Adoption Social Worker (Foster Care System)

Job Description

Arlington County requires all applicants to thoroughly complete each section of the application, including prior job responsibilities, duties, and supplemental questions. While you may attach a resume, it will not replace a completed application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

The Child and Family Services Division of the Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking an Adoption Social Worker (Foster Care System). This is a professional position on an integrated team, providing the full range of services to youth in the foster care system with a goal of adoption. This position serves in a leadership role as case manager to plan, organize, and coordinate service delivery. The Adoption Social Worker (Foster Care System) collaborates with mental health, education, legal, medical, and other human services professionals to ensure coordination and effectiveness of comprehensive services to children and families needing foster care and adoption services.

Responsibilities

Specific duties include:

• Supports adoption permanency goal for children to include conducting relative, kin, and resource family searches to identify resources for adoptive placement;
• Collaborates with and champions the work of foster and adoptive parents as part of a professional team;
• Secures and supervise placements for children, supporting resource for families to maintain placements and help children work toward permanency;
• Screens and evaluates potential foster/adoptive foster homes to determine best fit for a child; and provides post-placement supervision;
• Assesses cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children and families to develop and implement psychosocial case plans which integrate systemic, medical, and social-ecological treatment approaches;
• Ensures provision of services including medical, psychological, education and social supports to include referrals to appropriate community resources; and
• Complies with all mandates for service delivery including court reviews, record documentation (OASIS), and administrative requirements throughout the foster care and adoption process.

The ideal candidate will possess knowledge or experience in one or more of the following:
• Principles of child welfare practice including foster care and adoption
• Analytical Thinking
• Effective Written and Verbal Communication
• Adaptability and Learning Agility

Arlington County DHS is committed to delivering client services in an effective, equitable, respectful, and trauma-informed manner. Our staff is dedicated to ensuring our clients are approached, engaged and cared for in ways that demonstrate competency, sensitivity and awareness of factors which impact the client experience including but not limited to: cultural identity, gender, racial, and ethnic diversity, religious/spiritual ascription, physical capability, cognitive and literacy levels, sexual orientation, and linguistic needs.

Qualifications

Minimums:

This position may be filled at either the full-performance or trainee level depending on qualifications.


Trainee Level:

Education: Master's Degree in Human Services, Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, Child Development, Family Therapy or other directly related clinical discipline, all of which required a clinical practicum involving diagnostic, treatment, and case management services;

Depending upon qualifications, a training period will be established to last no longer than the equivalent of 24 months. At the end of the training period, the employee must meet experience, training, proficiency and certification requirements for the journey level position. Once the candidate qualifies, the one-year probationary period will begin.


Full Performance Level:
Education : Master's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or other directly related clinical discipline, all of which required a clinical practicum involving diagnostic, treatment, and case management services.
Experience: Two years of post-Master's Degree experience providing professional clinical social work services, which included the application of diagnostic, treatment, and case management services in a child welfare setting (foster care, adoption, child protective services).


Substitution: Directly related higher level clinical degrees may substitute for the Master's Degree education requirement and 1 year of experience.

Desirables: Preference may be given to candidates with a Masters degree in related field and/or experience in one or more of the following:

• Providing direct services to children and families involved with child welfare;
• Licensure as an LCSW, LPC, LCPC or LSW, and/or
• Supporting and promoting an inclusive and diverse environment.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Applicant must possess or obtain by the time of appointment, a valid motor vehicle operator's license from the applicant's place of residence or the applicant must have the ability and willingness to use alternative methods of transportation to perform assigned duties and responsibilities at locations other than the primary worksite. The applicant must authorize Arlington County to obtain, or the applicant must provide, a copy of the applicant's official state/district driving record. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record.

A background check is required and may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit check and may require signing a release authorizing the County to obtain this information. The position will require travel around Arlington County.


A pre-hire background check and State of Virginia Child Welfare and Neglect Central Registry will be required.

Additional Information

Work Hours : Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with 2 days required in the community or office, and up to 3 days a week telework, which is subject to change based on business needs. The work may extend beyond normal business hours at times (occasional evenings and weekends).


The official title of this position is Human Services Clinician II.

The office is located at 2100 Washington Blvd (Sequoia Plaza). 50% of work is performed at locations within Arlington County and the surrounding jurisdictions.

Please complete all sections of the application. Your responses to the supplemental questionnaire are required for this position. Please do not give "see resume" as a response to the questions. Incomplete applications will not be considered.


This position is eligible for County government employee benefits that include health, dental, vacation and sick leave, commuter transportation subsidies, tuition reimbursement, as well as a generous retirement plan.

For more information on Arlington County's generous benefits and retirement plan, click here.

Arlington County is committed to advancing diversity, equity, access, and inclusion across all our services, activities, and programs. Learn more about our commitment.

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