Social Worker - CAFL Worcester
About The Position
The Children and Family Law Division (CAFL) of the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), the Massachusetts public defender agency, is seeking a full-time Social Worker to work with attorneys representing children and indigent parents in our Worcester office. CPCS fights for equal justice and human dignity by supporting clients in achieving their legal and life goals, zealously advocating for the rights of individuals and promoting just public policy to protect the rights of all. CPCS is the state agency in Massachusetts responsible for providing an attorney when the state or federal constitution or a state statute requires the appointment of an attorney for a person who cannot afford to retain one. The agency provides representation in criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, family regulation, guardianship, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases, as well as in appeals and post-conviction and post-judgment proceedings related to those matters. Attorneys working with CPCS’s Children and Family Law Division represent parents, children and older youth, custodians, and guardians in cases in which the Department of Children and Families (DCF) is seeking custody of children and a limited number of other civil cases relating to families. Attorneys appointed to these cases represent clients in care and protection matters (known elsewhere as dependency or abuse and neglect cases) and in termination of parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor, and child requiring assistance cases. Nearly all of these cases are heard in the Juvenile Court. The CAFL Worcester Trial Office is a robust defender team, including attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and administrative support staff. They provide legal representation and advocacy throughout Worcester County to children and indigent adults in care and protection, child requiring assistance, termination of parental rights, guardianship-of-a-minor cases, and other types of custody and adoption proceedings. Team members work diligently to help and support CAFL clients to achieve their legal and life goals. The office is centrally located in the City of Worcester and is within walking distance of Union Station, which hosts WRTA bus service and MBTA commuter rail service.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in social work, or other related degree, and one year of related experience, or an equivalent combination of skills, education, and experience
- Experience working with children and families, preferably in an outreach capacity
- Insured, reliable and available transportation, and a valid driver’s license
- Access to home internet access sufficient to work remotely
Nice To Haves
- MSW and a Massachusetts LCSW/LICSW license
- A commitment to serving a culturally diverse, low-income population
- A commitment to fighting the racial and ethnic disparities in the family regulation system
- Experience related to and knowledge of clinical issues regarding child placement and adoption, substance abuse, domestic violence, and related fields
- Experience in the field of child welfare
- Knowledge of social, psychological, medical, economic, and legal factors that influence behavior
- Skills and experience in interviewing clients, assessing their needs, case management, and service planning
- Good organizational skills and the ability to track and monitor individual client cases
- Skills and experience in interacting with persons of various social, racial, cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds
- Knowledge of public and private social services systems and programs
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and persuasively, both orally and in writing
- Proven ability to work effectively as part of a team and independently
- Foreign language skills
Responsibilities
- Interviewing clients and conducting home visits
- Performing needs assessments, developing service plans, referring clients to service providers, and making direct connections between clients and programs
- Developing linkages with local government agencies and service providers
- Helping attorneys prepare for litigation
- Advocating for clients in a client-directed practice
- Other duties as assigned
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
