Family Social Worker

About the role

DREAM is a network of seven PreK-12 charter schools and community programs serving over 2,500 youth in East Harlem and the South Bronx. The Family Social Worker reports to the Dean of SEL and Community (DSC).

Responsibilities

• Manage a defined caseload of high-priority families, including attendance cases, McKinney-Vento eligible families, and those experiencing disengagement or fractured school relationships.
• Provide direct case management and counseling services to students and families, including ongoing check-ins, family meetings, and home visits.
• Develop and implement individualized intervention plans in collaboration with teachers, school leadership, and student support teams to support successful student attendance and engagement in school.
• Hold ownership for the progress of assigned cases, ensuring timely follow-up, clear action steps, and measurable outcomes.
• Partner closely with teachers, school leadership, and student support teams to identify student and family needs.
• Participate in grade team meetings, student support meetings, and attendance review cycles to identify needs, contribute to student support planning, and coordinate family interventions.
• Analyze attendance, behavioral, and academic data to proactively identify families in need of support and prioritize interventions.
• Integrate multiple data sources to inform decision making and case prioritization.
• Track progress against intervention goals and adjust strategies when progress is not observed.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all case work, meetings, and interventions in appropriate systems.
• Collaborate with families to ensure a positive partnership by providing consistent communication aligned to student progress.
• Connect families to relevant external resources including housing, mental health services, public benefits, and legal services.
• Build and maintain relationships with community-based organizations to support family needs.
• Initiate and maintain communication with outside agencies (e.g., SCR/ACS systems, foster care system) tied to student needs as needed.
• Demonstrate strong time management and follow-through across multiple active cases.
• Engage in regular supervision with school leadership to reflect on case progress, problem-solve challenges, and strengthen intervention strategies.
• Hold a high bar for professionalism, confidentiality, and ethical practice.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Counseling, or a similar field, required; New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), strongly preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in case management, counseling, or social services, preferably in a school-based setting.
• Demonstrated understanding of school systems, structures, and stakeholder dynamics.
• Experience collaborating effectively with teachers, administrators, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing caseloads and driving progress across multiple cases.
• Strong ability to use data to inform decision making and prioritize interventions.
• Experience using case management, referral, and data systems.
• Extensive experience utilizing evidence-based therapeutic approaches with students and their families in diverse, underserved communities.
• Experience providing crisis intervention (e.g., assessing for suicidality) with a trauma-informed and restorative justice approach.
• Working knowledge of state regulations related to child abuse, neglect, and other urgent care issues.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Bilingualism in Spanish, highly preferred.

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• Proficiency in data analysis and reporting.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and restorative justice practices.

Benefits and Paid Time Off

We offer comprehensive benefits including:

• Flexible Medical Health Plans
• Dental and vision plans
• Disability benefits
• Life insurance
• Up to 12 weeks fully paid of Parental Leave
• Flexible spending account options
• Park and transit benefits
• Discounted school meals through our in-house Scratch Food Program
• Tuition reimbursement support
• A variety of support through our employee assistance program (EAP)
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match starting at 4% after one year, with increases tied to DREAM tenure

Pay

The incoming salary range for this position is $79,000 to $101,000 per year. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary closer to the start of the range depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

Schedule

This is a year-round (12 month) position.