POSITION SUMMARY
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Job Description Summary:
The primary purpose of this position is to provide Foster Care, Family Support, and Interstate services to strengthen family functioning, enhance the protection and care of children, and achieve permanency for children. Services are provided to assist in preventing the neglect and abuse of children and to develop and implement case plans to help remediate family problems that have caused the abuse or neglect of children. This involves on\-going assessments of risk for children who have been abused or neglected and the provision of comprehensive services to achieve reunification or other permanent goal as needed. This position is part of Children's Services Section in the Harnett County Department of Social Services.
Hiring Salary: $54,216\.00
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities and Duties:
Variety and Scope\_ \- Employees Independently perform assessments to identify needs and establish an appropriate service/treatment plan and may provide supportive/ directive counseling to clients and families In addressing needs. In some settings, behavioral approaches are used to maximize client involvement. Employees may serve as inter/multi\-disciplinary team member. Employees may refer clients and families to a variety of services to meet financial, psychological, emergency care, emotional, or other needs. Employees may assume a case manager role to follow the client through agency and external services.
A General Description of the Program
Family Support Services—50%
These are prevention services provided to promote the well\-being of children and families and increase the family's strengths and stability. These are voluntary services designed to assess and provide services needed to address issues such as family relationships, substance abuse, housing, poverty and finances, childcare, juvenile delinquency, and health concerns. Helping families become self\-sufficient, provide appropriate care for children, and prevent abuse and/or neglect of children is the focus of Family Support Services.
Foster Care Services\-—50%
Services are provided to supervise a plan of substitute care for children removed from their home for abuse, neglect, or dependency. This includes a broad range of services to assess service needs of families and children, develop a plan of services to address identified needs, and evaluate on\-going risk for children if returned to the care of their families. Recommendations are made to the Court regarding the appropriate plan to achieve permanence for children in the foster care system. Employee uses a systematic approach to problem solving which can provide the support needed by persons to become motivated to take steps to eliminate, overcome, or cope with the factors contributing to family dysfunction. The basic focus is to strengthen family functioning so that the family can better meet the needs of its members.
Employee is trained to manage emergency shelters at times of natural or man\-made emergencies. Employee also provides on\-call coverage for Children's Services on a rotating basis. When assigned this duty, employee responds to crisis situations involving children in the custody of the agency. Employee performs other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, treatment, and investigation of abuse or neglect of children; thorough knowledge of policies and procedures as evidenced by the ability to cite the authority of federal and state law; thorough knowledge of a wide range of medical behavioral and psychosocial problems and their treatment; thorough knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques; thorough knowledge of governmental and private organizations and resources in the community. Ability to interact and motivate a resistant involuntary client population and the public who may not agree with the laws, rules, or policies of the process or the programs; ability to prepare documentation such as written investigative reports for the court, case records and treatment plans; ability to as an expert witness; ability to employ advanced case management interview techniques to establish a supportive relationship and involve families in the initial assessment for the need of services; ability to quickly assess the risks and safety of the client environment during daylight hours, after dark and in high crime areas; ability to employ expert negotiation skills in the most complex cases; ability to analyze and assess child development safety issues in relation to risk factors; ability to analyze tense family situations and make decisions about removing children when the decision has to be made with limited direct information and limited access to consultation; ability to communicate effectively and establish supportive client relationships; ability to perform manual work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
Education/Certification:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities \- Considerable knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices and their application to individual casework group work and community problems. Knowledge of the psychosocial, socioeconomic and behavioral problems and their treatment. Knowledge of governmental and private organizations and community resources. Knowledge of laws, regulations and policies, which govern the program. General knowledge of medical terminology, disease processes and their treatment is required in certain programs or settings. Skill in establishing rapport with a client and applying techniques of assessing psychosocial. Behavioral, and psychological aspects of client's problem. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrative superior’s members of caseload and their families, and with civics medical, social and religious organizations. Ability to train or instruct lower\-level social workers, students, or interns. Ability to express Ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work.
Minimum Training and Experiment Requirements: Bachelor's degree in social work from an appropriately accredited institution; bachelor's degree in a human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and one year of directly related experience; bachelor's degree from an appropriately accredited institution and two years directly related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Work Environment/Location/Physical Demands:
Employee works in offices, but work involves visiting homes, schools, health and mental health facilities.
Work Conditions \- Employees work in a variety of service settings, which range from modern public service buildings to correctional facilities, community residential facilities, home environments, or institutions where odors and noise may be present.
Hazards \- Employees may experience emotional stress due to the nature of interactions with clients or service providers. Behavioral problems such as aggression of clients could cause bodily injury for employees in some settings.
On\-call\- Employee is responsible to cover after\-hour on\-call duties several weeks per year to deal with crisis, concerns or other duties regarding children in foster care.
Emergency shelter\- Employee is required to work at county run shelters in the event of a natural or man\-made disaster
Other Duties as assigned\- Employee may be asked to perform additional duties as needed for the operation of the agency