Senior Family Services Specialist - Permanency Team

Minimum Qualifications

We know you: you're flexible, adaptable and well-organized; compassionate and understanding; assertive and able to make independent decisions. You're committed to the children who need a voice and those who care for them.

And you know what? You might be exactly who we're looking for.

Customer Experience: It's Our Business, It's Our Passion.

The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services is hiring a Senior Family Services Specialist

• Permanency Services Team to support and assist clients and relative caregivers in utilizing available resources to meet their personal, social, health, and economic needs and to help them develop their own capabilities.

What You Do and How You Do it:

Clients seeking solutions to specific challenges such as substance abuse, mental health diagnoses, and management of finances, housing, health needs, education, and employment will rely on your guidance. You'll help customers connect with community resources to receive the services they need.

You will also provide crisis intervention to families experiencing significant life events. You will provide a range of child welfare services including permanency planning for children temporarily placed in foster care and adoption services. You will gather, assess, and analyze information to develop service plans and written assessments for children and their families using a strengths-based and trauma informed approach.

You will work towards reunifying children with their parents and/or relatives. You will learn local, state and federal regulations, and stay up-to-date as things change. You will provide case management services to children placed in foster care as well as to the parents of children in foster care.

You will lead the customer's treatment team which includes service providers, family members, attorneys and other community partners involved in the case. You will document all of your work in state database that is monitored on a local and state level. At times, as the need arises, Senior Family Services Specialist staff is assigned to various teams within the child welfare continuum of services (foster care, adoption, family preservation, CPS). Perform other work as required.

Here's What You Need:

A bachelor's degree in social work or another human services field; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Preferred: two years of social work experience in public child welfare, foster care and adoption services and a master's degree in social work.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills to include the ability to interact with a diverse population

• Outstanding public speaking and presentation skills, especially for court interventions

• Assertive and confident - especially when being challenged

• Independent thinker and decision maker

• Strong computer skills • Ability to deal effectively with conflict

• A real commitment to the safety of children and to Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services

• Strong time management and organizational skills

Current valid driver's license and good driving record required. Based on the Virginia DMV point system, record must not reflect a total of six or more demerit points within the twenty-four months preceding the anticipated hire date, or one major violation of six demerit points within the preceding thirty-six months.

Out of state driving records must be obtained by the applicant and presented at time of interview. Record must reflect at least three years of history and be dated within thirty days of interview date. Pre-employment drug testing, FBI criminal background investigation and education/degree verification required.

This position is considered Critical Safety Sensitive and is subject to random drug testing and alcohol testing. The use of medical marijuana for this position is prohibited.

Realistic Job Preview

We'll be honest-at times you will feel overwhelmed and emotionally drained. The workload is heavy with new cases constantly forming.

It's a stressful job with critical outcomes. So, you have to be committed to your clients - the children and their families. But you have a direct impact on the life of a child and their family that lasts a lifetime.

When you see a family put their life back together and the child is happy and safe, you realize you may have saved a life - and you're eager to handle your next case. Being a Senior Family Services Specialist isn't for everyone. But if you are committed to making a real difference in the lives of others and are looking for a career rather than a job, we want you on our team. This position is a part of an approved Career Development Plan (CDP) and offers career progression opportunities and salary incentives, as funding permits, based on performance, qualifications, and experience.

This position includes mandatory participation in emergency Shelter Duty when assigned.

Still Interested?

Click the "apply" link above to complete and submit an application.

Shift

Monday

• Friday; 8:30 a.m.

• 5:00 p.m.

Work Location

Social Services