Juvenile Detention Officer - Non Regular

About the role

Performs senior level work providing intake and/or ongoing social work services to families where child abuse or neglect is present or suspected. Assignments include the provision of extensive assessment and situational evaluation, counseling, crisis intervention, resource mobilization and information and referral around all areas of child protection.

Responsibilities

• Determines if situation warrants the recommendation of placing children outside the home;
• Supervises placement of children and coordinates parent/child visits;
• Determines when and if a child should be recommended to return to their home;
• Provides individual or family counseling on an ongoing or crisis basis to children and their parents who are experiencing severe problems in the parents-child relationships;
• Makes collateral contacts with such community resources as law enforcement and medical personnel to obtain additional information, coordinate services, or secure their assistance;
• Gathers and consolidates background information to present as documentation for court hearings, as progress reports in judicial reviews, or as summaries in facilitating appropriate placements;
• Participates in staffing with school, mental health facilities, child protection review teams, and other professionals involved with the family members;
• Attends court hearings; confers with lawyers, children, parents, witnesses and significant others in references to their respective roles;
• Serves as information and referral source to other employees and to the public.

Requirements

• Thorough knowledge of theories, principles, and concepts of social casework practice related to child protection;
• Knowledge of casework principles and methods of human needs and behavior pertaining to child development, parenting, attachment, and separation;
• Knowledge of social group work principles and methods;
• Knowledge of medial symptoms related to injuries of failure to thrive in children;
• Knowledge and skill in interviewing techniques, crisis intervention methods and relevant treatment modalities;
• Knowledge of community resources, of agency rules, regulations and procedures related to child protection issues;
• Ability to independently analyze complex situations, formulate plans and make quick decisions as needed;
• Ability to establish and maintain harmonious professional relationships with other employers, outside agencies and public;
• Ability to testify effectively in court hearings.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a human behavioral science field;
• Two (2) years of full-time professional social casework experience acquired after the degree in a public or private social services agency. One year of the required experience must be full of journey level work.
• Master's degree in one of the human behavioral science fields may substitute for one year of the required work experience.
• A BSW degree from a college or university either accepted into candidacy or accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may substitute for the required experience.
• An MSW degree from a college or university either accepted into candidacy or accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may substitute for the required education and experience.

Supplemental Information

This position requires acceptable completion of pre-employment background and motor vehicle checks. Although the work performed are generally on cases having problems, i.e., child abuse and neglect, each case is substantially different due to the number of complex relationships in families of this type. Each case pursues its own course depending upon the occurrences in the family and worker's evaluation of the proper procedures to follow. There are numerous guidelines and regulations covering the work, such as the Children's Code, Title XX, Senate Bill 26, Volume VII of the Department of Social Services Rules and Regulations, which regulate procedures to be followed but do not provide the Worker with instructions about how to treat or assess the family. There are a wide variety of recognized social case work techniques and the worker must use judgment and situational evaluation to determine which are appropriate for each of the cases assigned. Arapahoe County does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation or any other status protected under the law. It is our intention that all qualified applicants be given equal opportunity in any term, condition, or privilege of employment and that selection decisions are based on job-related factors. Arapahoe County is committed to making employment accessible to persons with disabilities. In accordance with Senate Bill 23-058, applicants understand that Arapahoe County will not request or require the applicant to include their age, date of birth, or date of attendance/graduation date on the initial application. Applicants understand that Arapahoe County can request or require an individual to provide documentation including copies of certification, transcripts, and other materials created by a third party. The applicant understands that the applicant can redact, if they so choose, information that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance/graduation from an educational institution on those requested/required certification, transcripts and other materials created by a third party. Toll Free Applicant Technical Support: If you experience technical difficulty with the NEOGOV system (i.e. uploading or attaching documents to your online application), call NEOGOV technical support at 855-524-5627. Helpful hints: if you are having difficulty uploading or attaching documents to your application, first, ensure your documents are PDF or Microsoft Word files, and second, close the document before you attempt uploading (attaching) it. As a Regular Full-Time employee at Arapahoe County Government, you are eligible for benefits such as: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance Life and Supplemental Life Insurance Short and Long Term Disability Mandatory Pension Plan Deferred Compensation Plan Pre-paid Legal Services Vacation and Sick Leaves Holiday pay Training and Educational Reimbursement Opportunities For a more detailed listing of our benefit programs, click on the MENU link on the left and then Benefits Summary.