Social Worker - Children & Youth

Position Summary

Professional social services work in the Children and Youth Agency. Provides full range of social and case management services to children, youth and families. An important aspect of this work is the employment of casework skills in obtaining essential information, counseling clients and members of their families and helping them to utilize all available resources. Work is performed in accordance with established regulations, policies and procedures, but employees are expected to exercise initiative and judgment in discharging their duties.

Work is reviewed by a professional social service or administrative supervisor through regularly scheduled individual and group conferences and the review of records and reports.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Obtains information from clients, members of their families and others who are necessary for the identification of social, economic, emotional, health or physical problems and for assisting clients in obtaining a wide variety of services on the basis of established policy, regulations and statutes.
• Provides casework and counseling services to clients and members of their families to aid them in achieving a more satisfactory adjustment to their specific problems or situations.
• Provides protective and supportive services for abused or neglected children.
• Prepares documents and provides testimony in court according to agency procedure.
• Provides protective and supportive services for clients who are in situations detrimental to their well-being.
• Participates in team meetings for the purpose of developing service plans to address the needs of clients and their families.
• Continually assesses the adequacy of client service plans and when necessary, revises to achieve goals and objectives.
• Identifies appropriate community resources for clients, refers and links them to those resources and advocates on behalf of clients for resource service delivery.
• Works collaboratively with social agencies, hospitals, clinics, courts and other community resources.
• Teaches clients home and budget management, childcare and parenting skills; and assists with housing, recreation and living arrangements as needed.
• Interprets agency programs, policies and procedures to individuals, groups and other agencies.
• Attends staff meetings, individual and group supervisory conferences and training programs designed to develop performance and case management skills and that will continuously familiarize staff with current methods and techniques in the field of social services.
• Documents case activity through records, social studies, case histories, correspondence and reports according to applicable policies and procedures.
• Provides emergency and after hours service to active clients.
• Engages in public speaking when requested and disseminates Agency literature to enhance community use and understanding of programs and services.
• Participates on special committees and task groups when requested.
• Provides field instruction and training to undergraduate students as contracted with the Agency by local schools.
• May serve as a lead worker for professional staff and student interns.

Qualifications Required

• Graduation from an approved graduate school with a Master's Degree in Social Work.