CPS Conservatorship Worker

Texas Health & Human Services Commission • Bastrop, TX

1d • $3,817 - $5,372 • Onsite

About The Position

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) seeks a CPS Conservatorship Worker to protect and support children who have been removed from their homes and placed in CPS conservatorship. The worker monitors children’s care, assesses their needs and safety, and works with parents, extended family, caregivers, courts, and community partners to help each child reach a safe, permanent living situation. The position may be filled at levels I through IV, with starting salary determined in part by education and experience. Newly hired employees with a master's degree in social work may qualify for an increase at hire.

The role is mobile, with most work performed away from the office using mobile technology. It involves frequent travel to homes and offices, including travel outside the assigned region and occasional overnight travel. The posting estimates travel at up to 85% in the position details and about 60% in the additional description. The worker must be able to work independently while remaining responsive to supervision and the assigned unit. Duties may require irregular hours, after-5 p.m. appointments, and rotating on-call availability.

DFPS offers a certification program intended to support professional development and career advancement. The position may transition from state employment to a local Community-Based Care contractor as that program is implemented; office location may change within the same county. Applicants selected for hire must complete required screening, including drug screening, background checks, and an FBI fingerprint check.

Requirements

• For Worker I: an accredited bachelor's degree; or an accredited associate 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 includes paid or volunteer work in social, human, or protective services serving families or other at-risk populations.
• For Worker II, III, and IV: meet the stated degree and relevant-work-experience alternatives for Worker I, plus the applicable DFPS employment and certification criteria: Worker II requires nine months as a CPS Specialist I and CPS Specialist Certification, or current or previous employment as a CPS Specialist II or CPS Investigations Specialist II; Worker III requires nine months as a CPS Specialist II and Advanced CPS Specialist Certification, or current or previous employment as a CPS Specialist III or CPS Investigations Specialist III; Worker IV requires 24 months as a CPS Specialist III and Senior Advanced CPS Specialist Certification, or current or previous employment as a CPS Specialist IV or CPS Investigations Specialist IV.
• Knowledge of child development and family dynamics.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and use problem-solving techniques.
• Ability to operate a personal computer.
• Ability to travel and attend child and family visits, appointments, and meetings after 5 p.m.
• Ability to work irregular hours and participate in rotating on-call coverage.
• Ability to work in an emotionally demanding environment and conduct visits in isolated or high-crime areas, including possible exposure to substandard or unsanitary living conditions.
• Use of a personal motor vehicle is required. Applicants must have reliable transportation, 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; proof of driving record, insurance, and license is required.
• Applicants selected for hire must pass a drug screening and background check; a driver-record check applies if relevant. An FBI fingerprint check is required for CPS conservatorship direct-delivery staff or applicants.
• Must meet applicable agency cybersecurity and communications-system usage policies and training requirements.
• Must be familiar with WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 accessibility standards for creating accessible electronic information resources.
• Must provide I-9 documentation showing identity and authorization to work in the United States.

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.

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, and assessments, ensuring services support positive permanency.
• Work with children, families, and communities to plan for each 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 kinship placement options and complete home studies for family members or family friends who may care for the child.
• Meet with parents to assess safety and risk, identify needed behavioral changes, refer them to appropriate services, and discuss progress toward addressing behaviors that endanger their children.
• Meet with children, parents, family friends, and foster homes in public places and in their homes.
• Collaborate with placement teams, including kinship staff, 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 participants before hearings, prepare court reports, and testify about the child's needs, family progress, and the department's efforts toward permanency.
• 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 providing case updates, returning calls, and, in some areas, being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at assigned 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 transfers to an adoption caseworker.
• Use time-management skills to complete key tasks and document case records through forms, narratives, and reports.
• Maintain effective working relationships with CPS staff, law enforcement, judicial officials, legal resources, medical professionals, and other community resources.
• Perform other duties required to maintain unit operations, demonstrate respect for cultural diversity, and attend work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.

Benefits

• 100% paid health insurance for the employee and 50% paid coverage 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, including gym memberships, electronics, and entertainment.
• Potential eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
• DFPS Certification Program offering professional development and the opportunity to earn additional compensation.
• Eligible newly hired employees will be assigned a DFPS cellular phone.

What This Job Offers

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