Protection Case Worker - Child Protection

International Rescue Committee•Lebanon, PA

About The Position

The Protection Case Worker provides individual case management support for children who are harmed or at risk of harm. This includes street-connected and working children; children exposed to physical or emotional violence at home or elsewhere; children with disabilities exposed to violence, neglect, or abuse; children in contact or conflict with the law; and children in need of judicial protection. The role is based in an IRC office or partner child protection center 20% of the time, with frequent field travel accounting for 80% of the work. The case worker identifies and registers cases through outreach and referrals, conducts the full case management process in line with national standard operating procedures and practical guidance, maps available services, maintains comprehensive case records, and protects case data. The role also provides direct support and referrals to families, prepares reports and referrals, develops safety plans for children at high risk, and raises emergency case management fund requests for review and approval. The case worker participates in case conferences and team reviews, communicates case updates and challenges to the supervisor, and collaborates with child protection colleagues, other IRC teams, and local partners. Flexibility to work after hours or on weekends may be needed to respond to urgent cases.

Requirements

A university degree in social work, psychology, or a related field is preferable.
Two to three years of previous case management work experience is mandatory.
Previous experience working with children is required.
Fluency in written and spoken Arabic.
Intermediate English proficiency.
Intermediate skills in Word, Excel, and writing emails.
Team-player approach, flexibility, network-building ability, and ability to handle pressure.
Enjoys field work and demonstrates an understanding of working with children, particularly vulnerable children.
Good communication skills.
Flexibility to work after official working hours or on weekends when needed.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in highly vulnerable contexts, such as child labor or children in contact or conflict with the law.
Experience working in a cross-cultural environment.

Responsibilities

Identify and register children who are harmed or at risk of harm through field visits, referrals, hotline contacts, and community and organizational networks.
Provide individual case management in line with national case management standard operating procedures and practical guidance.
Map available services in intervention areas, including health, education, and livelihoods, and update the mapping periodically.
Operate the case management hotline on a rotation based on the schedule set by the Senior IP CM Officer.
Document and file cases comprehensively, ensuring each case has a file containing the forms and information related to the case management process.
Store and protect electronic and physical case files in accordance with IRC data protection protocols.
Involve children and their families in every step of case management and respect their views, thoughts, and opinions.
Complete identification, comprehensive assessment, case planning, follow-up, review, and other case management steps thoroughly and within the allotted timeframes.
Address all cases and share them with the supervisor.
Draft juvenile judge reports, resettlement referrals, BIA and BID reports, case conference materials, and case management emergency cash requests.
Provide ongoing support to families through direct services and referrals to relevant services.
Submit emergency case management fund requests to the Senior IP CM Officer for review and approval in accordance with IRC child protection guidelines.
Develop safety plans with children at high risk from harm within or outside the home.
Communicate case updates and challenges regularly to the case management supervisor.
Collaborate with child protection team members and other sector teams.
Attend case management team meetings and case management review meetings with the Senior IP CM Officer.
Participate in case conferences and BID meetings for complex cases.
Immediately address high-risk cases with the Senior IP CM Officer and IP Manager.
Carry out other child protection activities as requested by the supervisor.
Work after regular hours or on weekends when needed to support urgent cases requiring immediate assistance.