CFWS Legally Free Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3)

Location: Wenatchee, WA • Closes: 8/14/26

About the Role

DCYF is looking for a Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS) Legally Free Social Service Specialist to join our team in Wenatchee. Our team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and we enjoy supporting each other and creating a solution-focused environment. We are looking for a Social Service Specialist who possesses strong case management skills, knowledge of adoption and the importance of permanency for all children in foster care, and enjoys working with teenagers.

In this role, you will primarily work with legally free youth, with a focus on placement stabilization and permanency. Your caseload will include teenage youth, many of whom have been in the child welfare system for many years. This position requires an understanding of the challenges that youth face in today's world, as well as an interest in how to best support these youth in working toward adulthood and increased independence. Permanency is a primary focus, as most of these youth are not in permanent homes. You will also help connect these youth with family members, even if only for support and connection, should placement not be an option.

Responsibilities

• Provide casework and services to legally free children in order to establish permanency.
• Update case plans utilizing permanency planning resources and adoption social work skills/knowledge to meet the needs of the child.
• Assessment, service planning, general casework, and working with providers on assigned cases.
• Apply child welfare practice principles, laws, and policies when assessing and completing casework.
• Assure the child’s physical health, mental health, and educational needs are met.
• Provide ongoing assessment of risk.
• Provide referrals for assessments/evaluations.
• Utilize shared planning options/activities.
• Complete documentation and necessary paperwork for completing the permanent plan.
• Utilize Famlink to document case activity, and update/maintain case records/notes according to policy timeframes.
• Prepare and submit required legal documents for all court hearings related to the dependency and/or implementation of permanent plans.

Requirements

• Six (6) years of paid social service experience* AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline.
• OR Bachelor’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or any degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND Two (2) years of paid social service experience*.
• OR Master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or any degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND One (1) year of paid social service experience*.
• OR One (1) year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 2.
• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
• *Paid Social Service experience must include at least one year of assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.
• Minimum of at least two years of driving experience and a valid driver’s license.
• Must successfully complete formal training courses as required by law, policy, and regional requirements within one year of appointment.
• Degrees must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a foreign equivalent verified by a NACES-approved organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply current applicable laws, rules, and policies on delivery of child protective and child welfare services.
• Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with community partners and professionals to develop and maintain resource teams to support children and families.
• Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with caregivers (parents, foster parents, relatives, kin or facility staff).
• Ability to evaluate, analyze, and assess risk and safety in all cases and implement appropriate procedures using the agency-preferred risk and safety assessment tools.
• Demonstrated knowledge of FAMLINK system for documentation.

Worker Core Training (WCT)

As a Social Service Specialist, you are required to successfully complete a mandatory 9.5-week Worker Core Training (WCT). This training provides the foundational knowledge and skills needed to perform core job functions, including assessing risk and safety, supporting child well-being, gathering information, and conducting case and permanency planning. During the training, you will have opportunities to practice these skills through classroom activities, simulation exercises, and debriefs. Upon hire, you will be assigned to the nearest available training cohort. The training includes four (4) weeks at our Seattle training site (scheduled for Weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8). For those eligible for travel from their assigned duty location, DCYF covers hotel accommodations and per diem costs.

The WCT curriculum is designed to prepare Social Service Specialists for the responsibilities of the role, including:

• Understanding the child welfare system
• Familiarity with the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) related to child welfare
• Policies, procedures, and best practices
• Assessing child safety through environmental observation, interviews with children and caregivers, and collateral contacts
• Collecting records and collaborating with community partners, including medical providers, law enforcement, and chemical dependency services
• Completing assessments and documenting case notes
• Writing dependency petitions and court reports
• Preparing for and testifying in court

Pay

$69,348 - $93,288 Annually