child welfare specialist

 

basic purpose:

 

Positions in this job family are assigned responsibility for providing child welfare services to children and families in communities, facilities, institutions or hospitals.  Duties include prevention and treatment functions, child abuse/neglect investigations, adoption, foster care, referrals, court liaison, group home and shelter services, volunteer program activities and permanency planning.

 

Typical functions:

 

The functions within this job family will vary by level, but may include the following:

·       Manages a caseload, receives intakes and completes investigations on children alleged to be abused and/or neglected; assesses conditions and recommends appropriate level of intervention; develops and implements treatment plan.

·       Initiates procedures to remove the child from the home, initiates out of home placement process; coordinates activities with law enforcement entities and the district attorney’s office; provides reports to the courts and testifies in court as an expert witness.

·       Makes referrals to family counseling services; schedules physical examinations; schedules and arranges family visitation periods; arranges for transportation of children to and from juvenile courts, medical appointments and placement interviews.

·       Recruits foster and adoptive parents; provides training and consultation to foster and adoptive parents and other placement providers; reviews child’s history and coordinates placement of children within the state and between other states.

·       Identifies needs of residents assigned to a shelter or group home; provides services to shelter or group home residents as specified by the treatment plan; develops community resources.

·       Recruits, screens and evaluates volunteers for the Child Welfare Volunteer Program; provides training to volunteers; develops informational materials to assist in the recruitment of volunteers.

 

lEVEL DESCRIPTORS:

 

This job family consists of four levels which are distinguished by the level of complexity and diversity of the specific job assignments, the extent of responsibility assigned, the expertise required for the completion of the duties assigned and the responsibility assigned for providing leadership to others.

 

Level I:                                                   Code:  H23A                                                       Salary Band:  I

 

This is the basic level where employees perform entry level work in a training status in providing child welfare services to children and families.  Employees at this level will complete the Child Welfare Core Academy training program.  Completed work is reviewed and all decisions are discussed with supervisor or other senior staff.  At this level employees learn adoptive services such as recruiting, screening, evaluating and documenting activities; provide reports to the adoption unit and the courts; learn treatment and preventive services; visit children in placement; refer families and children to services in the community; complete assessments of children and families and implement treatment plans.  Additional duties include participating in investigations of abuse and neglect of children; preparing case reports and other documentation and recommending a course of action with close supervision and case consultation; providing protective services and coordinating referrals to other units, agencies, service providers and the courts.  Prepares legal documentation for presentation to the court with supervisory guidance and approval; attends court hearings and provides testimony; consults with the District Attorney and other attorneys regarding efforts to protect the child, reunite the family or other permanent plan for the child; provides direct services to children in placement; attends staffings; makes decisions regarding treatment plans following supervisory consultation; provides assessments and services to custody children to assist them in making the transition from foster care to independent living.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of courtroom terminology and procedures; of the principles and practices of social work; of laws, rules, regulations and policies governing agency programs; of community resources; of human development stages and related dysfunction; of cultural diversity; of emotional, physical and mental needs of clients; and of counseling programs and services.  Ability is required to interview; to prioritize and organize needs of clients; to provide courtroom testimony; to intervene in crisis situations; to work with a multidisciplinary team; and to develop, evaluate and modify an intervention plan on an ongoing basis.

 

Education and Experiencerequirements at this level consist of a bachelor’s degree.

 

Level II:                                  Code:  H23B                                                       Salary Band:  J

 

At this level employees are assigned responsibilities at the full performance level in providing child welfare services to children and families.  Employees receive intakes and complete investigations including appropriate documentation on children alleged to be abused and/or neglected; assess the situation and recommend the appropriate level of intervention.  Initiate procedures to remove the child from the home if in immediate danger; coordinate actions with law enforcement entities and district attorney; and initiate placement process.  Provides social work services to families applying or approved for adoption or foster care; recruits and trains foster and adoptive parents; conducts home visits; reviews child’s psycho-social, medical, developmental and education histories; completes evaluations and approves or disapproves applicants.  Identifies emotional needs of residents assigned to a shelter or group home and prepares a treatment plan including short and long range goals; prepares reports and narratives.  In addition, employees at this level will prepare and coordinate legal documents for presentation to the court; attend court hearings and provide testimony; inform court of agency policies and procedures, and may serve as an expert witness.  Visits children in placement to provide counseling, information or other appropriate services; maintains sibling and other relationships.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies and procedures as they pertain to the state administration of child welfare programs; of social work theory and practice; of case management methodology; of emotional, physical and mental needs of children and families; of community resources; of child abuse investigation techniques; of cultural diversity; and of counseling programs and services.  Ability is required to make decisions based on available data and adopt appropriate courses of action; to determine client needs; to manage a caseload; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to develop, evaluate and modify a treatment plan on an ongoing basis; to establish and maintain uniform, accurate and timely case records; to write reports; to develop and utilize community resources; to provide crisis intervention; and to react promptly and appropriately in any instance of reported or suspected child abuse or neglect.

