Social Worker IAT

Social Worker Position

The duties of this social worker involve crisis intervention and continuous supportive services to children and families in the course of delivering protective services mandated by state law. The main area of focus is directed toward neglected and abused children, as well as children at risk.

Duties include: providing direct services to the child and family in an attempt to protect the child from further neglect or abuse; receiving and evaluating neglect and abuse referrals; planning with the family and arranging services as are necessary in treating the problems that need to be remedied; to invoke the authority of the courts when necessary for protection of the child; to make necessary arrangements for alternative care for a child(ren) who cannot remain in his own home; to continue to work with parents, child(ren), relatives, foster parents, and others as necessary to assure safe and healthy reunion of families.

The social worker in this position will be responsible for providing continuing services to families in which neglect and/or abuse has been substantiated. This includes a process of responding to families in crisis, gathering factual information, and assessing the degree of danger to the child. This worker must have a high level of self-awareness, must have or develop skills in diagnostic assessments of family functional and dysfunctional behavior, and have a high tolerance level for client aggressive behavior, as he/she carries an authoritative role. This worker must have skills in coordinating multiple services, participate in team decision-making, and provide services and treatment. Skills in using the court system as part of the child protection and treatment plan will be required in some situations. Emphasis is placed on counseling to enable the families to remain intact.

This social worker must have extensive knowledge of the attachment, separation, and reattachment process, and it is mandatory that this worker have the courage, commitment, and skill to enter into the treatment process at an emotional level of depth, and to be supportive of children and families in each part of this process. He/she must be sensitively aware of own value system regarding family life structure, termination of parental rights, and the rights of children to consistent, continuous love relationships.

The worker in this position will need to know and be able to utilize community and area resources, to include initiating and attending conferences and meetings with local and area disciplines in order to appropriately and effectively serve the emotionally and physically damaged children who enter this system. The concentration of social work expertise in this area is also to keep families intact when possible and to frequently assess the feasibility of their efforts with a direction toward permanency planning for the child. This position also includes the responsibility of coordinating all agency and supportive services. In achieving permanency planning goals, worker will use individual and family counseling methods, crisis intervention, confrontation and reality techniques. He/she will be offering service to high-risk families in complex situations. Court hearings and judicial mandated reviews are tasks to be performed in this position.

Two Year Work Against Information: Social Worker II Salary: $61,616.28, after one (1) year of experience - Social Worker III Salary: $67,931.95, after two (2) years of experience - fully qualified as a Social Worker IAT Salary: $67,931.95

Master's degree from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative; OR Master's degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of directly related experience; OR Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative and one year of directly related experience; OR Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of directly related experience; OR a Master's degree in counseling from an accredited college or university in a human services field and two years of directly related experience; OR a Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience; OR Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and four years of directly related experience; OR an equivalent combination of training 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.

Applicants may qualify for a work against appointment with a certain degree of education and experience.

Conditions of employment include: operating motor vehicles for Cumberland County and having a valid North Carolina Drivers License; drug testing as per County policy; law enforcement background check; use of personal vehicle for duties; participation in emergency and/or disaster situations; adherence to the Cumberland County Department of Social Services dress code policy; submission of college transcripts prior to employment start date; and inability to provide application status over the phone.

The Cumberland County Department of Social Services stands united to strengthen individuals and families and to protect children and vulnerable adults. We collaborate with our community partners to provide programs and services which engage our customers in improving their quality of life.

We envision our Department... as a catalyst for improving quality of life through teamwork, partnership, forward thinking, and cutting edge service delivery. We envision our customers...as partners, motivated and empowered to improve their quality of life.

Our Core Standards and Values include: Service, Teamwork, Accountability, Diversity, Innovation, Optimism, Integrity, and Flexibility.