Nash County
Social Worker IA&T: In-Home Services Unit
Nash County, Nashville, North Carolina, United States, 27856
Overview
Purpose of Organizational Unit: The Child Protective Services In-Home Services Unit's primary purpose is to execute the agency's legal mandate to serve families in which abuse, neglect or dependency has been substantiated or found In Need of Services. Work in this unit entails:
Counseling and planning with the child's family intended to strengthen the ability of families to protect and care for their own children, to minimize harm to children and youth, and to ensure permanence in children's lives.
Arranging for provision of and assisting families in utilizing appropriate services and community resources.
Obtaining the cooperation of law enforcement agencies as required obtaining suitable care and services for the children in or out of their family origin
Initiation of court action when necessary.
Primary Purpose of the Position: This agency is mandated to provide services to children who have been identified as neglected, abused, or dependent. The primary purpose of the Child Protective Services In-Home Social Worker, Investigations, Assessment and Treatment (SW IA&T) is to execute this mandate. This is an advanced, professional level casework position, providing counseling and case management services for children who are identified as neglected and/or abused or dependent. This is done by assessing family situations to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the family system and to evaluate the level of risk the child may face in the home. The social worker also provides other services to families with children under the age of 18 years who have requested such services from the agency in conjunction with protective services. Treatment and immediate responses will be provided to crisis situations for at risk children in the most complex and hostile of cases.
Work Schedule Regular working hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, in order to make the mandated number of face-to-face contacts in some situations, clients may need contact after hours and overtime may be required. Employees are given the option of flexing their workday to accommodate their clients' schedule without putting the social worker in an overtime situation. Employee serves on a rotation basis for periodic radio coverage.
Change in Responsibilities or Organizational Relationship None
Responsibilities and Duties (in order of importance)
Intervention developed: The In-Home Services SW IA&T is responsible for reviewing the case and becoming familiar with the family dynamics, identified problems and strengths of the family. Utilizing the Child and Family Team process, a Family Services Agreement is devised jointly with the family based on the Risk Assessment and Initial Case Plan. The Family Services Agreement contains objectives that are measurable, time limited, describe specific desired outcomes and identify necessary behavior changes. Identified needs, objectives and activities are directed toward alleviating the problems that lead to the abuse, neglect or dependency and addressing underlying issues that may contribute to the need for protective services. Once the case plan is devised, the helping process is defined.
Providing/arranging for counseling or supportive services: The In-Home Services SW IA&T provides counseling to the client directed toward the development and utilization of family support systems including recognition of development and utilization of strengths, overcoming personal, social, and environmental barriers, and utilizing agency and community resources. The worker seeks community resources to assist the client in attaining their goals.
Monitoring and assessment: The In-Home Services SW IA&T must monitor the Family Services Agreement and complete a Risk Assessment at various intervals in all neglect, abuse and/or dependency cases requiring continued mandated services. After a Family Services Agreement is negotiated, ongoing monitoring and assessment is necessary to determine if the plan continues to be appropriate and that the plan of intervention continues to address the identified needs of the parent and children. This monitoring includes regular interviews with the client in the home and requires collateral contact with other public agencies such as mental health, medical professionals, day care providers, health department personnel, and relatives and friends of the client. Updating the Family Services Agreement is necessary when changes in the family occur and it becomes necessary to revise the plan in order to implement an appropriate plan of protection for the child. Court action is used in the event the client does not meet the objective and the safety of the child is at risk. It is the worker's responsibility to provide the supervisor with a factual assessment in order for the joint decision to be made regarding court action. Prior to court action, the worker must complete the Risk Assessment, which indicates the risk and/or harm to the child by remaining in the home.
Use of the court and court preparation: Court activity is very much a part of the Social Worker's duties. Prior to the decision for court intervention or in the case of an emergency, immediately after obtaining a non-secure custody order, the worker will present her case to the Child and Family Team which makes recommendations as to alternatives to court or the children entering into agency custody. In the event that out of home placement is necessary or, to ensure permanence in a child's life, the Social Worker initiates court action through a non-secure custody order and/or petition, assesses placement options (relatives or foster care) and conjointly with the foster care worker develops an appropriate plan for the child. The worker prepares the child and family for separation, placement and the court process. The worker prepares a written assessment for the court, solicits witnesses when necessary, shares information with the child's Guardian ad Litem and testifies in court making the agency's recommendation. The worker must also follow up with written reports for court review as ordered or required. The worker may conduct an investigation of suspected abuse and when evidence of abuse is found the worker is required to report such information to the District Attorney and law enforcement within a specified time frame both verbally and also in writing. Law enforcement and the Case Manager interview the victim and perpetrator. Should the perpetrator be prosecuted, the worker may be a witness during court proceedings. Social Workers may be subpoenaed to testify in both civil and criminal proceedings due to their involvement with their clients.
