Family Preservation Services Worker

Family Preservation Services Worker

Department of Social Services

12 Months, Full-Time

Non-Exempt, Pay Grade 33

VRS-Eligible, Benefits-Eligible

***THE LISTING ON THE ALBEMARLE COUNTY WEBSITE IS FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES ONLY. APPLICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE VA STATE WEBSITE FOUND HERE:

Family Services Specialist II- Family Preservation Services Worker (Albemarle) - New LHRC External Career Site Careers

Essential Functions:

• Partners with families through In-Home Services cases to develop and implement family-specific psychosocial case plans integrating multiple social work theories and intervention approaches that increase child safety, reduce the risk of abuse/neglect and foster care, and build on the family’s strengths to address needs to preserve the family.

• Supports families in accessing resources and services that can reduce risk and build protective capacity through providing services and conducting assessments from a strengths-based, trauma-informed, culturally humble, and family-centered perspective that considers cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children and their families.

• Offers clinical case management to children and families that applies family-systems treatment models in such a way as to strengthen families and prevent foster care through ongoing assessment, planning, intervention, collaboration, and evaluation.

• Utilizes best practices in family engagement and family finding to identify and connect children and families with their natural supports to increase child safety, well-being, and permanency. Actively engages the natural support network and community partners in ongoing case planning to meet family goals.

• Participates in multi-disciplinary and interagency teams providing services to customers; collaborates with community partners such as schools, the Court Services Unit, Region Ten, and local therapeutic providers and coordinates services with these partners through home visits, school visits, and team meetings.

• Exercises critical thinking in casework decision-making and applying laws, policies, and regulations; plans, oversees, and participates directly in court interventions to protect children and achieve goals of safety, permanency, and well-being for children.

• Interprets and adheres to necessary federal, state, and local laws, policies, regulations, planning, and reporting requirements, including maintaining a thorough case record with all necessary documentation, informing clients of their rights and responsibilities related to In-Home Services, and demonstrating fiscal stewardship while following the requirements for funding authorization and payments for services for children and their families.

• Provides coverage after hours and on weekends, on a rotating on-call basis, for emergencies involving the abuse or neglect of children and for situations requiring immediate attention regarding children in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services.

• Performs other duties as required.

Competency: Knowledge/ Skills/Abilities:

Working knowledge of:

• Social work principles and practices.
• Current social, economic, and health problems.
• Social institutions and community resources.
• The methods of the helping process.
• Individual and group behavior;
• Child and adolescent growth and development, family structure and dynamics, the impact of physical and mental conditions on families;
• Crisis intervention;
• The impact of trauma, systemic discrimination, and the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage on children and families as well as effective intervention strategies to promote healing and change.

Skills in:

• Critical thinking.
• Crisis intervention and de-escalation.
• Decision-making and independent judgment.
• Using personal computer with associated software.

Ability to:

• Identify social problems and client strengths and needs and assess the ability of individuals and families to utilize services in problem-solving.
• Develop rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds;
• Recognize and accept the rights, responsibilities, and differences of others;
• Work effectively with individuals and families in helping them attain success.
• Plan and organize work.
• Understand and interpret laws, policies, and regulations.
• Communicate and establish effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, other professional and technical staff, social agencies, and the general public.
• Operate a motor vehicle;
• Prepare reports and maintain records.

Required Education and Experience:

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area (Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia).
• Workers in this position are required to drive and they must meet the eligibility requirements of the County’s safe driver policy. Workers must be willing to travel occasionally overnight and may be required to assist in managing emergency shelters for the public. Must be willing to work beyond regular working hours and be on call. The candidate may be subject to criminal history and central registry background checks.

Preferred Qualifications/Certifications:

• Experience in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is preferred.
• Possession of a BSW degree, MSW or related master’s degree and/or a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Work license are preferred.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

• Administers work to the public, frequently in home settings, including remote rural areas.
• Involves office- based work for purposes of documentation and data entry.
• Frequent contacts with clients and their families; coordination with professionals and representatives of other public and private agencies (i.e. school, courts, clinics, etc.) are required.
• Involves frequent driving, walking, standing.
• Involves some telework for participating in virtual meetings and much of the office-based administrative work can be completed virtually.
• Provides coverage after hours and on weekends, on a rotating on-call basis, for emergencies involving the abuse or neglect of children and for situations requiring immediate attention regarding children in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services.

The Salary Range:

The hiring range for this position is $35.70 - $39.45 per hour (approx. $74,258 - $82,075 per year). Starting offer is based on applicable education beyond minimum requirements and internal equity. The position also provides excellent benefits including 12 paid holidays, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, VRS retirement, and continuing education/training opportunities. This is a full time, FLSA non-exempt position. Internal candidates will receive pay adjustments in accordance with Local Government Personnel Policy, §P-60.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Position open until Friday, November 6, 2026.

Virginia Values Veterans:

Albemarle County is a Certified V3 organization.

EOE/EEO:

Albemarle County is an equal employment opportunity employer, and does not discriminate against any group or individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age or disability in regards to any aspect of employment policy and practice: recruitment, testing, selection, assignment, pay, conditions of work, training, leave, overtime, promotion, discipline, demotion, and separation.