Residential Child Care Investigator I Trainee

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Austin, TX

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) works to build on strengths of families and communities to keep children and vulnerable adults safe, so they thrive. We do this through investigations, services, and referrals. This position serves as a Residential Child Care Investigator and performs entry-level child protective services work within Child Care Investigations. Work involves obtaining information, investigating reports of alleged abuse, neglect, or exploitation of children in licensed and unlicensed foster homes, Child Placing Agencies, Residential Treatment Centers, and Group Homes. Participating in taking corrective action, working under close supervision, with minimal latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. DFPS is committed to its employees' professional development and ongoing success and offers the DFPS Certification Program to enhance skills and advance careers within our organization. The program is tailored specifically for DFPS employees, provides the opportunity to earn additional compensation through a supportive learning environment that fosters growth and innovation, and equips participants with the knowledge and skills needed to deepen their expertise in their respective role.

Requirements

• Knowledge of the laws and regulations related to child care, abuse, and neglect; child development principles and theories and of family dynamics; community social services resources; the laws and regulations related to child protective services; and crisis intervention techniques and skills.
• Knowledge of the Family Code and other laws and regulations relating to children and their care such as the Texas Child Care Licensing Act.
• Knowledge of intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, physical handicaps, development disabilities, and treatment measures as applied to children.
• Skill in assessing immediacy of harmful situations, which might result in injury or death to a child and ability to take appropriate action.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Skill in effective verbal and written communication.
• Ability to manage hostility and resistance to regulation in a professional, non-defensive manner.
• Ability to travel.
• Skill in interviewing.
• Ability to obtain information and conduct investigations, to evaluate living conditions, to prepare reports, to testify in court, and to communicate effectively.
• This position requires use of the applicant's personal motor vehicle to complete job functions.
• Applicants for positions must have a reliable motor vehicle, and acceptable driving record for the past five years, and a current, valid Texas driver’s license appropriate for the vehicle and passenger or cargo load. Applicants must provide proof of driving record and license.
• An accredited bachelor’s degree OR accredited associate degree plus two (2) years of relevant work experience OR 60 accredited college credit hours plus two (2) years relevant work experience OR 90 accredited college credit hours plus one (1) year of relevant work experience.
• Examples of relevant work experience in social, human, or protective services include paid or volunteer work within social service agencies or communities providing services to families or other at-risk populations.
• Applicants selected for hire must pass a background check and if applicable a driver’s record check.

Nice To Haves

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in social work, counseling, early childhood education, psychology, criminal justice, elementary or secondary education, or a related field is generally preferred.
• Experience and education may be substituted for one another.

