CPS Conservatorship Worker

Texas Health & Human Services Commission • Houston, TX

10d • $3,817 - $5,372 • Onsite

About The Position

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is hiring a CPS Conservatorship Worker to serve children removed from their homes and placed in CPS conservatorship. Conservatorship workers are legally responsible for monitoring children’s welfare while they are in out-of-home care and work with children, parents, extended family, caregivers, courts, and community partners to help each child achieve a permanent, safe living arrangement. 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 a hiring salary increase.

The work involves assessing children’s needs and safety, coordinating referrals and services, identifying family and kinship placement resources, supporting reunification and adoption plans, and documenting case activity. Workers meet with children and families in homes and public settings, attend meetings and court proceedings, prepare reports, and collaborate with attorneys, caregivers, and community professionals. The role is mobile, with most work conducted away from the office using mobile technology, and requires frequent travel, occasional overnight travel, rotating on-call availability, and flexibility to work irregular hours and attend appointments after 5 p.m.

The position is based in Houston, Texas, and is not eligible for telework. The posting indicates travel of up to 85%; further information describes being on the road about 60% of the time, with frequent travel within and sometimes outside the assigned region. The role requires use of the applicant’s personal motor vehicle, a current valid Texas driver’s license, an acceptable driving record, and proof of license, insurance, and driving record. The position may transition to a private nonprofit Single Source Continuum Contractor under the state’s Community-Based Care program, with office location subject to change within the same county before 2029.

Applicants selected for hire must pass applicable background and driver-record checks, drug screening, and an FBI fingerprint check. DFPS employees in eligible positions are assigned a cellular phone. The job includes physical work such as frequent standing, hearing, and talking; occasional climbing; occasional lifting or exertion; and occasional exposure to adverse environmental conditions. Reasonable accommodations may be available.

Requirements

• Meet the applicable education and experience screening criteria for the level considered: 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 includes paid or volunteer work in social, human, or protective services serving families or other at-risk populations.
• For Worker II eligibility, additionally meet one of the stated DFPS experience and certification or prior/current Specialist II criteria.
• For Worker III eligibility, additionally meet one of the stated DFPS experience and certification or prior/current Specialist III criteria.
• For Worker IV eligibility, additionally meet one of the stated DFPS experience and certification or prior/current Specialist IV criteria.
• 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 and other work-related appointments and meetings after 5 p.m.
• Ability to be on call on a rotating basis and work irregular hours.
• Ability to work in an emotionally charged environment and conduct home visits in isolated or high-crime areas, potentially encountering substandard or unsanitary living conditions.
• Use a personal motor vehicle to perform job functions; 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; provide proof of driving record, insurance, and license.
• Pass required drug screening and applicable background, driver-record, and FBI fingerprint checks.
• Comply with agency cybersecurity and communications-system usage policies and related training requirements.
• Be familiar with WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 accessibility standards for creating accessible electronic information resources.

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 newly hired employees for an increase at the point of 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 ensure appropriate referrals for testing, evaluations, records, and assessments are made, with services focused on 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 or family.
• Search for kinship providers throughout the case and complete home studies of family members or family friends who may care for the child.
• Meet with parents to assess risk and safety, identify behavior changes needed for child safety, refer parents to appropriate services, and discuss progress toward change.
• Meet with children, parents, family friends, and foster homes in public and in their homes.
• Collaborate with the Placement Team, including Kinship staff, on 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 children’s needs, family progress, and agency efforts toward permanency.
• Keep children, parents, caregivers, court-appointed attorneys, and guardians ad litem informed about children’s circumstances and significant events.
• Work with the department’s attorney to prepare for contested court 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, seven days a week at designated times.
• Transition children home during reunification services and support families until the legal case is closed.
• Supervise adoptive placements until adoption is final or the case transfers to an adoption caseworker.
• Use effective time-management skills to complete key tasks.
• Document case records through forms, narratives, and reports.
• Develop and maintain working relationships with CPS staff, law enforcement, judicial officials, legal resources, medical professionals, and other community resources.
• Perform other duties as assigned or 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 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 on 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.
• DFPS cellular phone for employees in eligible positions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree