Family Services Specialist II

Virginia Department of Social Services • Chesapeake, VA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

This job announcement is a courtesy job post for the Chesapeake County local Social Services agency. It is not a position of the Virginia Department of Social Services or any other Commonwealth of Virginia agency. Local employment opportunities may also be available through the local agency’s city or county website/job board(s). The selected candidate will investigate CPS referrals concerning allegations of child abuse/neglect, assess child safety and risk utilizing a variety of structured decision-making tools, interviews, and observations. They will prepare court documents related to child safety and appear in a variety of court hearings to testify in cases. The role involves making sound decisions pertaining to child safety, including removing children from their homes and placing them with relatives or in foster care. Collaboration with law enforcement, mental health professionals, and emergency medical services partners is essential when conducting CPS investigations and assessments. The position supports a demanding caseload, including investigations and family assessment referrals, and requires modeling professional behavior and best practices from the Virginia Services Practice Model. Completing tasks related to Child Protective Services Intake procedures is also a key responsibility. The candidate must have strong attention to detail and be able to work in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in the human services field, including Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Counseling and Guidance, Counselor Education, Human Services, Sociology, Family and Child Development, Aging Studies, Gerontology, Criminal Justice with a minor in one of the above studies, or other related degrees determined by the Department of Human Resources based on the similarity of the curriculum and course content.
• A minimum of a two years of appropriate and related, full-time equivalent experience in a human services related area.
• A minimum of two years of appropriate and related, full-time equivalent experience.
• Requires a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is in compliance with City Driving Standards.

Nice To Haves

• Current experience working for Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) or have prior VDSS experience in Child Protective Services (CPS)
• Experience in Child Welfare
• Experience or knowledge of OASIS
• Experience writing service plans, reports, or other related types of reports
• Experience in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and

Responsibilities

• Investigate CPS referrals concerning allegations of child abuse/neglect, assess child safety and risk utilizing a variety of structured decision-making tools, interviews, and observations.
• Prepare court documents related to child safety and appear in a variety of court hearings to testify in cases.
• Make sound decisions pertaining to child safety to include removing children from their home and placing children with relatives or in foster care.
• Collaborate with law enforcement, mental health professionals, and emergency medical services partners when conducting CPS investigations and assessments.
• Support a demanding caseload to include investigations and family assessment referrals.
• Model professional behavior and best practices from the Virginia Services Practice Model.
• Complete tasks related to Child Protective Services Intake procedures.
• Have strong attention to detail and be able to work in a fast paced environment.

What This Job Offers

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