Social Worker Iii Foster Care- Licensure & Adoptions

Description

To perform advanced level professional social work providing services in serious and complicated cases that require the flexible use of a wide range of social work skills.

• Provides professional social services to Department of Social Services clients in assigned program(s), which may include child protective services, adult services, foster and adoption services.
• Manages assigned caseload to include adoption cases as well as Links and Foster Care for 18-21 year olds; maintains accurate and complete case records; accurately records services provided.
• Assesses client needs; prepares, implements and monitors care plans, making changes when necessary.
• Refers clients to other department divisions and outside agencies for services as appropriate; assists clients in accessing needed services.
• Conducts home visits to perform initial assessment, monitor progress and ensure clients are receiving necessary care and/or assistance.
• Provides client transportation as needed.
• Attends staff meetings to discuss and coordinate cases; communicates with other professionals to coordinate client care.
• Conducts case audits.
• Receives and responds to inquiries, concerns and complaints regarding assigned programs and projects.
• Works on call 24 hours per day, seven days per week, on a rotating basis.
• Gathers information for and prepares various reports as required by the County and/or other agencies.
• Operates a vehicle and a variety of office equipment, including a computer, printer, typewriter, copier, telephone, calculator, etc.; uses clerical and computer supplies.
• Interacts and communicates with the immediate supervisor, other County department heads and employees, clients and family members, other social service and health professionals, various outside social service / health agencies, attorneys, court personnel, law enforcement personnel, school personnel, and the general public.
• Attends meetings, training, workshops, conferences, etc., as required to enhance job knowledge and skills.
• Performs intake procedures.
• Processes applications for crisis intervention funding.
• Staffs emergency shelters as necessary.
• Performs general administrative/office work as required, including attending meetings, preparing reports and correspondence, entering and retrieving computer data, sending and receiving faxes, copying and filing documents, reviewing correspondence, answering the telephone, etc.
• Performs related duties as required.
• If assigned to Licensure & Adoptions, duties also include:
  • Provides recruitment, training and licensing of foster care parents.
  • Provides a 30-hour Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting (MAPP) class training to potential foster parents.
  • Identifies and assesses the training needs of foster and adoptive parents quarterly.
  • Conducts home visits and prepares home studies as necessary to obtain information and assess the home environment to determine the eligibility of fostering.
  • Ensures that children eligible for adoption assistance/subsidy are approved for such subsidy.
  • Attends and testifies in court as necessary.
  • Assesses potential adoptive parents for awaiting adoptees thru NC Kids and other Department of Social Services.
  • Accomplishes placement of therapeutic diversion, temporary, emergency and supported family; coordinates with intake staff the placement of children.
  • Serves as a member of the agency team charged with reviewing and determining foster child placement; identifies appropriate placement resources of foster children, as well as changing permanent plans in out-of-home placement and in the decision to terminate parental rights.
  • Identifies needs of children and assists with referrals to appropriate agencies for assistance.
  • Investigates reports of child abuse, neglect and/or dependency; evaluates risk to child or damage to child; photographs children with significant bruises, scratches, welts and other marks as appropriate as needed.
  • Performs on-call after hour duties as necessary.
  • Performs intake procedures; assists subordinates with casework as necessary.

• Thorough knowledge of the methods, procedures and policies of the Department of Social Services as they pertain to the performance of duties of the Social Worker III.
• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of social work, especially in the areas of adult and child protective services, adult home care, foster / adoptive services; is able to identify client needs and to develop and implement effective plans to help meet those needs.
• Thorough knowledge of proper English usage, vocabulary, spelling and basic mathematics.
• Thorough knowledge of modern office practices and technology.
• Thorough knowledge of terminology used in the profession; has considerable knowledge of occupational hazards and safety precautions; has considerable knowledge of the methods of case recording and report preparation.
• Knowledge of recent developments, current literature and sources of information regarding social services.
• Knowledge of the laws,…