Monitoring, reviewing, maintaining: The In-Home Services SW IA&T is responsible for monitoring, reviewing, and maintaining cases through various means. This is accomplished through frequent contact with the client by visiting them in their home, interviews in the agency and telephone contact, collateral contacts and in some situations periodic court reviews. Both face to face and collateral contacts are made monthly according to state standard. The Social Worker formally assesses the client's progress by updating and re-signing the Family Services Agreement on a quarterly basis and whenever there is a major change in the family, reassesses the risk to the child(ren) by completing the Risk Assessment form. These reviews assess the progress of the client in alleviating the factors that lead to the abuse, neglect or dependency and whether the client has been able to demonstrate they can provide a safe environment for their child (ren). Further services may be identified at this time. The Social Worker is required to present cases in the agency's foster care review team when a child comes into agency custody. This team closely monitors those children whose custody has been removed from his parents or whose custody has been placed with the Department of Social Services.
Interpretation of Child Protective Services: The In-Home Services SW IA&T is a member of the agency’s public forum and occasion-ally is called on to speak at meetings of community agencies and organizations in an effort to emphasize the preventive nature of the agency's services and to familiarize the commu-nity with the reporting laws. The worker assists in providing information to other agencies and local citizens to better help them understand the functions of the agency. This allows for better rapport that leads to better delivery of services and cooperation from other disciplines.
Disaster related programs and other duties: Employee will participate in disaster related programs, including shelter duty, as needed. Other duties as assigned and required.
Documentation: In all duties outlined above, all forms of documentation required by the North Carolina Division of Social Services, North Carolina General Statutes, and Nash County Department of Social Services is included.
Qualifications and Requirements
J. Obtain at least 24 hours of training annually, after an initial training of 72 hours before assuming case responsibility.
Master's degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work or counseling experience; or a Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a Master's degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a four-year degree in a human services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience; or graduation from a four year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling or a related human service field providing the experience in the techniques of casework, group work, or community organization.
One year of work experience can be credited for completion of the social work collaborative.
Additional Training/Experience: None
License or Certification Required: Minimum North Carolina automobile liability insurance. Valid North Carolina driver's license is required. Must have reliable vehicle available for work always available.
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Counseling and planning with the child's family intended to strengthen the ability of families to protect and care for their own children, to minimize harm to children and youth, and to ensure permanence in children's lives.
Arranging for provision of and assisting families in utilizing appropriate services and community resources.
Obtaining the cooperation of law enforcement agencies as required obtaining suitable care and services for the children in or out of their family origin
Initiation of court action when necessary.
Primary Purpose of the Position: This agency is mandated to provide services to children who have been identified as neglected, abused, or dependent. The primary purpose of the Child Protective Services In-Home Social Worker, Investigations, Assessment and Treatment (SW IA&T) is to execute this mandate. This is an advanced, professional level casework position, providing counseling and case management services for children who are identified as neglected and/or abused or dependent. This is done by assessing family situations to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the family system and to evaluate the level of risk the child may face in the home. The social worker also provides other services to families with children under the age of 18 years who have requested such services from the agency in conjunction with protective services. Treatment and immediate responses will be provided to crisis situations for at risk children in the most complex and hostile of cases.
Work Schedule Regular working hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. However, in order to make the mandated number of face-to-face contacts in some situations, clients may need contact after hours and overtime may be required. Employees are given the option of flexing their workday to accommodate their clients' schedule without putting the social worker in an overtime situation. Employee serves on a rotation basis for periodic radio coverage.
Change in Responsibilities or Organizational Relationship None
Responsibilities and Duties (in order of importance)
Intervention developed: The In-Home Services SW IA&T is responsible for reviewing the case and becoming familiar with the family dynamics, identified problems and strengths of the family. Utilizing the Child and Family Team process, a Family Services Agreement is devised jointly with the family based on the Risk Assessment and Initial Case Plan. The Family Services Agreement contains objectives that are measurable, time limited, describe specific desired outcomes and identify necessary behavior changes. Identified needs, objectives and activities are directed toward alleviating the problems that lead to the abuse, neglect or dependency and addressing underlying issues that may contribute to the need for protective services. Once the case plan is devised, the helping process is defined.
