Social Worker III – Foster Care Child Welfare Services – (DSS)

DEPARTMENT: Social Services

SALARY: Grade 65                                        $23.5878 Hourly /$49,062.52 Annually                   

OPENING DATE: April 22, 2024                 CLOSING DATE: “OPEN UNTIL FILLED”

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The purpose of this position is to provide temporary and permanent living arrangements for abused, neglected, and dependent children that the court has found to be at risk in the home of parents/other caretakers through in-depth assessment, counseling and education.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The list of essential functions, as outlined herein, is intended to be representative of the tasks performed within this classification.  Itis not necessarily descriptive of any one position in this class. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein if such functions are a logical assignment to the position.

Recruits, educates, and assesses potential adoptive and foster families.

Helps families identify their own strength s and needs through comprehensive assessment of family dynamics in parenting children of various sexes, ages, races and abilities.

Provides education and counseling to address needs, provide emotional support, and education through classes, one on one contact and involvement with Foster Parent Groups and Adoption Support Groups.

Provides counseling and referrals for foster children transitioning into adoptive placements, provides education and treatment options for adoptive families prior to, during, and following the adoption process.

Provides counseling and crisis intervention and consultation with community professionals to prevent placement disruptions during and following adoptions and in foster care placements.

Evaluates placements in independent adoptions and assesses relative/step-parent adoptions through family counseling, and evaluating information acquired through family interactions, consultations with community professionals, and/or correspondence.

Provides case management services in cross county and interstate cases to include counseling, on-going assessments and education for cases of substantiated abuse and/or neglect when placement with a relative in Duplin County is requested. Includes an initial assessment of the identified relative for the ability to meet children’s needs and appropriateness of placement. Provides reports to be utilized for agency and court decisions.

This position receives reports of alleged neglect, abuse, or dependency that may be made in person, by phone, or by mail by anyone who suspects such is occurring.

Completes monthly and weekly reports.

Attends conferences, staff meetings and training. Works at disaster shelters as assigned.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor’s degree in social work ·from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative (Child Welfare positions only); Bachelor ‘s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience; Master’s degree in counseling in a human services field and one year of social work or counseling; Bachelor ‘s degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience; Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or

university and three years of directly related experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, group work, and community problems. Considerable knowledge of a wide range of medical, behavioral, and/or psychosocial problems and their treatment theory. Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques, governmental and private organizations, and resources in the community, laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program. General knowledge of the methods and principles of casework supervision and training. In certain settings, considerable knowledge of medical terminology, disease processes and their treatment as they relate to decisions regarding clinical interventions and appropriate therapies based on medical or psychological diagnosis. Skill in establishing rapport with a client and in applying techniques or assessing psychosocial, behavioral, and psychological aspects of client’s problems. Ability to supervise, train, or instruct lower-level social workers, students, or interns in the program. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of case load and their families, as well as civic, legal, medical, social, and religious organizations. Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

All employees should possess a valid North Carolina driver’s license.

All employees may be requested to perform other duties as assigned.

All employees may be required to assist county operations during a State of Emergency, disaster or other county event.