, safe place to live.

The position receives cases after children are removed from their homes, assesses children’s needs, arranges referrals and services, and works toward positive permanency. Workers meet with children and families in homes and public locations, identify and assess kinship resources, coordinate with placement teams and community partners, and support children, parents, foster parents, and kinship caregivers. The role includes monthly child visits, participation in court proceedings, preparation of reports and testimony, and case documentation. Workers may help transition children home during reunification and supervise adoptive placements until the adoption is final or the case transfers to an adoption worker.

This is a full-time, day-shift role and is not eligible for telework. The position operates primarily in a mobile environment, using mobile technology such as a tablet while away from the office, and requires frequent travel, including travel outside the assigned region and occasional overnight travel. The posting estimates travel of up to 75% and notes that employees can expect to be on the road about 60% of the time. Workers may need to attend visits and appointments after 5 p.m., work irregular hours, and take rotating on-call duty. Applicants must use a reliable personal motor vehicle and hold a current, valid Texas driver’s license with an acceptable driving record.

The position may be filled at CPS Conservatorship Worker I through IV levels. A bachelor’s degree is one qualifying education route; the posting also lists alternatives combining college credit or an associate’s degree with relevant work experience. Higher worker levels have additional DFPS employment, tenure, and certification criteria. A master’s degree in social work may qualify a newly hired employee for an increase at hire. The role is restricted to current DFPS interns, as indicated in the job title.

DFPS offers a certification program intended to support professional development and career advancement. The position may transition from a state role to a private, nonprofit Single Source Continuum Contractor as Community-Based Care is implemented in the area; office location may change within the same county. Applicants selected for hire must pass applicable background and driver-record checks, drug screening, and a required FBI fingerprint check.

Requirements

• For Worker I, an accredited bachelor’s degree; or an accredited associate’s degree plus two years of relevant work experience; or 60 accredited college credit hours plus two years of relevant work experience; or 90 accredited college credit hours plus one year of relevant work experience.
• Relevant experience may include paid or volunteer work in social, human, or protective services, including service through agencies or communities providing support to families or other at-risk populations.
• Worker II additionally requires qualifying DFPS Specialist I employment and certification, current or prior DFPS Specialist II employment, or current or prior DFPS Child Protective Investigations Specialist II employment, as specified in the posting.
• Worker III additionally requires qualifying DFPS Specialist II employment and Advanced certification, current or prior DFPS Specialist III employment, or current or prior DFPS Child Protective Investigations Specialist III employment, as specified in the posting.
• Worker IV additionally requires qualifying DFPS Specialist III employment and Senior Advanced certification, current or prior DFPS Specialist IV employment, or current or prior DFPS Child Protective Investigations Specialist IV employment, as specified in the posting.
• Knowledge of child development and family dynamics.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate a personal computer.
• Ability to travel and attend child and family visits, appointments, and meetings, including after 5 p.m.
• Ability to work irregular hours and be on call on a rotating basis.
• Ability to work in an emotionally intense environment and conduct visits in isolated or high-crime areas, potentially encountering substandard or unsanitary living conditions.
• Must have a reliable personal motor vehicle, an acceptable driving record for the past five years, and a current, valid Texas driver’s license appropriate for the vehicle and passenger or cargo load; must provide proof of driving record, insurance, and license.
• Must pass required drug screening and applicable background, driver-record, and FBI fingerprint checks.

Nice To Haves

• Degree in Social Work, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, Education, or Public Health.
• Previous professional or volunteer experience in a government agency, nonprofit, child protection, foster care, juvenile justice, mental health, or substance abuse services.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care or experience conducting interviews or assessments with children and families.
• A master’s degree in social work may qualify a newly hired employee for an increase at hire.

Responsibilities

• Receive cases from investigators after children are removed from their homes and placed in CPS conservatorship and out-of-home care.
• Determine each child’s needs and arrange appropriate referrals for testing, evaluations, records, or further assessments, ensuring services support positive permanency.
• Work with children, families, and communities to plan for a child’s permanency.
• Identify potential permanency resources through ongoing contact with parents, relatives, and other important people identified by the child and family.
• Search for potential kinship providers and complete home studies of family members or family friends who may care for the child.
• Assess risk and safety with parents, identify behavior changes needed for child safety, refer parents to services, and discuss progress toward those changes.
• Meet with children, parents, family friends, and foster homes in public locations and in their homes.
• Collaborate with the Placement Team, including Kinship staff, to arrange placements as needed.
• Participate in meetings and conferences at times and places convenient for family members and others involved in the case.
• Visit children monthly to assess their sense of safety, plan for permanency, and discuss their needs, wishes, and progress in care.
• Attend and participate in court hearings; contact case parties before hearings, prepare court reports, and testify regarding the child’s needs, family progress, and the department’s permanency efforts.
• Keep children, parents, caregivers, court-appointed attorneys, and guardians ad litem informed about the child’s circumstances and significant events.
• Work with the department’s attorney to prepare for contested hearings and trials.
• Support kinship caregivers and foster parents by ensuring they have what they need to care for the child and keeping them informed about case developments; in some areas, be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at specified times.
• Transition children home during reunification services and support the family until the legal case closes.
• Supervise adoptive placements until adoption is final or the case is transferred to an adoption caseworker.
• Use effective time-management skills to complete key tasks.
• Document case records by completing forms, narratives, and reports for each client.
• Maintain effective working relationships with CPS staff, law enforcement, judicial officials, legal resources, medical professionals, and community resources.
• Perform other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
• Promote and demonstrate respect for cultural diversity among coworkers, clients, and work-related contacts.
• Attend work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.

Benefits

• 100% paid health insurance for the employee and 50% paid for eligible family members.
• Retirement plans with lifetime monthly payments after five years of state service, plus 401(k) and 457 savings plans.
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.
• Optional dental, vision, and life insurance at rates described as lower than most private plans.
• Flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care.
• Employee discounts on gym memberships, electronics, and entertainment.
• Potential eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• DFPS Certification Program with opportunities to develop skills and earn additional compensation.
• Eligible newly hired DFPS employees are assigned a DFPS cellular phone.

What This Job Offers

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