Providing/arranging for counseling or supportive services: The In-Home Services SW IA&T provides counseling to the client directed toward the development and utilization of family support systems including recognition of development and utilization of strengths, overcoming personal, social, and environmental barriers, and utilizing agency and community resources. The worker seeks community resources to assist the client in attaining their goals.
Monitoring and assessment: The In-Home Services SW IA&T must monitor the Family Services Agreement and complete a Risk Assessment at various intervals in all neglect, abuse and/or dependency cases requiring continued mandated services. After a Family Services Agreement is negotiated, ongoing monitoring and assessment is necessary to determine if the plan continues to be appropriate and that the plan of intervention continues to address the identified needs of the parent and children. This monitoring includes regular interviews with the client in the home and requires collateral contact with other public agencies such as mental health, medical professionals, day care providers, health department personnel, and relatives and friends of the client. Updating the Family Services Agreement is necessary when changes in the family occur and it becomes necessary to revise the plan in order to implement an appropriate plan of protection for the child. Court action is used in the event the client does not meet the objective and the safety of the child is at risk. It is the worker's responsibility to provide the supervisor with a factual assessment in order for the joint decision to be made regarding court action. Prior to court action, the worker must complete the Risk Assessment, which indicates the risk and/or harm to the child by remaining in the home.
Use of the court and court preparation: Court activity is very much a part of the Social Worker's duties. Prior to the decision for court intervention or in the case of an emergency, immediately after obtaining a non-secure custody order, the worker will present her case to the Child and Family Team which makes recommendations as to alternatives to court or the children entering into agency custody. In the event that out of home placement is necessary or, to ensure permanence in a child's life, the Social Worker initiates court action through a non-secure custody order and/or petition, assesses placement options (relatives or foster care) and conjointly with the foster care worker develops an appropriate plan for the child. The worker prepares the child and family for separation, placement and the court process. The worker prepares a written assessment for the court, solicits witnesses when necessary, shares information with the child's Guardian ad Litem and testifies in court making the agency's recommendation. The worker must also follow up with written reports for court review as ordered or required. The worker may conduct an investigation of suspected abuse and when evidence of abuse is found the worker is required to report such information to the District Attorney and law enforcement within a specified time frame both verbally and also in writing. Law enforcement and the Case Manager interview the victim and perpetrator. Should the perpetrator be prosecuted, the worker may be a witness during court proceedings. Social Workers may be subpoenaed to testify in both civil and criminal proceedings due to their involvement with their clients.
Monitoring, reviewing, maintaining: The In-Home Services SW IA&T is responsible for monitoring, reviewing, and maintaining cases through various means. This is accomplished through frequent contact with the client by visiting them in their home, interviews in the agency and telephone contact, collateral contacts and in some situations periodic court reviews. Both face to face and collateral contacts are made monthly according to state standard. The Social Worker formally assesses the client's progress by updating and re-signing the Family Services Agreement on a quarterly basis and whenever there is a major change in the family, reassesses the risk to the child(ren) by completing the Risk Assessment form. These reviews assess the progress of the client in alleviating the factors that lead to the abuse, neglect or dependency and whether the client has been able to demonstrate they can provide a safe environment for their child (ren). Further services may be identified at this time. The Social Worker is required to present cases in the agency's foster care review team when a child comes into agency custody. This team closely monitors those children whose custody has been removed from his parents or whose custody has been placed with the Department of Social Services.
Interpretation of Child Protective Services: The In-Home Services SW IA&T is a member of the agency’s public forum and occasion-ally is called on to speak at meetings of community agencies and organizations in an effort to emphasize the preventive nature of the agency's services and to familiarize the commu-nity with the reporting laws. The worker assists in providing information to other agencies and local citizens to better help them understand the functions of the agency. This allows for better rapport that leads to better delivery of services and cooperation from other disciplines.
Disaster related programs and other duties: Employee will participate in disaster related programs, including shelter duty, as needed. Other duties as assigned and required.
Documentation: In all duties outlined above, all forms of documentation required by the North Carolina Division of Social Services, North Carolina General Statutes, and Nash County Department of Social Services is included.
Qualifications and Requirements
J. Obtain at least 24 hours of training annually, after an initial training of 72 hours before assuming case responsibility.
Master's degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work or counseling experience; or a Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a Master's degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a four-year degree in a human services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience; or graduation from a four year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling or a related human service field providing the experience in the techniques of casework, group work, or community organization.
One year of work experience can be credited for completion of the social work collaborative.
Additional Training/Experience: None
License or Certification Required: Minimum North Carolina automobile liability insurance. Valid North Carolina driver's license is required. Must have reliable vehicle available for work always available.
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