Social Services Aide

County of Jackson•Black River Falls, WI

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the supervision of the Children and Family Manager, the Social Services Aide provides a variety of social service functions including Child Protective Services and Child Welfare Access, supportive services, and clerical duties. Serves as the initial contact between the general public and the Children and Family Division by providing Access Services for the Division. Requires the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out responsibilities.

Requirements

High School Diploma or equivalent
Minimum of one (1) year of experience working in the human services field required, preferably with children and families
Knowledge and proficient use of computer systems, Microsoft Office Suite programs, and eWiSACWIS
Knowledge of agency services and program requirements
Knowledge of resources for community welfare and health and ways in which these resources may be used by people in need
Knowledge of DCF Chapter 58 (Kinship) and eligibility requirements
Basic knowledge and understanding of human growth and behavior, age appropriate disciplinary approaches, and parenting practices
Ability to work with diverse populations
Ability to work with families using a strength-based approach and empathy
Ability to relate to people in an unprejudiced and understanding manner with concerns for their circumstances and feelings
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in person and over the telephone
Ability to interview people, extract required information and make good independent judgments
Ability to compile data/documentation and provide accurate and understandable reports
Ability to participate meaningfully in trainings provided by the agency or other resources
Ability to work as part of a service delivery team
Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work to most effectively achieve objectives
Ability to learn specialized software applications and programs as required
Ability to work with confidential material
Ability to read and interpret documents, policy, and laws in the English language
Ability to understand and follow oral and written instruction
Ability to listen to and understand information and ideas in spoken and written format so individuals may effectively understand and convey communications
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals
Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form
Inductive and deductive reasoning – ability to combine separate pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions; includes coming up with a logical explanation for why a series of seemingly unrelated events occur together and deciding if an answer makes sense
Possess and maintain valid Wisconsin Driver’s license and have access to transportation suitable to complete necessary work out of the office

Nice To Haves

Associates degree in Human Services, Sociology, Social Science, or other related field preferred

Responsibilities

Receives referrals and child protective services reports via phone, walk-in, mail, or computer and enters information in eWiSACWIS or other computer databases
Gathers necessary data from reporters in order to assess for present or impending danger threats in child protective services reports
Gathers necessary data and determines program eligibility to provide options to people accessing Health and Human Services
Provides information relating to programs and services in the community that may be offered to individuals in need of assistance
Makes necessary referrals to both internal programs and external agencies based on the client’s needs
Provides appropriate face-to-face and over-the-phone service to the general public, professionals, attorneys and other agencies by: greeting, providing information and assistance and answering appropriate inquiries
Works with other departmental units to assist the family (Mental Health, 0-3, Public Health, WIC, WREA, Child Support, etc.)
Assesses eligibility for Kinship Care benefits and maintains Kinship Care records and schedules required reviews
Assists CFS Social Workers in delivery of services or functions
Assists in maintaining case records and reports
Organizes and disseminates documents, reports, and correspondences
Tracks clients, caseloads and service programs
Provides or assists clients with a range of supportive services (ie. financial, housing, transportation)
Transports children, juveniles, and family members in personal vehicle
Assists with supervised visitations as necessary
Assists families with daily living skills and parenting practices
Assists CFS Social Workers with troubleshooting cases, querying records or reports, pulling/reviewing hard file records, and determining case status
Responds to requests for records within the confines of agency policy
Interacts with the public and co-workers in a courteous, proficient, and professional manner
Maintains skill and competency levels as policies and regulations change by attending and participating in staff meetings, supervision times and other regularly scheduled meetings; develops knowledge and skills by attending training events and workshops
Maintains security and confidentiality of records
Compiles, calculates, and tabulates statistical data and prepares reports as needed
Performs general agency typing, word processing, dictation, transcription, and reception
Performs other duties as assigned