Children Services Investigator

Children and Families

CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATOR - 60048288

Child Protective Investigator
Department of Children and Families
This posting will be used to fill position vacancies in OPS and Career Service.
Current employees will be compensated in accordance with the DCF salary policy.
Children in crisis need quick action from strong, compassionate individuals dedicated to ensuring their safety. This demanding and challenging career could be your opportunity to speak for those with no voice and fight to help ensure the safety of those who cannot protect themselves. When seconds count, your career decision may be the critical difference in the life of a child.

Conduct investigations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or special conditions for children;
Collect information through observation and interviews with the children, parents, relatives, and neighbors;
Assess danger threats, child vulnerabilities and caregiver protective capacities in order to determine whether a child is safe;
Arrange emergency placement for any child that cannot safely remain in their home;
Notify state attorney, law enforcement and child protection teams;
Provide families with service linkages to agency and community resources;
Conduct initial/ongoing child present and impending danger assessments;
A high school diploma or GED equivalent and four years of law enforcement experience or active military service (honorably discharged or status that current service reflects serving honorably); An associate degree or 60+ credit hours from an accredited college or university and two years of professional work experience (see examples below) or two years of law enforcement experience or active military service (honorably discharged or status that current service reflects serving honorably);
Examples of professional work experience could be, although not limited to:

Guardian Ad Litem or similar child advocate role

Group Home Worker

Nursing Facility Assistant

Other welfare, education, first responder, emergency management or medical professional jobs that occur in high-paced, high-stress environments that require critical decision-making to occur.
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.

An official letter from the college/university registrar or unofficial transcriptions with anticipated graduation dates and credits earned must be provided for all diploma/degree requirements.

Must obtain a Florida Child Protective Investigator Certification from the Florida Certification Board within 12 months after obtaining provisional certification. Must possess operational private vehicle for use in the performance of daily work activities. Selected candidates are required to provide proof of vehicle registration and documentation of the appropriate insurance coverage within 30 days of hire as a condition of employment. The Department provides a Vehicle Insurance Allowance to assist with the cost of insurance coverage due to the use of private vehicle for work purposes.
Ability to attend an8 - 12-week mandatory training course. This training could be scheduled during day, weekend, and evening hours.
Language proficiency may be considered in the selection process as determined by Agency needs at the time of selection.
Bachelor's or master's degree in social work or related field preferred.
This position will require night, weekend, and holiday work. Incumbents may be exposed to possible hazardous conditions in the field.
Following policy and procedures, Managing Time, Assessing, Planning, Intervening, Evaluating, Documenting, Engaging, Teaming, taking appropriate actions related to Domestic Violence, Mental Health, and/or Substance Abuse, Establishing Effective Relationships with Colleagues, Professional Competencies.
assist with evacuation of persons served during an emergency situation, c.) assist clients in and out of properties, vehicles and safety equipment/devices, h.) work 16 hour shifts on occasion, j.) drive a vehicle (car or passenger van) to transport clients, during both daytime hours and nighttime hours.

Candidate Profile (application) must be completed in its entirety.
Include supervisor names and phone numbers for all periods of employment.
Account for and explain any gaps in employment so that the hiring process is not delayed.
Experience, education, training, knowledge, skills and/or abilities as well as responses to pre-qualifying questions must be verifiable to meet the minimum qualifications.
If you experience problems applying online, please call the People First Service Center at View phone number on click.appcast.io.
Growth Opportunities:
With 12,000 employees across the state DCF promotes opportunities and training for all. Meanwhile, Floridians hail from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and walks of life, making it an incredibly diverse melting pot that many residents and visitors to Florida love. About Department of Children and Families:
Mission: The mission of the Department of Children and Families is to work in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.
In collaboration with community stakeholders, we will deliver world class and continuously improving service focused on providing the people we serve with the level and quality that we would demand and expect for our own families.
A workforce that operates with integrity maintains loyalty to a code of ethics that requires the courage to take responsibility for providing the highest quality of service to the vulnerable. We are a solutions-focused learning organization built on a foundation of transparency in action and accountability of results. Both within the organization and among our stakeholders, we thrive in a culture of respect for diversity of opinion that is nurtured through open communication. High performing and committed, we are unified in our goal of excellence in achieving quality outcomes for those we serve.
If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be suspended or voided, and you will be required to repay all benefits received depending upon the date of your retirement.
The position will perform all job tasks in accordance with laws, rules, regulations, policies, and requirements applicable to state and federal laws or procedures.
S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers.
Participation in the State of Florida Direct Deposit Program is required as a condition of employment per F.Male candidates born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion into an authorized position unless they are registered with the Selective Service System (SSS) before their 26th birthday or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. Verification of Selective Service registration will be conducted prior to hire. For more information, please visit the SSS website:
It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any candidate being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment, and also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.Background investigations shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and national criminal records check through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies. Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.
Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center View phone number on click.appcast.io). All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.VETERANS' PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.