Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
CPS Conservatorship Worker
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, San Antonio, Texas, United States, 78208
Human Resource Specialist V at Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Brief Job Description:
Whenever a child must be removed from their home, Texas courts appoint Child Protective Services (CPS) to serve as a "Conservator" of the child. Conservatorship Specialists are a specific type of caseworker legally responsible for a child's welfare whenever they are removed from their home and monitors children's care while in CPS conservatorship. They work closely with parents, extended family, and legal parties to help children find a permanent, safe place to live.
Newly hired employees holding a Master's Degree in Social Work may qualify for an increase at the point of hire.
Essential Job Functions (EJFs):
Receives cases from investigators after children are removed from their homes and placed in CPS conservatorship.
Determines each child’s needs and ensures appropriate referrals for testing, evaluations, records, or further assessments are made, focusing on positive permanency.
Works with children, families, and communities to plan for a child’s permanency.
Identifies potential permanency resources for the child through ongoing contact with parents, family members, and other individuals the child and family identify as important to them.
Searches for potential kinship providers and completes home studies of kinship providers who might care for the child.
Meets with parents to assess risk and safety issues, identifies behavior changes necessary to achieve child safety, and refers parents to appropriate services to address identified needs.
Meets with children, parents, family friends, or foster homes in public and private settings.
Collaborates with a Placement Team, including Kinship staff, for placements as needed.
Participates in meetings and conferences at convenient times for family members and everyone involved in the case.
Visits children monthly to assess the child’s safety in their current home, plan for permanency, and discuss their needs, wishes, and progress while in care.
Attends and participates in court hearings about the child and family, prepares court reports, and testifies in court on the child’s needs and the family’s progress.
Keeps the child’s and parents’ caregivers, court-appointed attorney, and guardian ad litem(s) informed about the child’s circumstances and significant events.
Works with the department's attorney to prepare for contested-court hearings and trials.
Works with kinship caregivers and foster parents to ensure they have what they need to care for the child, keeping them informed and available 24/7 as required.
Transitions children home during reunification services and provides support to the family until the legal case is closed.
Supervises adoptive placements until the adoption is final or until the case is transferred to an adoption caseworker.
Uses effective time-management skills to ensure all key tasks are completed.
Documents case records by completing forms, narratives, and reports to form a written record for each client.
Develops and maintains effective working relationships between Child Protective Services staff and community resources.
Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
Promotes and demonstrates respect for cultural diversity among coworkers, clients, and all work-related contacts.
Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
Knowledge of child development
Knowledge of family dynamics
Skill in effective verbal and written communication
Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships
Skill in problem solving techniques
Ability to operate a personal computer
Ability to travel and attend child and family visits after 5pm
Ability to be on call on a rotating basis and work irregular hours
Ability to work in an emotion-filled environment and conduct home visits in high-crime areas
Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications: This position requires use of the applicant's personal motor vehicle to complete job functions. Applicants must provide proof of driving record, insurance, and license.
Initial Screening Criteria: Child Protective Services Conservatorship Worker I: An accredited Bachelor's degree OR an accredited Associate's degree plus two (2) years of relevant work experience OR 60 accredited college credit hours plus two (2) years relevant work experience OR 90 accredited college credit hours plus one (1) year of relevant work experience.
Additional Information: Community-Based Care (CBC) is a new way to provide services… (summary kept concise). The position may shift to a private contractor after 2029. Applicants considered for placement will be required to pass a drug screening and an FBI fingerprint check.
Seniority level Entry level
Employment type Full-time
Job function Administrative
Industries Civic and Social Organizations and Individual and Family Services
Benefits
Medical insurance
Vision insurance
401(k)
Pension plan
Tuition assistance
Disability insurance
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Whenever a child must be removed from their home, Texas courts appoint Child Protective Services (CPS) to serve as a "Conservator" of the child. Conservatorship Specialists are a specific type of caseworker legally responsible for a child's welfare whenever they are removed from their home and monitors children's care while in CPS conservatorship. They work closely with parents, extended family, and legal parties to help children find a permanent, safe place to live.
Newly hired employees holding a Master's Degree in Social Work may qualify for an increase at the point of hire.
Essential Job Functions (EJFs):
Receives cases from investigators after children are removed from their homes and placed in CPS conservatorship.
Determines each child’s needs and ensures appropriate referrals for testing, evaluations, records, or further assessments are made, focusing on positive permanency.
Works with children, families, and communities to plan for a child’s permanency.
Identifies potential permanency resources for the child through ongoing contact with parents, family members, and other individuals the child and family identify as important to them.
Searches for potential kinship providers and completes home studies of kinship providers who might care for the child.
Meets with parents to assess risk and safety issues, identifies behavior changes necessary to achieve child safety, and refers parents to appropriate services to address identified needs.
Meets with children, parents, family friends, or foster homes in public and private settings.
Collaborates with a Placement Team, including Kinship staff, for placements as needed.
Participates in meetings and conferences at convenient times for family members and everyone involved in the case.
Visits children monthly to assess the child’s safety in their current home, plan for permanency, and discuss their needs, wishes, and progress while in care.
Attends and participates in court hearings about the child and family, prepares court reports, and testifies in court on the child’s needs and the family’s progress.
Keeps the child’s and parents’ caregivers, court-appointed attorney, and guardian ad litem(s) informed about the child’s circumstances and significant events.
Works with the department's attorney to prepare for contested-court hearings and trials.
Works with kinship caregivers and foster parents to ensure they have what they need to care for the child, keeping them informed and available 24/7 as required.
Transitions children home during reunification services and provides support to the family until the legal case is closed.
Supervises adoptive placements until the adoption is final or until the case is transferred to an adoption caseworker.
Uses effective time-management skills to ensure all key tasks are completed.
Documents case records by completing forms, narratives, and reports to form a written record for each client.
Develops and maintains effective working relationships between Child Protective Services staff and community resources.
Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations.
Promotes and demonstrates respect for cultural diversity among coworkers, clients, and all work-related contacts.
Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):
Knowledge of child development
Knowledge of family dynamics
Skill in effective verbal and written communication
Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships
Skill in problem solving techniques
Ability to operate a personal computer
Ability to travel and attend child and family visits after 5pm
Ability to be on call on a rotating basis and work irregular hours
Ability to work in an emotion-filled environment and conduct home visits in high-crime areas
Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications: This position requires use of the applicant's personal motor vehicle to complete job functions. Applicants must provide proof of driving record, insurance, and license.
Initial Screening Criteria: Child Protective Services Conservatorship Worker I: An accredited Bachelor's degree OR an accredited Associate's degree plus two (2) years of relevant work experience OR 60 accredited college credit hours plus two (2) years relevant work experience OR 90 accredited college credit hours plus one (1) year of relevant work experience.
Additional Information: Community-Based Care (CBC) is a new way to provide services… (summary kept concise). The position may shift to a private contractor after 2029. Applicants considered for placement will be required to pass a drug screening and an FBI fingerprint check.
Seniority level Entry level
Employment type Full-time
Job function Administrative
Industries Civic and Social Organizations and Individual and Family Services
Benefits
Medical insurance
Vision insurance
401(k)
Pension plan
Tuition assistance
Disability insurance
#J-18808-Ljbffr