Responsibilities

• Obtains information and investigates reports of alleged abuse or neglect and emergency situations, and coordinates with other divisions and/or outside agencies to take corrective actions.
• Investigates, with supervisory support, referrals that allege abuse/neglect of children placed in licensed or unlicensed facilities and foster homes initiating cases within 24 to 72 hours depending on emergency criteria.
• Discusses and coordinates with the supervisor to document findings of investigations regarding abuse/neglect.
• Maintains investigative documentation so that information is readily available for coordination with other divisions regarding taking corrective actions, as requested by CCI Leadership.
• Assesses child’s needs for degree and priority of services and develops service plans.
• Gathers draft or completed versions of service plans from Conservatorship and/or the facility/agency with placement of the child, and review for comparison to what degree and priority of services are being provided based on the needs of the child. Discuss findings and seek guidance from Supervisor regarding investigative task or any coordination that may be required based on the reviews.
• Coordinates with other divisions to make recommendations on modifications to service plans based upon the needs of the child after review of service plans and ability of placements to meet those needs. This task will be completed jointly with a Supervisor and/or Mentor.
• Coordinates with HHSC to make notifications when a provider is unable or unwilling to meet the parameters of service plans for children.
• Advises, counsels, and interviews children, parents, caregivers, family members, and others to gather social, functional, and physical and mental health information for evaluation.
• Advises, counsels, and interviews children, caregivers, household members, and others to gather information and evidence for assessment in determining a disposition in regard to abuse/neglect allegations.
• Advises, counsels, and interviews alleged perpetrators regarding alleged abuse and/or neglect of victim children.
• Advises, counsels, and interviews alleged victims regarding allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
• Interviews collateral children as witnesses or for information regarding allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
• Interviews home members as possible witnesses or for information regarding allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
• Interviews collateral staff to include medical/mental health professionals, school staff, law enforcement, facility staff, facility administration, CPA administration, case managers, etc. to determine patterns of behaviors, as possible witnesses to abuse/neglect, to provide background information or evidence that can support a disposition.
• Observes forensic Interviews and corroborates information provided to assist in determining allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
• Interacts with FACN (Forensic Assessment Center Network), as needed for medical child abuse expert opinion on abuse/neglect.
• Visits child to assess the child’s safety, to plan for recommendations of placement changes as needed, implement safety plans and relay concerns to Conservatorship regarding the wellbeing of the child.
• Interviews children about their well-being, conditions of their placement, safety concerns and allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
• Obtains progress notes for children.
• Assesses safety of children in care.
• Execute safety plans by collaborating with caregivers
• Shares placement concerns with CVS/SSCC so they may decide if placement change is needed
• Removes children in dangerous situations from homes and admits children to emergency shelters until foster homes are found.
• Coordinates with necessary parties to remove children in dangerous situations from placements and implements safety plans as needed.
• Assesses Danger Indicators and implements safety plans as needed to include coordinating removal of children from a placement and restricting placement of additional children in foster homes dependent upon the emergent nature of the situation.
• Coordinates and provides concerns to Conservatorship/Placement and makes recommendations on removing children from residential care setting to ensure safety.
• Arranges for educational, medical, and psychiatric examinations or treatments.
• Makes suggestions for necessary examinations/evaluations based upon evidence or statements gathered during an investigation to clarify or make a determination of abuse and/or neglect.
• Obtains/documents results of examinations/evaluations to corroborate statements or medical opinions regarding allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
• Studies, recruits, and recommends foster families to provide care for abused or neglected children.
• Obtains and Reviews Home Assessments on foster families that provide care for abused or neglected children.
• Conducts investigations on foster families to evaluate any concerns.
• Reviews home assessment for concerning or conflicting information and notify HHSC if necessary.
• Reviews training documents and certifications for compliance and current status of foster families.
• Makes recommendations to HHSC, contracts, CVS, and other partner agencies based on concerns raised from the home history and home assessment.
• Participates in joint staffing with partner agencies.
• Monitors foster homes and children to ensure that the children’s needs are met.
• Conducts abuse/neglect investigations to ensure children are safe.
• Assesses placements to ensure children are provided with food, clothing, shelter.
• Assesses placements and medication logs to ensure proper administration of medications to children.
• Notifies partner agencies/divisions of concerns.
• Conducts home studies of families wishing to adopt children and coordinates visits between children and prospective parents prior to adoption.
• Prepares adoption readiness studies and conducts adoption social studies
• Prepares documentation and seeks court orders for emergency protective services actions.
• Prepares Legal documentation for emergency protective services actions.
• Prepares affidavits to present to legal if required by Conservatorship or other agency/division to support case planning.
• Provides information to partner agencies/divisions as needed to assist in their legal filings.
• Prepares and maintains case documentation.
• Documents findings of investigations regarding abuse/neglect
• Follows policy requirements for timely documentation.
• Ensures external files are documented and uploaded.
• Supervises adoptive placements until the adoption is final or until the case is transferred to an adoption caseworker.
• May investigate reports alleging illegal child-care and/or standards violations in licensed and registered child care facilities.
• Investigates referrals that allege abuse/neglect and exploitation of children in operations that are licensed by HHSC.
• Conducts observations/inspections of facilities and foster homes for any plain sight minimum standards deficiencies, documenting by note/photograph/video any concerns and relaying those to HHSC.
• Communicate with Health and Human Services (HHSC) to assist them in addressing minimum standards related concerns observed during RCCI Investigations.
• Coordinates with HHSC during an investigation to share findings and concerns and to learn about any compliance issues HHSC has.
• May prepare routine reports
• May participate in community awareness activities.
• Attends various conferences to engage in continuing education and improvement of Investigative skills.
• Attends community awareness events that support the mission and values of DFPS and RCCI in particular.
• May testify in court.
• Prepares for and testifies in criminal and civil courts, including State Office of Administrative Hearings regarding evidenced gathered during an investigation and actions taken by Investigator during an investigation to support the findings.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Benefits

• 100% paid health insurance for you, and 50% paid for eligible family members
• Retirement plans with lifetime monthly payments after five years of state service, plus options to save even more with 401(k) and 457 plans
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave
• Optional dental, vision, and life insurance
• Flexible spending accounts for added tax savings on health and dependent care
• Employee discounts on things like gym memberships, electronics, and entertainment
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree