Non-Perm Family Voluntary Services (FVS) - Social Service Specialist 2-3 In-Training (SSS3)

About the role

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is seeking a Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3) or Social Service Specialist 2 (SSS2) for the Family Voluntary Services (FVS) Unit in Region 4, Bellevue – King East Office. The goal class is Social Service Specialist 3; candidates at the SSS2 level will be considered with an in-training plan to advance to SSS3. This full-time, non-permanent position requires time in the field and office, and travel within assigned areas, with clients as cases require, and to attend trainings and meetings in other locations. The role performs advanced-level work assessing families referred to FVS through CPS Investigations with a primary focus on child safety. The FVS Specialist provides services to a caseload of families, enabling parents to voluntarily engage in services to increase protective capacities and meet the child’s safety, health, and well-being needs. Duties include evaluating family situations, interviewing children and families, assessing child safety and risk, developing plans to protect children, offering services to keep children safely in the home, and providing advanced-level specialized case management in high-profile complex cases.

Responsibilities

• Provide case-specific assessments and ongoing assessments of safety, danger, and risk.
• Assess resource needs of children, birth parents, and caregivers, and provide stabilization supports.
• Refer, coordinate, and monitor delivery of services.
• Provide goal-directed, task-centered, and time-limited crisis intervention to children and families.
• Utilize shared planning activities to develop and coordinate collaborative case plans.
• Determine resources available for placement of the child.
• Identify and develop appropriate permanent plans and implement concurrent planning.
• Provide reasonable and active efforts to parents and ensure early and prompt referrals.
• Utilize SACWIS/CCWIS to document case activities, maintain case records, and initiate payments for placement and services.
• Prepare and file dependency petitions, guardianship petitions, and other legal documents.
• Prepare written reports to the court on dependency matters and make appropriate recommendations.
• Consult with attorneys and court-appointed personnel.
• Serve summonses to parties for court hearings and explain court process to parents and children.
• Attend court hearings and provide testimony.
• Produce discovery.

Qualifications

Social Service Specialist 2 (any one of the following):

• Five (5) years of paid social service experience AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline.
• A Master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or a Master’s degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline AND a completed practicum.
• A Bachelor’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or a Bachelor’s degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline AND one (1) year of paid social service experience.
• One (1) year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 1.

AND the ability to take action to learn and grow, and the ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Social Service Specialist 3 (any one of the following):

• Six (6) years of paid social service experience* AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline.
• A Master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or a Master’s degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline AND one (1) year of paid social service experience* in planning, administering, developing, or delivery of public child welfare, social, health, or chemical dependency treatment programs.
• A Bachelor’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or a Bachelor’s degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline AND two (2) years of paid social service experience* in planning, administering, developing, or delivery of public child welfare, social, health, or chemical dependency treatment programs.
• One (1) year of experience* as a Social Service Specialist 2.

*For the SSS3 level: Paid social service experience must include at least one (1) year assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.

AND the ability to take action to learn and grow, and the ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Skills

• Prior public child welfare experience.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Social Work with a completed practicum.
• Prior case management experience with mandatory clients.
• Professional experience working with clients who have mental health problems, substance use disorder, developmental delays, or criminal behaviors.
• Experience assessing risk and safety regarding child abuse and neglect concerns or developing safety and service plans with families.
• Knowledge of child welfare laws, policies, and procedures.
• Knowledge of child development and/or family systems.
• Knowledge and familiarity with local community services and resources.
• Prior experience displaying critical thinking skills and the use of shared decision-making.
• Strong skills in time management and organization, and the ability to develop independent systems to manage large workloads.
• Ability to make critical decisions, based on integration of information from multiple sources that may be discrepant, in high-stress situations.
• Effective communication skills, both orally and in writing.
• Experience researching, interpreting, and applying laws, rules, and policies, and delivering services accordingly.
• Able to partner effectively with clients, caregivers, colleagues, and other professionals.
• Prior experience using FamLink case management system and documenting casework information within timeframes.
• Familiarity with agency’s software programs, which include Outlook and SACWIS/CCWIS.

Pay

Salary range: $66,072 – $93,288 annually. King County employees receive an additional 5% premium (not included in the listed range). Upon reaching the goal class of Social Service Specialist 3, the position may receive 10% assignment pay in addition to the regular base salary; required duties include performing visits in unregulated environments (e.g., private residences) to conduct investigations for allegations of abuse and/or neglect to assess the safety of vulnerable children.

Schedule & location

Full-time, non-permanent position located in Bellevue, WA (Region 4, King East Office). Requires time in the field and office. Travel