Foster Care-Adoption Worker
About The Position
The Foster Care/Adoption Worker (Family Services Specialist II) works for the Department of Social Services to support children and families, protect children, and help achieve permanency. The role assesses children’s and families’ cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning; develops and implements comprehensive psychosocial case plans; provides direct counseling and crisis intervention; and coordinates services with professionals across multiple disciplines. The worker may act as legal guardian for agency foster children, arrange alternative-care placements, and plan and participate in court interventions. The position also provides supportive services to promote family self-sufficiency and prevent abuse, neglect, and out-of-home placement. Duties include preparing psychosocial assessments and service plans, completing required planning and reports, securing and monitoring eligible financial resources, and following authorization and payment requirements for foster-care services and maintenance costs. After-hours and weekend on-call coverage is required for emergencies and matters requiring immediate attention involving children in the Department’s legal custody. This is a full-time, non-exempt position that is not eligible for remote work. Work is typically delivered to the public in clients’ homes, sometimes in remote rural areas, and involves frequent contact with clients and coordination with public and private agencies. The worker must drive frequently, may travel overnight occasionally, and must reside in Virginia. The hiring range is $35.70–$39.45 per hour, approximately $74,258–$82,075 annually, with starting pay based on applicable education beyond minimum requirements and internal equity.
Requirements
- Minimum bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field, or a bachelor’s degree in any field plus at least two years of appropriate, related experience in a Human Service-related area.
- Experience in the assigned program area and completion of required training programs, or an equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
- Working knowledge of social work principles and practices; current social, economic, and health problems; institutions and helping-process methods; and individual and group behavior.
- Skill in using a personal computer and associated software.
- Ability to identify social problems, client strengths, and needs, and assess individuals’ and families’ ability to use services in problem solving.
- Ability to recognize and accept the rights, responsibilities, and differences of others.
- Ability to work effectively with individuals and families to help them attain success.
- Ability to plan and organize work.
- Ability to understand and interpret laws, policies, and regulations.
- Ability to communicate and establish effective working relationships with clients, coworkers, professional and technical staff, social agencies, and the public.
- Ability to prepare reports and maintain records.
- Valid appropriate driver’s permit issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia and eligibility under the County’s safe driver policy.
- Must be able to drive frequently, walk and stand frequently, and assist physically dependent individuals.
- Must be willing to travel occasionally overnight.
- Must maintain residence within the Commonwealth of Virginia.
- Must provide after-hours and weekend on-call coverage.
Nice To Haves
- BSW degree, MSW degree, and/or a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Work license; these are desirable, and a master’s degree is preferred.
- Education beyond the minimum requirements may be considered in setting the starting offer.
Responsibilities
- Interpret laws, policies, and regulations relevant to the assigned area.
- Assess the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children and families, and develop and implement sophisticated psychosocial case plans incorporating concurrent planning.
- Provide direct counseling using family-systems treatment models to strengthen families and prevent family dissolution.
- Lead case management, planning, organization, and coordination of service delivery by professionals from multiple disciplines.
- Coordinate comprehensive services with mental health, education, legal, medical, and other human services professionals, and help ensure their effectiveness.
- Serve as legal guardian for agency foster children, including responsibility for their well-being and consent for medical treatment.
- Perform crisis intervention.
- Place children and adolescents in alternative care, including foster homes, group homes, and residential treatment facilities.
- Plan, oversee, and participate in court intervention to protect children and achieve permanency goals.
- Provide supportive services to promote self-sufficiency and prevent child abuse or neglect and out-of-home placement.
- Write comprehensive psychosocial assessments and service plans.
- Provide after-hours and weekend on-call coverage for emergencies involving child abuse or neglect and situations requiring immediate attention for children in the Department’s legal custody.
- Complete required federal, state, and local planning and reporting.
- Assess, secure, and monitor eligible financial resources for children, such as Social Security and child support.
- Follow funding authorization and service-payment requirements for foster children’s services and maintenance costs.
- Perform related duties as assigned.
Benefits
- 12 paid holidays.
- Paid vacation and sick leave.
- Health insurance options with employer contribution.
- Employer-paid life insurance.
- VRS retirement.
- Continuing education and training opportunities.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
