Fairfax County
Family Safety Practitioner III - Child Protective Services
Fairfax County, Reston, Virginia, United States, 22090
Position Overview
This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires.
Do you want to be part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and families? As a Family Safety Practitioner (FSP) working with our after‑hours team, Team B, you will engage with parents and their children who are at risk of or victims of abuse or neglect and strengthen families so they can safely care for their children. This life‑changing work involves taking decisive and appropriate actions when a child needs protection, analyzing complex information, and employing intervention services and strategies to achieve the best outcomes for children.
We are looking for people who are committed to children’s safety and family preservation, possess good critical‑thinking and decision‑making skills, and thrive in a fast‑paced environment. This job may have long and unconventional hours; the regular shift is 1:00 – 9:30 p.m., Monday‑Friday. Additional evening, weekend, or daytime work and on‑call rotation for CPS—including evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours—may be required.
Duties of the CPS Family Safety Practitioner
Assess allegations of child abuse and neglect, including interviewing children, parents, and other involved parties, often in their homes or community spaces.
Use the practice model to comprehensively assess children and their families, including assessments of protective, risk, and safety factors.
Take appropriate actions based on informed decisions and relevant policy to keep children safe and support families, including creating and monitoring safety plans, connecting families with services, providing brief clinical interventions, de‑escalating tense situations, supporting families’ decisions for alternate living arrangements, or separating children and placing them in foster care.
Collaborate with other professionals to gather and share information and inform decision‑making.
Take legal action when needed to ensure children are safe, including preparing and filing court paperwork and attending and testifying in court hearings.
Document interactions and observations related to assessments and decision‑making in a timely manner.
Assist on the CPS Hotline and screen new referrals of child abuse and neglect (if applicable).
Support practitioners who are providing clinical casework services to children and their families as part of in‑home or family support services (if applicable).
What You Need to Be Successful
Ability to manage conflict and cope with pressure in a professional manner.
Ability to work flexible hours as needed, including on‑call rotation.
Ability to work collaboratively.
Knowledge of child development and family functioning.
Ability to use critical‑thinking skills to analyze information and develop goals for the safety and well‑being of children.
Ability to partner with families to address issues such as parenting, financial stability, mental health, substance abuse, intimate partner violence, etc.
Ability to work with individuals and families across cultures.
Strong verbal and writing skills.
Ability to plan and organize your work while adjusting to changing situations and priorities.
Commitment to learning about process, policy, best practices and our practice model and applying the learning to daily tasks.
Minimum Qualifications Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
Graduation from an accredited four‑year college or university with a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or a related field, plus four years of experience in social work, psychology, sociology, or a related experience. A master’s degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
Related field/experience is based solely on the position description.
Certificates and Licenses Required
Valid driver’s license.
Positions within this class are required to complete the state‑mandated training in the functional area within a specified time period.
Necessary Special Requirements The appointee to the position must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check, driving record check, and a Child Protective Services check. This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree in social work (MSW) or a related human services degree.
Experience performing child protective investigations, foster care and/or family preservation.
Experience working with the court system or family group facilitation.
Experience working with a diverse multicultural population.
Physical Requirements Ability to navigate through and make decisions in stressful and crisis situations. Work requires performing tasks with risks of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Sufficiently mobile to travel outside the office for client contact, court appearances, community events, and to conduct family assessments and investigations of allegations of child abuse and neglect. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. Ability to use automated technology. Must be able to operate a motor vehicle and make use of personal vehicle. Ability to lift up to 40 lbs. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodation.
Selection Procedure Panel interview; may include practical exercise.
Fairfax County EEO Statement Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable Accommodations Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703‑222‑7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov. EEO/AA/TTY.
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Do you want to be part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and families? As a Family Safety Practitioner (FSP) working with our after‑hours team, Team B, you will engage with parents and their children who are at risk of or victims of abuse or neglect and strengthen families so they can safely care for their children. This life‑changing work involves taking decisive and appropriate actions when a child needs protection, analyzing complex information, and employing intervention services and strategies to achieve the best outcomes for children.
We are looking for people who are committed to children’s safety and family preservation, possess good critical‑thinking and decision‑making skills, and thrive in a fast‑paced environment. This job may have long and unconventional hours; the regular shift is 1:00 – 9:30 p.m., Monday‑Friday. Additional evening, weekend, or daytime work and on‑call rotation for CPS—including evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours—may be required.
Duties of the CPS Family Safety Practitioner
Assess allegations of child abuse and neglect, including interviewing children, parents, and other involved parties, often in their homes or community spaces.
Use the practice model to comprehensively assess children and their families, including assessments of protective, risk, and safety factors.
Take appropriate actions based on informed decisions and relevant policy to keep children safe and support families, including creating and monitoring safety plans, connecting families with services, providing brief clinical interventions, de‑escalating tense situations, supporting families’ decisions for alternate living arrangements, or separating children and placing them in foster care.
Collaborate with other professionals to gather and share information and inform decision‑making.
Take legal action when needed to ensure children are safe, including preparing and filing court paperwork and attending and testifying in court hearings.
Document interactions and observations related to assessments and decision‑making in a timely manner.
Assist on the CPS Hotline and screen new referrals of child abuse and neglect (if applicable).
Support practitioners who are providing clinical casework services to children and their families as part of in‑home or family support services (if applicable).
What You Need to Be Successful
Ability to manage conflict and cope with pressure in a professional manner.
Ability to work flexible hours as needed, including on‑call rotation.
Ability to work collaboratively.
Knowledge of child development and family functioning.
Ability to use critical‑thinking skills to analyze information and develop goals for the safety and well‑being of children.
Ability to partner with families to address issues such as parenting, financial stability, mental health, substance abuse, intimate partner violence, etc.
Ability to work with individuals and families across cultures.
Strong verbal and writing skills.
Ability to plan and organize your work while adjusting to changing situations and priorities.
Commitment to learning about process, policy, best practices and our practice model and applying the learning to daily tasks.
Minimum Qualifications Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
Graduation from an accredited four‑year college or university with a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or a related field, plus four years of experience in social work, psychology, sociology, or a related experience. A master’s degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
Related field/experience is based solely on the position description.
Certificates and Licenses Required
Valid driver’s license.
Positions within this class are required to complete the state‑mandated training in the functional area within a specified time period.
Necessary Special Requirements The appointee to the position must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check, driving record check, and a Child Protective Services check. This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree in social work (MSW) or a related human services degree.
Experience performing child protective investigations, foster care and/or family preservation.
Experience working with the court system or family group facilitation.
Experience working with a diverse multicultural population.
Physical Requirements Ability to navigate through and make decisions in stressful and crisis situations. Work requires performing tasks with risks of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Sufficiently mobile to travel outside the office for client contact, court appearances, community events, and to conduct family assessments and investigations of allegations of child abuse and neglect. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. Ability to use automated technology. Must be able to operate a motor vehicle and make use of personal vehicle. Ability to lift up to 40 lbs. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodation.
Selection Procedure Panel interview; may include practical exercise.
Fairfax County EEO Statement Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable Accommodations Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703‑222‑7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov. EEO/AA/TTY.
#LI‑RS1
#J-18808-Ljbffr