Child Protective Services Caseworker

Job Overview Location: Skowhegan. Salary: $32.35 - $42.34 per hour (includes $7.50/hr recruitment and retention stipend). Opening Date: June 8, 2026. Closing Date: Open continuously. Job Class Code: 5077, Grade 24. Responsibilities Perform professional social work in the areas of child protection, children’s services, and adoption. Engage families to assess child safety and make plans which best meet the safety, well‑being, and permanency needs of their children. Create a team for each family consisting of family, staff, and community resources to support safe solutions for children. Reach factually supported safety decisions in a timely and thorough manner, with input from parents, children, extended family, and community stakeholders to assure child safety. Assess: child safety, abuse, and neglect, and signs of danger. family strengths and capabilities. family functioning. Separate unsafe caregivers from children in need of protection when court action is required to make children safe. Make appropriate plans for children, focusing on their safety needs, preservation of family relationships, reunifying children when appropriate, or achieving a permanent placement in another family if needed. Maintain accurate case records of assessments, activities, and plans; summaries; reports; letters and memos. Follow federal and state laws, mandates, policy, and timeframes to achieve child safety, well‑being, and permanency. Perform case planning and, when needed, petition for protective custody and placement of children. Qualifications A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited educational institution in Social Work/Social Welfare; OR a Bachelor’s Degree in a related social service/social welfare/social work area which includes at least 12 courses in behavioral science, social science, or social work; AND must have or be eligible for conditional or full licensure as a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) as determined by the Maine State Board of Social Worker Licensure. NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Applicants must have or be eligible for conditional or full licensure at the Licensed Social Worker (LSW) level as issued by the Maine State Board of Social Work Licensure. An LSW requires an earned BA/BS in social work/social welfare. An LSW‑Conditional requires an earned BA/BS in a field related to social work/social welfare. Detail oriented and able to effectively manage and meet deadlines. Work requires frequent overtime, emergency standby coverage, and regular travel within the geographic area served by a District Office. Benefits 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service. Overtime‑exempt employees receive personal leave. Health insurance coverage: State pays 85%-100% of employee‑only premiums. Dental insurance: State pays 100% of employee‑only dental premiums. Retirement plan: State contributes the equivalent of 14.11% of the employee’s pay toward the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS). Parental leave: Six weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional unpaid leave may be available under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Equal Opportunity Statement Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. #J-18808-Ljbffr Department of Health and Human Services