Social Worker III - LINKS​/Adoptions

An employee in this class is responsible for assisting teens and young adults eligible for LINKS services and individuals participating in the Foster Care 18-21 program by providing support and comprehensive solution focused assessments, interventions, and training to support their growth towards self-sufficiency and independence. Works cohesively with teens and/or young adults, their support systems, community, and in‑agency partners to support their goals and strengthen their ability to be productive adults.

Strives for excellence in meeting all mandated standards in a challenging, but rewarding environment which ultimately seeks to assure teens and/or young adults are able to reach self‑sufficiency, develop a support system, and attain their goals. An employee in this class is responsible for managing a child custody caseload and post‑adoption cases. The majority of the cases will include a primary plan of adoption and work focuses on aggressively seeking permanence for those children.

Work also involves highly sensitive and confidential information. Work involves seeking and assessing appropriate placements for children entering foster care and permanent homes for children being adopted. The employee develops a plan detailing activities, parties, and goals which allows the family to be reunified and also documents an alternative plan. An employee in this position will complete paperwork for children placed with adoptive families and handle all post‑adoptive procedures.

Work involves assessing the homes of parents and relatives residing in Alexander County who are requesting placement of biological, relative, or adoptive children in their home. Work is performed independently under the general supervision of a Social Work Supervisor III.

• Supports and supervises foster and adoptive families to strengthen abilities/skills and sustain placements.
• Assesses, selects, and matches foster/adoptive families with foster children.
• Assesses ongoing best interests of children based on developmental, physical, emotional, and other needs.
• Supports and advocates for parents, children, foster parents, and pre‑adoptive parents.
• Prepares children and families for transition/placement.
• Supports children and families throughout time in foster care and through the finalization of adoption.
• Creates a case file documenting a child’s life while in foster care.
• Completes and files all required legal documents and case documentation for the adoption process.
• Completes all financial components of adoption assistance.
• Completes mutual home assessments/pre‑placement assessments and adoption assistance requests.
• Pursues termination of parental rights, when reunification fails, and is responsible for carrying out Permanency Planning Team recommendations.
• Sees, works, and talks to the children at least once a month; and maintains contact with appropriate family members and collaterals.
• Attends all court hearings and prepares all necessary reports and documentation.
• Prepares correspondence, records, and narratives detailing all DSS activities, copies of all court paperwork and orders, visit plans, assessments, funding eligibility, and other related documents.
• Assists in building a network of services for LINKS youth aged 13‑20 years old to include family, friends, mentors, community members, employers, skills training, and other resources.
• Creates and/or facilitates opportunities for youth to experience grown‑enhancing interactions with he environment.
• Assesses continual foster care placement or transitions to independence for young adults between the ages of 18 and 21 while under child welfare agency supervision.
• Facilitates team meetings while creating an environment of physical and emotional safety.
• Encourages effective communication and manages conflict and denial.
• In the event of an emergency, as determined by the County Manager or designee, participation in preparedness and response operations is expected. The employee is required to fill a temporary assignment in a role different from standard duties, work hours and/or work location in preparation for, during, and after the emergency. The employee is also required to participate in…