Social Worker III - Permanency Planning

Primary Purpose of Position

To provide services to children who must be placed in agency custody when their parents or caretakers are unable or unwilling to provide adequate protection or care. To provide services to families after children have come into agency custody or placement responsibility which will help them improve the conditions that led to agency intervention, thus facilitating family reunification. To develop alternative options to provide a permanent home for children should reunification fail. To work toward a safe, permanent home for all children in agency custody within one year.

Duties and Responsibilities or Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, groupwork, and community problems. Considerable knowledge of a wide range of medical, behavioral, and/or psychosocial problems and their treatment theory. Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques, governmental and private organizations, and resources in the community, laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program. General knowledge of the methods and principles of casework supervision and training. In certain settings, considerable knowledge of medical terminology, disease processes and their treatment as they relate to decisions regarding clinical interventions and appropriate therapies based on medical or psychological diagnosis. Skill in establishing rapport with a client and in applying techniques or assessing psychosocial, behavioral, and psychological aspects of client's problems. Ability to supervise, train, or instruct lower-level social workers, students, or interns in the program. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of case load and their families, as well as civic, legal, medical, social, and religious organizations. Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively.

Minimum Education and Experience

Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative (Child Welfare positions only); Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience; Master's degree in a human services field and one year of directly related experience; Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience; Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience. NOTE: Will accept applications for Social Worker II at Salary Grade 67 ($53,091 - $83,912) working against Social Worker III. Minimum Training and Experience: Bachelor's degree in social work from an appropriately accredited institution; bachelor's degree in a human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and one year of directly related experience; bachelor's degree from an appropriately accredited institution and two years directly related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. (Directly related experience is defined as human services experience in the areas of case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psycho-social therapy and treatment planning.) Valid North Carolina driver license required. Bilinguals encouraged to apply. DD 214 is required from applicants claiming a military preference.

Equal Opportunity Employer