Social Caseworker III - Assessment & Permanency - 161709, 161897, 164545, 164552

Adams County•Westminster, CO

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Adams County Children and Family Services is seeking a Social Caseworker III specializing in Assessment & Permanency. This role offers workplace flexibility with hybrid-remote working arrangements and flexible scheduling options after an initial 90-day training period. Hybrid employees are expected to be onsite one to four days per week, based on county needs and department director determination, with the option to be onsite more based on employee preference. The position involves responding to allegations of child abuse and neglect, assessing situations, interviewing involved parties, providing crisis intervention, and completing assessments to ensure child safety and well-being. Permanency duties include developing family service plans, preparing court documentation, engaging families in finding permanent connections, supervising parenting time, and facilitating goodbye sessions when necessary. The agency values dignity, respect, collaboration, and the best interests of children and families.

Requirements

Child welfare knowledge including healthy child development, understanding of the dynamics and effects of abuse and neglect, and the interface of culture and family systems.
Experience working with children and youth ages 0-18.
Ability to demonstrate empathy and a strength-based trauma-informed approach with families involved in the child welfare system.
Ability to assess the safety of a child/youth and make decisions based on available information.
Ability to utilize critical thinking skills to work difficult or complicated cases.
Ability to build, maintain, collaborate, and foster positive and harmonious working professional relationships with varied backgrounds and disciplines.
Ability to prioritize, manage time effectively, show initiative, and organize oneself.
Ability to effectively partner with others to solve problems and concerns, including conflict resolution with upset clients and manage crises in a calm manner.
Ability to type and utilize computers and computer programs required for effective entry of information into statewide client information system (TRAILS), as well as to complete referrals through agency platforms and other computer-based systems.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely.
Ability to effectively review documents and synthesize into accurate, professionally written documents.
Ability and willingness to accommodate clients' schedules by meeting outside of normal business hours at times.
Ability to engage in scheduled supervision, team meetings, section meetings, and division meetings.
Ability to meet all required state and agency trainings requirements on an annual (or as required) basis.
Participates in red teams, group supervision and staffings.
Ability to demonstrate professionalism during court proceedings.
Ability to meet state and federal mandates and time frames.
Professional, internship, or volunteer work experience in a human services-related agency.
Bachelor's Degree in one of the human behavioral science fields.
Possession of a valid driver's License and proof of automotive insurance.
Must pass a criminal background check.
Ability to work in a standard office environment.
Ability to utilize personal vehicle or other mode of transportation to make visits to client homes, travel to court, and other public facilities in all types of weather.
Ability to carry large case files.
Ability to conduct home visits in unknown and uncontrolled settings which may include animals, feces, airborne contaminants, gang members, weapons, and other environmental hazards.
Ability to obtain, maintain, and ensure continued access to State and County systems in strict compliance with all applicable county and state regulations, policies, and user agreements.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual applicants are preferred and may receive a Language Pay incentive based on usage.
An educational waiver is available for those individuals who do not meet the education requirements to be a social caseworker and are currently enrolled in a bachelor’s program from a higher education institute, provided a bachelor’s degree is obtained within one (1) year from hire date with related coursework to job duties.

Responsibilities

Responds to allegations of reports of abuse and neglect of children/youth.
Assesses reports of abuse and neglect of children.
Interviews and observes victims, offenders, witnesses, caregivers, and collateral agencies to ensure the safety of the child and determine the validity of the allegations.
Recognizes and identifies risk factors and dynamics of child abuse, child neglect, and family functioning.
Provides crisis intervention while evaluating and assessing a family’s needs.
Completes assessments within 60 days and determines whether long-term support and services are necessary.
Prepares court reports, attends court hearings, testifies in court hearings and proceedings, and consults with attorneys and guardians-ad-litem.
Provides case-specific documentation including development of family service plans, court documentation, TRAILS entries, assessment completion, placement paperwork, and service referrals.
Reviews reports from service providers to ensure effectiveness of services.
Provides face-to-face contact with clients as required by regulatory standards and agency policy.
Engages family/youth in finding permanent connections and participates in Family Engagement Meetings and Permanency Roundtables.
Supervises parenting time for children and families on caseload.
May facilitate goodbye sessions between parents and children when termination of parental rights is necessary.