Family Safety Practitioner II - Foster Care

Fairfax County•Fairfax (Ej27), VA

About The Position

Fairfax County’s Department of Family Services, Division of Children, Youth, and Families, is hiring a Family Safety Practitioner II in the Foster Care and Adoption Program. The practitioner provides clinical casework services to support permanency for children in foster care and to support their parents and caregivers. The role works with children and families to promote safety, permanency, and well-being, and may involve services that are non-voluntary or protective in nature. The position’s regular hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Evening or weekend work is required, and the practitioner must participate in an on-call rotation that can include evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours, with immediate field response when needed. The position is considered essential personnel and may require reporting to work during county-designated unscheduled leave. The work includes home visits and face-to-face contacts; assessments of safety, permanency, well-being, family functioning, and children’s needs; service planning; coordination with families and service providers; crisis response; and court-related casework. The practitioner maintains detailed case records and prepares reports and legal documentation in accordance with applicable policies and laws. This position may involve risks of secondary traumatic stress and requires mobility for home visits, meetings, court appearances, and community events. A $2,500 signing bonus is offered to new full-time county hires.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a human services field, or a bachelor’s degree in any field plus at least two years of appropriate and related experience in a human services area.
Applicants who do not yet meet the degree requirement must be in the last semester of a qualifying degree program at the time of application.
Valid driver’s license.
Ability to complete state-mandated training in the assigned functional area within the specified period.
Satisfactory completion of criminal background, driving-record, and Child Protective Services checks.
Knowledge of child-protection and foster-care and adoption laws, rules, and regulations.
Knowledge of social-work principles and practices, case management, childhood trauma and attachment, and current social-service problems and approaches.
Ability to interview, assess needs, counsel, make referrals, analyze case information, and reach sound decisions.
Ability to apply governing policy and statutes, best practices, and case-specific factors using critical thinking and judgment.
Ability to engage empathetically and effectively with people from different cultures, including in stressful, time-limited, and safety-sensitive situations.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely orally and in writing, including preparing accurate, behaviorally specific reports with conclusions and recommended actions.
Ability to use automated case-management and documentation technology to establish and maintain case records.
Ability to maintain professional ethics, confidentiality, sensitivity, and appropriate boundaries.
Ability to establish effective working relationships with diverse individuals, community partners, and organizations and collaborate as a team member.
Ability to schedule and manage workload to meet deadlines.
Ability to explain complex rules and guidelines and work with judicial systems and processes as needed.
Ability to navigate stressful and crisis situations and participate in self-reflective practice; working knowledge of the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Professional Ethical Standards.
Ability to make home visits and attend meetings, court appearances, and community events outside the office.
Ability to lift, carry, and diaper infants.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in social work (MSW) or a related human services degree.
Three years of experience in social work, psychology, sociology, counseling, or a related area.
Experience in child welfare.
Experience with professional case management.
Experience working with the court system, testifying, and filing affidavits.
Experience working with a diverse multicultural population.
Current or previous work experience as a social services specialist with Fairfax County.
Bilingual ability in English and another language is encouraged.

Responsibilities

Conduct face-to-face contacts and home visits to ensure children’s safety and assess their physical, emotional, and educational needs.
Conduct comprehensive assessments of safety, permanency, well-being, educational and independent-living needs, substance use, developmental concerns, family relationships, parenting capacity, social supports, health challenges, and basic needs.
Collaborate with parents, prior custodians, foster parents, and children, when appropriate, to develop family-centered service plans.
Coordinate services for children and families, including counseling, medical care, parenting support, and domestic-violence interventions.
Respond to and intervene in placement-related emergencies involving foster homes, congregate care, and trial home placements.
Prepare and submit service plans and other court documents; consult with the county attorney; write affidavits; file petitions; and testify in court as needed.
Document assessments, critical incidents, case contacts, progress notes, and service plans promptly and in accordance with policy.
Participate in required trainings, meetings, and workgroups; contribute to written materials; and coordinate or attend intra-agency and inter-agency meetings.
Participate in an on-call rotation, including evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours, with possible immediate field response.
Perform other duties as assigned to ensure child safety and improve family outcomes.
Perform safety and risk assessments and casework under applicable state and federal policies and laws.
Engage county residents in services that may be non-voluntary or protective; advocate for and assist families in accessing appropriate services and resources.
Provide family, individual, and group counseling, mediation, and crisis intervention as appropriate to the assignment.
Investigate or evaluate alleged abuse or neglect and assess risks in consultation with a supervisor.
Collect and document information from clients, families, and community supports and make case decisions related to safety and service plans.
Train, educate, and conduct outreach for foster and adoptive parents, volunteers, families, and other residents on supportive services and agency programs.
Work with and monitor service providers and volunteers to support completion of safety or service plans.
Use case-management and documentation technology and hard-copy files to maintain case records in accordance with applicable laws and policies.