Social Worker - Investigative/Assessment and Treatment

Randolph County•Asheboro, NC

About The Position

This is an advanced, professional-level casework position providing protective, investigative, counseling, and case management services for children at risk of neglect and/or abuse, and/or dependency. The employee provides social work services, including treatment and immediate response to crisis situations for at-risk children in the most complex cases. Work may involve tasks associated with investigation and/or assessment of alleged abuse, neglect, or dependency, substantiation of allegations per federal and state guidelines, providing expert testimony in court hearings, and follow-up with case management and preventive services for clients. The employee analyzes situations and determines appropriate courses of action immediately or in short time spans, often under stressful conditions. CPS social workers are responsible for accessing, identifying, and documenting abuse and neglect cases and finding appropriate services to enhance child welfare. They must be able to identify immediate threats to a child and provide arrangements that comply with state and federal laws and agency procedures.

Requirements

Master’s degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work experience; OR
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience; OR
Master’s degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; OR
Four-year degree in a human services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience; OR
Graduation from a four-year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling or a related human service field providing experience in the techniques of casework, group work or community organization; OR
An equivalent combination of training and experience.
One year of work experience can be credited for completion of the social work collaborative.
Transcripts must be attached to the application.

Responsibilities

Receive referrals of clients with a variety of problems requiring social work assessment and/or intervention and make initial contact.
Initiate investigations and/or assessments within the timeframes defined by NC General Statutes and related CPS policy manuals, which can be immediate depending on the nature of the allegation(s).
Petition the court for immediate custody of the child or children and arrange for placement in a licensed foster home or approved relative placement if children are at immediate risk and the family is unable or unwilling to provide a safe, alternate plan.
Maintain the case, including making all required contacts and completing all required documentation, until case transfer to a foster care social worker is complete.
Conduct investigations/assessments using a standard of fact-finding through interview, home visits, collateral contacts, and/or other investigations in accordance with NC General Statutes and CPS policy.
Ensure timely face-to-face contact with the family throughout the investigation and/or assessment phase.
Prepare social histories and family assessments.
Document facts within the parameters of legal definitions of abuse, neglect, or dependency and the level of child well-being, evaluating information against risk factors.
Determine if a child is abused, neglected, or dependent, or if the family needs services and what level of intervention is necessary to ensure safety.
Inform clients of available programs and services to meet their individual needs and encourage participation in the most appropriate activities.
Understand the legal basis for intervention on an involuntary basis and accept responsibility for offering services to involuntary clients.
Review results with supervisor and make recommendations concerning case disposition.
Complete CPS investigations and/or assessments as defined by statutes and policy within required timeframes.
Activities to complete assessment/investigative cases in CPS can include transfer to foster care, transfer to in-home services, or case closure with no services required.
Minimize intrusion into the family without increasing the risk of harm to children.
Maintain detailed case records and develop and prepare statistical reports as required.
Ensure documentation is clear, concise, professional, and up-to-date.
Thoroughly document contacts with children, parents, and collaterals.
Use prescribed tools and/or forms as required by policy, which may include technology systems like an electronic case management system, electronic document storage system, or NC FAST, and can be part of a web-based interface or standalone software.
Perform on-call duties when assigned.
Provide court reports and/or expert testimony in court as required.
Engage in relationship building: Build rapport up, down, and across the organization; Establish collaborative relationships to achieve objectives; Seek win-win solutions to conflict; Develop a network of professional contacts; Display empathy and tolerate diverse viewpoints.