 

Education and Experiencerequirements at this level consist of a Master’s Degree in a behavioral science; or a Bachelor’s Degree in a behavioral science and one year of experience in professional social work; or a bachelor’s degree and two years of experience in professional social work.

 

Level III:                                 Code:  H23C                                                       Salary Band:  K

 

This is the specialist level where employees are designated as lead workers or backup supervisors to Level I or Level II Child Welfare Specialists, carry complex and difficult case loads, or are assigned responsibilities involving case consultation.  At this level employees act as team leader in case staffings, provide on-going case consultation and advise and train lower level Child Welfare Specialists in case management and interpretation of policies and procedures.  Also monitors investigations and treatment plans and reviews court reports.

 

This level also consists of positions which coordinate the placement of children within the State of Oklahoma and between other states and Oklahoma.  Provides statewide placement services, including all state juvenile courts.  Employees will coordinate the efforts of a placement program with those of other related programs within the agency, with other state agencies and between other states.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies and procedures as they pertain to the state administration of child welfare and the investigation of child abuse allegations; of community resources; of human development stages and related dysfunction; of social work theory and practice; of emotional, physical and mental needs of children and families; of sensitivity to cultural diversity; and of interviewing and investigative techniques. Ability is required to provide crisis intervention, to include making recommendations and decisions in possible life or death situations; to gather necessary information to determine the needs of the child; to provide casework management; to provide courtroom testimony, terminology and procedures; to communicate effectively; to develop, evaluate and modify an intervention plan on an ongoing basis; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; to help families become and remain a functional family unit; to work extended hours and weekends; and to react promptly and appropriately in any instance of reported or suspected child abuse or neglect complaint.

 

Education and Experiencerequirements at this level consist of those identified in Level II plus one year of experience in professional social work in child welfare programs.

 

Level IV:                                                Code:  H23D                                                       Salary Band:  L

 

This is the leadership level where incumbents provide direct supervision to lower level Child Welfare Specialists or are responsible for monitoring contractual services with external agencies which focus on child placement permanency and includes close coordination and consultation with CWS IV’s and County Directors regarding appropriate case actions and referrals, auditing and tracking of referrals with providers to ensure and verify the delivery of contractual services.  As a direct supervisor employees interview and hire child welfare services staff; maintain personnel records and complete performance evaluations; orient new staff, perform case reviews and develop and administer in-services training programs.  Positions assigned to a children’s shelter environment will supervise staff within a children’s shelter and assure that children residing in the shelter receive appropriate services; supervise and coordinate intake and treatment planning including psychological and other services for children admitted to the shelter; coordinate the volunteer program at the shelter; report to the superintendent or other administrative staff on all issues related to services and employees at the shelter.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of supervisory principles and practices; of laws, rules, regulations, legislation, policies and procedures as they pertain to the state administration of child welfare and the investigation of child abuse allegations; of community resources; of human development stages and related dysfunction; of social work theory and practice; of emotional, physical and mental needs of children and families; of cultural diversity; and of interviewing and investigative techniques. Ability is required to provide crisis intervention, including making recommendations and decisions in possible life or death situations; to gather necessary information to determine the needs of the child; to manage a caseload; to provide courtroom testimony, terminology and procedures; to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; to develop, evaluate and modify an intervention plan on an ongoing basis; to establish and maintain working relationships with others; to help families become and remain a functional family unit; and  to react promptly and appropriately in any instance of reported or suspected child abuse or neglect complaint.

 

Education and Experiencerequirements at this level consist of those identified in Level III plus one additional year of experience in professional social work in child welfare programs.

 

Special Requirements:

 

Applicants must be willing and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with this position.

 

Applicants must be willing to be on-call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and to work extended hours and weekends as required.

 

Applicants must attend and complete the Child Welfare Core Academy Training Program.

 

Applicantsmust pass a criminal background investigation.

Some Oklahoma Department of Human Services positions may require applicants possess a valid driver’s license and be willing to transport clients.