Social Worker (Child Protective Services)

Salary: See Position Description
Location : Wilmington, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202600013
Department: SOCIAL SERVICES
Opening Date: 02/12/2026
Closing Date: Continuous


Position Information
Now Hiring: Those who believe in keeping families together.

Those who Believe in Keeping Families Together Work with Purpose for Child Welfare.

New Hanover County is committed to making lives better through serving children and families with complex needs by...
Doing what's right:

By ongoing assessment and partnering with families to help strengthen them and work to maintain and/or reunite children with their families whenever possible by providing support and comprehensive family-centered, solution focused interventions that will support and build a parent's capacity to protect and nurture their children.

Doing it together:

Working cohesively with families, children, community and in-agency partners, and other child welfare entities to support and strengthen families.

Doing it well:

Striving for excellence in meeting all mandated standards in a fast-paced but rewarding environment that ultimately seeks to assure child safety, permanence and develop and reinforce protective family units.

Duties in Child Protective Services (CPS) include receiving and screening reports from the public regarding suspected child abuse, neglect and dependency to see if they meet legal criteria for CPS assessments; providing direct services to children and their parents/caretakers through which a timely and comprehensive assessment is conducted to determine if abuse/neglect/dependency exists, and providing for ongoing intervention if warranted; providing protective services to help families keep children who have been maltreated safely at home whenever possible; applying crisis intervention techniques, assessing risk, and developing case plans to ensure children's safety; entering information into various software systems and ensuring all required documentation, forms and reports are completed and maintained in a timely and consistent manner in accordance with local, state and federal requirements.

90% of field work is done in homes, court, and the community. Must be able to lift and carry a child.

This position holds the opportunity for telework on a partial basis, where the selected candidate will occasionally start his/her workday from home and report directly to job sites throughout the day. Certain meetings or trainings will require the employee to come into the office. The ideal candidate for telework position is a self-starter with strong written and verbal skills and solid proficiency in using modern office technology to perform work duties.


Working for New Hanover County's Social Services Department:

New Hanover County's Consolidated Human Services Agency is a single county agency that provides any combination of Public Health and Social Services throughout the county. The Social Services department is comprised of a team of dedicated professionals seeking to serve the citizens of our county through providing essential human services. The department is a part of a dynamic, professional county organization with a clear vision as a vibrant, prosperous, diverse coastal community, committed to building a sustainable future for generations to come. Ideal candidates for the department of social services have excellent customer service, organizational and computer skills, the ability to problem solve and make critical decisions and above all, an overwhelming desire to serve the citizens of our county.
New Hanover County is dedicated to the recruitment and recognition of a talented and diverse workforce that is committed to public service. Our shared values of professionalism, innovation, equity, integrity, stewardship and accountability guide the way we conduct ourselves and deliver services to our customers. New Hanover County celebrates diversity in our employees' backgrounds, beliefs, identities, and abilities, while supporting growth opportunities for all. Our talented team has a passion for providing care and services that effect change on the everyday lives of the citizens they encounter. The differences that unite us are a reflection of the community we serve. If this sounds like an organization that models the values you uphold, we invite you to join our team at New Hanover County.
Living in New Hanover County, NC:

New Hanover County offers an exceptional quality of life with its picturesque coastal location. Enjoy the stunning beaches, water activities, and a variety of recreational opportunities right at your doorstep. Immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture, indulge in diverse dining experiences, and explore historical landmarks. The county is known for its strong sense of community, excellent schools, and a thriving arts scene. With a focus on good governance and a commitment to customer service, New Hanover County provides an ideal environment for both personal and professional growth.


Salary Information:
The hiring range for this position is $60,943 - $80,764.50 . Salary will be determined based on qualifications. Bilingual candidates are eligible for a differential (5%) when performing Spanish language interpretation during the course of work.


Trainee Opportunities:
Applicants who meet the required minimum education but lack the required social work experience may be considered, and if hired, will be paid at least the minimum trainee rate of $56,351 and will remain at a trainee rate until the minimum experience qualifications are met. Priority consideration for trainee applicants will be given to those applicants who have completed the NC Child Welfare Education Collaborative Program and to those possessing a BSW or MSW. The maximum period for an employee to remain in a trainee status is two (2) years. All experience requirements must be met within two (2) years of employment.
New Hanover County offers:

• Employer paid 401k contributions;
• Retirement plan through the NC Retirement system;
• Flex time and telework availability, depending on your position;
• Paid sick and personal leave + 13 paid holidays per year;
• Paid parental leave;
• Paid community services leave to give back to our community;
• Education leave to obtain a degree within your line of work;
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance + many other insurance options;
• Onsite, employer-paid health and wellness center;
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives;
• Opportunities to make a difference in your community;
• And so much more!

Please check out our careers page at for more information on why New Hanover County is a great place to work.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:

• MSW from an accredited school;
• OR BSW from an accredited school of social work and 1 year of related social work experience;
• OR a four-year degree in a human services field with at least 15 semester hours in courses related to social work and 2 years of related social work experience;
• OR a four-year degree in a field outside of human services and 3 years of related social work experience;
• OR ar an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Valid Driver's License and good driving record required at time of application.
• Valid North Carolina Driver's License required by first date of employment with good driving record.

Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred.
Note: Applicants who only have economic services caseworker or Probation/Parole Officer experience to count as social work experience, must have a minimum of two years of experience in order to be considered as a trainee. Experience counts as social work experience for one half the time up to one year maximum. For example, one year of experience equals six months of social work experience; two years of experience equals one year of social work experience; and ten years of experience still equals one year of social worker experience.

Licenses/Certifications
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Ability to prioritize workload and maintain administrative duties while balancing field work
• Identify and assess risk, address safety issues, & problem-solve with families to create solutions
• Ability to make connections with families and support family-centered principles
• Ability to make decisions without regard to that personal prejudices, biases, and experiences and respect the value of individual differences at all levels of the organization
• Ability to think critically during conflict and high-stress situations and exercise sound judgement
• Ability to build and maintain positive, productive relationships with peers, colleagues, managers, providers, the community and other professionals
• Thorough knowledge of agency procedures and resources, community systems and resources, manual material, state and federal regulations, permanency planning philosophy, and laws governing protective services for children.
• Knowledge of basic criminal justice procedures, elements of medical and mental disorders, personality theory, family systems dynamics, interpersonal relations, and cultural differences, values and lifestyles.
• Firmly adhere to codes of conduct and ethical principles
• Ability to navigate technology and quickly learn new and complex systems.

Other Information
North Carolina Child Welfare Work:
Watch a introduction into the daily life of a social worker and learn what it takes to make a profound impact on your community. This information is provided by the UNC School of Social Work, and the video can be found by clicking this link:
Hours:
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Monday through Friday. All position assignments must be available to work during emergency situations.


Application Status:
This job is posted continuously until filled with a priority consideration date of Thursday 02/26/2026. Applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants referred to the department will receive an email requesting important information pertinent to the position applied for. Please be sure to check your email for this communication so we may proceed with the next step in the recruitment process in a timely manner. Updates regarding your application status can be viewed through your applicant portal.
If you have interviewed for a position and would like to inquire about the status of your interview, please contact the hiring manager that you interviewed with.

In compliance with G.S. 153A-94.2(b), if this position requires an applicant for employment to work with children in any capacity, the county must require the applicant to undergo a criminal history record check conducted by the SBI for all offers of employment made after October 1, 2025. These checks must be performed in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.26, which authorizes the SBI to provide fingerprint-based state and national criminal record checks to cities and counties. Additional information on how to complete this required check will be provided to the selected candidate after an offer of employment is accepted.


New Hanover County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
New Hanover County offers a competitive benefits package designed to encourage and support your health, well-being and productivity to include

• Employer paid 401k deferred compensation contributions (5% for sworn law enforcement and 2.5% for all other benefits eligible positions);
• Retirement plan through the NC Retirement system;
• Paid sick and personal leave + 13 paid holidays per year;
• Paid parental leave;
• Paid community services leave to give back to our community;
• Education leave to obtain a degree within your line of work;
• Medical, dental, vision insurance + many other insurance options;
• Employee assistance program;
• 100% employer paid long term disability;
• Onsite, employer-paid health and wellness center which includes a nurse practitioner and physical therapist;
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives;
• Opportunities to make a difference in your community;
• And so much more!

Benefit options for eligible positions include medical, dental, elective supplemental insurance options including short-term disability, vision, flexible spending accounts, voluntary term life, cancer, accident, and critical illness policies. Employees who elect medical and dental insurance within the specified timelines provided during on-boarding, will have coverage effective on their date of hire. For more information about New Hanover County benefit options, including our benefit rates, please click


Please check out our careers page at for more information on why New Hanover County is a great place to work.
Note: All positions listed as temporary, casual part time, volunteer, and intern are not eligible to receive benefits. P art-time position with fewer than 20 scheduled hours per week will not include benefits.
01


Please select which unit(s) you are interested in being considered for:

• Child Protective Services (CPS)
• Permanency Planning (PP)

02


If you do not have the minimum social worker experience to meet the minimum requirements, are you interested in being hired as a social worker trainee?

• Yes
• No

03


Select your highest level of education from the information below:

• Master's Degree in Social Work
• Master's Degree in the Human Services field other than Social Work
• Master's Degree outside of the Human Services field
• Bachelor's of Science in Social Work
• Bachelor's Degree in the Human Services field
• Bachelor's Degree in a field outside of the Human Services field
• No degree at a Bachelor's level or above

04


If your degree is NOT in social work, please indicate the field of study you received your applicable degree in.
05


Did you complete the NC Child Welfare Education Collaborative (CWEC) Program during your BSW or MSW?

• Yes
• No

06


How many years of social worker experience do you have?

• 5 or more years of social worker experience
• 3 years but fewer than 5 years of social worker experience
• 2 years but fewer than 3 years of social worker experience
• 1 year but fewer than 2 years of social worker experience
• Some experience but less than 1 year of social worker experience
• No social worker experience

07


Please indicate the social worker units in which you have had work experience.

• Child Protective Services (CPS)
• Permanency Planning (PP) or Child Welfare Services (CWS)
• Adult Protective Services (APS)
• Work First Employment Services
• Emergency Services Intake
• Child Placement
• After Hours
• No work experience in these social work units.

08


Have you had your driver's license suspended for any reason in the last three years?

• Yes
• No

09


If a partial telework position becomes available, are you interested in working a partial telework position?

• Yes
• No

10


As a reminder, candidates are expected to thoroughly complete each relevant section of this application. Have you included all the required information on your application?

• Yes
• No

Required Question