Lead Social Caseworker – Children, Youth, & Family Services

El Paso County•El Paso, CO

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Join El Paso County Children, Youth, & Family Services as a Lead Social Caseworker, where you’ll play a critical role in supporting children and families while also mentoring and guiding team members. This position blends leadership with hands-on casework, requiring strong organization, documentation, and time management skills. You’ll manage your own caseload while providing coaching, training, and support to staff, all within a collaborative child welfare environment. The work is dynamic and meaningful, involving in-office collaboration, home visits, court appearances, and occasional travel. If you're driven to make a lasting impact and thrive in a role that balances leadership with direct service, this is an opportunity to do both. Foster Youth-in-Transition Team: Ready to make a real impact and lead with purpose, positivity, and everyday influence? The Lead Case Worker for Foster Youth in Transition plays a key role in supporting young adults ages 18–21 as they navigate the transition to independent living. In this position, you will guide participants through personalized goal-setting, connect them to essential resources, and provide consistent encouragement as they build confidence and life skills. In addition to direct case work, the Lead Case Worker provides support to fellow team members—offering guidance, sharing best practices, and helping maintain a collaborative and positive work environment. You will support co-workers to maintain consistent, high-quality service delivery across the program. This role is ideal for someone who is organized, relationship-driven, and committed to creating opportunities for young adults to thrive. Every day offers the chance to make a meaningful impact while contributing to both participant success and team growth. Kinship Team: The Lead Caseworker for Kinship plays a key role in supporting kinship caregivers and placements. In this position, you will assess the safety of kinship placements, provide ongoing support to kinship providers, and connect them with essential resources to ensure these placements are successful and sustainable. You will also help kinship providers navigate the certification process, and provide ongoing monitoring of licensed kinship homes. In addition to Kinship Casework duties, the Lead Kinship Caseworker will also provide support and training to team members, model consistent and high-quality work, assist in the development and implementation of program practices, and contribute to a positive work environment. This role is ideal for someone who is collaborative, organized, a team player, and detail-oriented. Applicants should have excellent verbal and written communication skills, be self-motivated, and passionate about supporting others. IDD/Medical Intake Team: The Lead Caseworker for the IDD/Medical Intake team will complete assessments involving children with an IDD diagnosis and/or complex medical needs. This role includes frequent collaboration with community partners such as The Resource Exchange, Children’s Hospital, and other medical providers. The Lead Caseworker will also support and train team members with an emphasis on completing thorough assessments with this vulnerable population while also prioritizing timeliness. Hiring Range: $64,800.00 - $68,800.00 annually Anticipated Hiring Rate: $67,548.00 annually This is a child protection position; child protection includes engaging families. It is reasonable to anticipate the need for flexibility in work hours periodically to accommodate client schedules. The average workday hours are Monday-Friday 8:00am -5:00pm. Schedule is subject to change. Hybrid schedule may be available upon successful completion of the initial evaluation period; subject to change. Due to the sensitive nature of this role, additional background checks may be required, including a Government Program Fraud check, Child Welfare Abuse & Neglect database (TRAILS) check, and Child Welfare Caseworker Falsification check. Please be advised this position may close without advance notice, should we receive a sufficient number of qualified applications. Works to preserve and/or rehabilitate families while protecting children's physical, emotional, and mental well-being through child protection, adolescent services, placements, and/or permanency plans. Based on position assignment, coordinates the practice and is responsible for primary decision-making of child protection practices or coordinates the services and secondary-service decisions as related to safety, permanency, well-being and preserving families. Serves as a lead caseworker, advising and assisting caseworkers on case assignments. May be assigned to the Practice or Support & Services unit. Employment is subject to the terms, conditions, and policies detailed in the Personnel Policies Manual (PPM). This position requires regular in-person presence as an essential job function.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher from a higher education institution with course work related to the job responsibilities of child welfare social caseworker as stated in Volume 7. Course work examples can include and are not limited to, the development of human behavior, child development, family intervention techniques, diagnostic measures, or therapeutic techniques.
Two years of professional, internship, or volunteer work experience in a human service-related agency.
Successful completion of a Bachelor’s Degree of Social Work (BSW) or Master's Degree of Social Work (MSW) internship in a human services-related agency may substitute for one year of the required experience.
Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and proof of automobile insurance as stated within El Paso County’s Personnel Policies Manual.
Must obtain and maintain necessary certifications as applicable to the position.
Must possess or obtain Colorado State Child Welfare Caseworker Certification within ninety days of course enrollment and maintain certification thereafter.
Must pass conditional post-offer background investigation to include fingerprinting, motor vehicle record check, and drug screen.
College transcripts required prior to the date of hire.
Duties are performed in an office environment, client's homes, schools, jails, and court; must be able to climb stairs in or outside of these environments and able to walk up and down driveways and sidewalks.
This position may require occasional lifting, such as files, supplies, children, and car seats.
May be exposed to hostile family situations/individuals, and unsanitary and hazardous conditions.
Reliable transportation is required as you will be utilizing your own registered and insured personal vehicle to transport clients as needed; mileage reimbursement is available upon request.
This position may require a 24/7 on-call and after-hours rotational schedule.
Local and non-local travel, including possible out-of-state travel, may be required.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated leadership skills preferred.
Ability to communicate and work effectively with co-workers, clients, other agencies, the courts, and the public.
Ability to provide excellent customer service.
Ability to efficiently plan, schedule, and organize.
Ability to assess situations and make prudent and appropriate decisions.
Ability to apply conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
Ability to lead and train others; ability to objectively assess the performance of others.
Abilities in interviewing and investigative techniques and practices.
Ability to accurately and efficiently complete paperwork, reports, and documentation timely.
Ability to utilize supervision in making casework decisions.
Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
Ability to use standard office equipment, including computer, fax machine, copier, and telephone.
Maintain regular and punctual attendance.

