Senior Child Protective Investigator - 60075194
About The Position
The Senior Child Protective Investigator performs professional work protecting children, supporting families, and investigating allegations of child abuse, abandonment, neglect, exploitation, or special conditions. The role is an individual contributor and serves as a model of child protection practice for other Child Protective Investigators. It provides expertise, consultation, and support to less experienced investigators, including collaboration on complex cases. The investigator assesses child safety and family needs, develops safety plans with families, coordinates emergency placements and services, and works with courts and partner agencies. The role also maintains accurate records and case files, communicates with relevant stakeholders, and performs work in accordance with applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. The position is based at the Department of Children and Families office at 15550 Lightwave Dr., Clearwater, Florida.
Requirements
- Current valid State of Florida driver’s license.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
- Two years of child welfare experience, including at least one year in investigations.
- Current Florida Child Welfare Certification from the Florida Certification Board.
- Knowledge of child-protection theories and practice, professional ethics related to child protection and counseling, family-centered interviewing and counseling techniques, and interviewing and observation techniques.
- Skill in considering child development when guiding placement decisions.
- Ability to recognize indicators of abuse and neglect and conduct risk and safety investigations.
- Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.
- Ability to understand and apply relevant laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
- Ability to actively listen, communicate effectively, maintain well-executed case files, establish effective working relationships, use computer systems, and write accurate investigative reports.
- Applicants must successfully complete the required State and National criminal-history background screening before beginning employment.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in social work, behavioral science, criminal justice, nursing, or education.
Responsibilities
- Investigate allegations of child abuse, neglect, abandonment, exploitation, or special conditions.
- Collect information through interviews with children, parents, relatives, neighbors, and others associated with cases.
- Engage families, identify needs, determine appropriate intervention levels, and connect families with agency and community resources.
- Recommend case-plan development to the Case Manager.
- Conduct initial and ongoing child Present and Impending Danger assessments.
- Develop and obtain signed Present Danger Plans and safety plans with families to address identified threats and interventions.
- Arrange emergency placement for children who cannot safely remain at home.
- Notify the state attorney, law enforcement, the child protection team, and other required parties as appropriate.
- Schedule and gather information for case staffings and participate in them.
- Prepare reports and documentation in coordination with Children’s Legal Services and provide court testimony.
- Maintain thorough client-record documentation in appropriate information systems and keep client files organized.
- Report indications of abuse, neglect, or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline.
- Provide subject matter expertise and coaching to help less experienced investigators improve their investigative skills.
- Consult on and/or co-investigate complex cases to promote appropriate, clear, high-quality, and thorough investigations.
- Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with community-based providers, Children’s Legal Services, law enforcement, medical personnel, schools, and other agencies and resources.
- Ensure effective communication with deaf or hard-of-hearing customers or companions in accordance with the ADA and/or Section 504; manage service records and report related data, resource needs, and training needs to the designated program contact.
- Perform job tasks in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Benefits
- Opportunities and training for advancement and professional development.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
