Social Worker IA&T-Assessments

Craven County•New Bern, NC

About The Position

This position provides family-based social work services to strengthen and empower families while ensuring child safety when abuse, neglect, or dependency is alleged or established. The worker conducts Child Protective Services (CPS) assessments and in-home services, participates in the backup on-call rotation, and assesses relatives and other kinship providers as potential caretakers when a child cannot safely remain at home. The position serves children from birth through age 18 who are not emancipated or married, as well as their parents or caretakers, and handles cases referred by CPS intake, other counties, courts, and out-of-state child protective services agencies. The worker may serve 10 or more families at a time; in-home services cases generally remain open for three to nine months. The worker assesses reports and ongoing risk, develops safety plans and case plans with families, coordinates services, monitors progress and court-order compliance, and documents cases. Duties include arranging and accompanying children to medical examinations, evaluating kinship or temporary safety placements, initiating Juvenile Court action when needed, preparing court reports, and testifying. The worker may provide short-term adjustment services, assist with emergency assistance applications, referrals or counseling for financial problems, and protective payee services in some cases. The position also represents the agency in community orientations and training and may be assigned emergency shelter duty during disasters. Work is performed within the Child and Family Services Division. Cases are routinely reviewed by a unit supervisor, with management and legal staff available for consultation. The worker must attend state-mandated CPS training and 24 additional training hours annually. A valid North Carolina driver's license is required, and an SBI criminal history record check is required before hire. Physical requirements include lifting up to 80 pounds, such as car seats and small children, and having the stamina for home visits, including in inclement weather.

Requirements

Meet one of the stated education and experience combinations: a master's degree in social work and one year of social work experience; a bachelor's degree in social work and two years of social work or counseling experience; a master's degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; a four-year degree in a human services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience; a four-year college degree and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling, or a related human service field involving casework, group work, or community organization; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
Possess a valid North Carolina driver's license, with no restrictions that prevent performing the position's essential functions.
Be subject to an SBI criminal history record check before hire.
Attend state-mandated CPS training and 24 hours of additional training annually.
Be able to lift up to 80 pounds, such as car seats and small children, and have no physical restrictions that limit work outside the agency.
Have stamina for home visits, including visits in inclement weather.
Provide services to 10 or more families at a time, as required by the position.
Fulfill emergency shelter duty when instructed during potentially dangerous or human-made disasters.

Nice To Haves

A Master of Social Work (MSW) or Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree is preferred.
Other appropriate combinations of education and experience may be considered for trainee or work-against status.
Directly related experience in case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psychosocial therapy, and treatment planning is relevant.

Responsibilities

Conduct CPS assessments of reports of abuse, neglect, or dependency, including gathering information from families and collateral sources and assessing risk to children.
Provide in-home services and family-based interventions intended to strengthen families and ensure child safety.
Assess relatives and other kinship or temporary safety providers when a child cannot safely remain at home, including reviewing CPS history, Central Registry information, and criminal records.
Develop safety plans, in-home services agreements, and case plans jointly with families, including desired outcomes, behavior changes, time-oriented steps, and assigned responsibilities.
Conduct ongoing risk assessments and use state-mandated assessment tools to guide services and case planning.
Interview children and families, assess family dynamics and problem-solving skills, identify support systems and community resources, and document family strengths, needs, and growth areas.
Coordinate with involved professionals and service providers, including Work 1st, schools, foster families, medical and mental health providers, and other agency staff.
Arrange and accompany children to medical examinations for assessment or initial foster care placement purposes.
Participate in child and family team meetings and case staffing, and consult with supervisors and management on challenging cases or cases with limited progress.
Initiate Juvenile Court action when children cannot safely remain with their families, including consulting with management and completing or filing required petitions and paperwork.
Prepare court reports and gather, prepare, and present evidence or testimony in court proceedings; provide written or oral recommendations when required.
Monitor family progress, service objectives, and compliance with court orders; document progress, barriers, and problems in progress notes, court reports, social histories, case plans, and reviews.
Use role modeling, advising, instruction, and reinforcement to develop clients' problem-solving skills and support positive behavior.
Respond to family crises, prepare children and families for placement changes and separation, and educate parents on child development and behavior management.
Prepare families for self-sufficiency when cases close and, with supervisor approval, provide short-term individual or family adjustment services when appropriate.
Assist families with financial problems through referrals or counseling and, in some cases, provide protective payee services.
Complete or consult on emergency assistance applications for clients in the caseload.
Stay current with and comply with CPS policies, laws, regulations, and procedures, including N.C. Division of Social Services guidance.
Attend state-mandated CPS training and 24 hours of additional training each year.
Train or consult with lower-level social workers and coworkers, and orient or train community resources and individuals on CPS legal foundations and procedures.
Participate in the backup on-call rotation and perform assigned emergency shelter duties during disasters.
Perform other duties as assigned by designated social work and agency leadership.