Senior Social Worker (After-hours)

About the role

The Senior Social Worker provides advanced, professional level casework providing protective, investigative, counseling and case management services for children who are at risk for neglect and/or abuse. Employees are assigned to local departments of Social Services and Public Health and provide social work services including treatment and immediate response to crisis situations for at-risk children and adults in the most complex cases in the departments.

Responsibilities

• Provides Case Management and Foster Care Services for children who have been neglected and/or abused.
• Provides Social Work services including treatment and immediate response to crisis situations for at-risk children and families.
• Manages a caseload of clients in the most difficult and complex cases.
• Provides treatment in group, family or individual therapy to clients of any age and/or with any developmental, mental, medical, substance abuse, financial or family problem including abused, neglected or homeless children.
• Performs clinical and social investigation, assessment of individuals and family dynamics, and crisis intervention.
• Conducts home visits at least once a month for each foster child assigned to the case.
• Attends school meetings to advocate for the educational needs of the children served.
• Maintains contact with parents, therapist, GAL, CDSA, CC4C, attorneys, medical providers, substance abuse agencies, domestic violence agencies, and relatives as it relates to the needs of the child and family.
• Attends Therapy appointments and Doctor/ Medical appointments with children, and to obtain medical forms completed by a doctor.
• Completes strengths and needs monthly and Family Reunification assessments for cases where the plan is Reunification.
• Interacts and motivates a resistant involuntary client population and the public who may not agree with the laws, rules or policies of the process or the programs.
• Prepares documentation such as written investigative reports for the court, case records and treatment plans.
• Testifies as an expert witness.
• Employs advanced case management interview techniques to establish a supportive relationship and involves families in the initial assessment for the need of services.
• Assesses the risks and safety of the client environment during daylight hours, after dark and in high crime areas.
• Employs expert negotiation skills in the most complex cases.
• Analyzes and assesses child development safety issues in relation to risk factors.
• Analyzes 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.
• Communicates effectively and establishes supportive client relationships.
• Performs under occasional stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.
• Maintains high-quality communication and interacts with other County Agencies, co-workers, and the general public.
• Operates small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.
• Operates computers for data entry, word processing and/or accounting purposes.
• Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with directives, County policy, standards and prescribed procedures.
• Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations.
• Stays abreast of social work theory, techniques and practices, individual and group behavior, social problems, medical and mental illness, family dynamics, coping behavior, crisis intervention, and treatment of various medical and mental diseases and social issues.
• Follows all guidelines set forth, which include state and federal laws, program rules, directives, policies and regulations, professional ethics and quality assurance standards.
• Collaborates with members of multidisciplinary teams, protective services committees and supervisors.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree from an accredited school of social work and *one year of social work experience; or a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited school of social work and *two years of social work or counseling experience; or Master's degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a four-year degree in a human services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience; or graduation from a four-year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling or a related human service field providing experience in the techniques of casework, group work or community organization; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• One year of work experience can be credited for completion of the NC Child-Welfare Education collaborative Pre-service training or licensure as a Clinical Social Worker.