Family Services Associate

Norfolk, Virginia is America's most authentic and urban waterfront city. Home to the world's largest naval station and the business, arts, and cultural center of Coastal Virginia, Norfolk has been rated a top place to live, work, play, and raise a family by numerous publications. Working for the City of Norfolk is an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others.

With our commitment to competitive pay and a strong retirement package, you can do good for your community and do well for yourself. Join a caring workplace that proudly celebrates uniqueness, authenticity, and a shared commitment to improving the lives of our residents.

The City of Norfolk’s Department of Human Services (NDHS) provides a wide range of essential services to its citizens. These services are crucial in supporting the wellbeing of the community and ensuring that all citizens have access to the resources they need. The NDHS is committed to providing such comprehensive support to its citizens.

The NDHS Foster Care and Adoption Program is seeking a Family Services Associate. The Foster Care and Adoption Program serves youth ages birth-21 that are in foster care or have been adopted from foster care. This program also recruits, trains, certifies and supports kinship and foster parents that work with the youth in the program.

The Family Services Associate will help prepare children and families for the transition into foster/adoptive homes; provide support to children and families in finalizing adoptions; work directly with biological parents and/or relatives to prepare for transition and return to their custody. The Family Services Associate will maintain electronic and written records for children and families in the program.

Department Hiring Salary Range: $41,231 - $47,415

• Assess families’ basic needs and requests, budget expenditures to meet needs which enhance family functioning; provide support to children and families in finalizing adoptions; work directly with foster and adoptive parents and/or relatives to prepare for transition and return to their custody.
• Manages caseloads by maintaining files, telephone contacts, referrals to private vendors for services, preparing documents, filing, authorizing payments, transporting clients to appointments, and supervising visitations.
• Perform general math computations and validation of figures compiling for various financial reports.
• Community, serving on interagency service assessment teams, serving as a client advocate in accessing services and working with other agencies such as schools, courts, and mental health providers.
• Collaborates with other staff in locating foster homes, group homes, and residential treatment facilities based on child’s service needs.
• Ensures communication by maintaining written case documentation and directly advocates by communicating client data to case managers and the courts, schools, mental health medical professionals and landlords.
• Assist caseworkers with court related duties by attending court hearings with written reports and verbal testimonies, filing petitions and affidavits, and coordinating activities with attorneys and law enforcement.
• Obtains additional information/data through various means, including searching records, reviewing State reports, and automated systems searches.
• Prepares monthly statistical reports.
• Provides case management in conjunction with the supervisor and other relevant parties. Keep factual and timely formal records through the use of computer based and other information systems.
• Makes referrals for services by being knowledgeable of local services and resources, working with service providers in the community, serving as a client advocate in accessing services and working with other agencies such as schools, courts, and mental health providers.
• Participates in staff and training meetings as assigned.
• All employees are called upon to serve shelter duty in times of emergency and/or natural disaster.

Work requires knowledge of a specific vocational, administrative, or technical nature which may be obtained with a two-year associate's degree, diploma or equivalent from a college, technical, business, vocational, or correspondence school. Appropriate certification may be awarded upon satisfactory completion of advanced study or training.

No experience required.

Bachelor’s degree in human services or social work preferred.

Experience working in child welfare preferred.

• Valid Driver's License may be required depending on assignment.