Responsibilities

Provides lead work for a team, including assisting with training, technical support, orienting new employees, providing guidance and mentoring, and resolving complex problems and issues to meet the needs of clients.
Provides input and support to the leadership regarding applicable performance evaluations.
Fosters a team atmosphere that is inclusive and supportive.
Provides casework and assessment services for teams as directed.
Reviews and ensures incorporation of treatment and work plans from the court, caseworkers, providers, and community partners.
Interviews clients and develops appropriate treatment plans as needed.
Initiates and/or coordinates home studies and provides intensive casework services to families and children related to assigned functional area.
As assigned, reports and/or investigates allegations of child abuse and assesses imminent danger for children; makes referrals to community resources and collateral contacts.
Monitors clients' progress and ensures that needed services are being provided, that treatment plans are being followed through in a timely manner, and determines the appropriateness of the placement and services provided.
Ensures services are being provided effectively and in a timely manner for the safety and wellbeing of the child.
Provides crisis management and coordinates support services for clients to resolve problems, barriers, and conflicts.
Acts as a liaison for the DHS and consults with other caseworkers and community professionals on case situations, treatment/case plans, issues, and problems.
Attends and testifies in court hearings and mediations; completes appropriate paperwork, documentation, petitions, reports, reviews, etc., for court hearings; monitors clients' compliance with court orders; serves temporary custody notices and petitions the court for verbal orders.
Prepares for and participates in meetings and staffings.
Mediates any disagreements during meetings and staffings; builds consensus to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child.
Addresses child safety issues in the home to mitigate safety concerns as assigned; ensures that children in the department's custody or supervision receive necessary interventions.
Documents all contacts and ensures that all paperwork and documentation are accurately completed and filed; completes necessary case information reports, inputs updates into database.
Arranges and provides transportation for clients to appointments, therapy, school, court hearings, pre-placement visits, etc.
Ensures compliance with Federal, State, and County laws, outcome measures, rules, and regulations; reviews cases to ensure case plans are developed and implemented.
Provides support to Practice and Support and Services teams within the CYFS Division as needed.
Assists with collecting, monitoring, and reporting team statistics, data, and outcomes.
Facilitates meetings as needed.
Performs other duties as required.