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Please apply by 5/11/2023

Salary Range: $28.57-$42.86 per hour. This is a non-exempt (hourly) position. Please note: Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity. Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant’s salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.

Position Summary

This position is responsible for providing community-based services to individuals, groups, families, or communities regarding issues that could include child and adult abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation, mental health concerns, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, housing, childcare, or medical care.

This is a specialized position within the Special Victims Unit (SVU) as the Child Welfare Specialist III. The Child Welfare Specialist III will be required to conduct investigations regarding child abuse and neglect to include child trafficking, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, fatalities, foster homes, and group homes. The Child Welfare Specialist III must have CPS experience in CPS investigations and be knowledgeable of child welfare policies and procedures. The Child Welfare Specialist III must be team oriented, maintain a professional relationship with community partners, clients and be available to work after hours if needed. The Child Welfare Specialist III must be receptive of case feedback, attend trainings as needed, and maintain a positive working relationship with the SVU supervisor and manager. Overtime is available as needed. Child Protective experience is required.

This position in Youth and Family Services, under general supervision, is responsible for providing evaluation and assessment of risk and safety issues, case management, counseling, and referral services for complex cases to assist in meeting the needs of these clients. This position may handle more complex cases requiring a higher-level skillset and/or provide leadership support to other positions in the child welfare series and serve a "lead" child welfare specialist mentoring and supporting new hire staff as part of their onboarding process and professional development.

• The hours for this position are Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm. Please note after hours work will need to be completed if required.

Essential Functions

• Assess and provide appropriate services on complex child abuse/neglect cases involving complex mental health, domestic violence, human trafficking, and substance abuse issues
• Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure child safety, permanency and well-being of children and families
• Assess needs of individuals and/or families; and provide counseling and services in both individual and group settings and discuss goals, expected outcomes, and means with which to meet goals and expected outcomes
• Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients, and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided and ensure services were effective and situations have improved
• Transport clients to appointments such as medical, job related or others, if appropriate
• Refer clients to community resources for services such as job placement, debt counseling, legal aid, housing, medical treatment, or financial assistance, and provide concrete information, such as where to go and how to apply
• Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions
• Monitor residential facilities for compliance with licensure standards, provide technical assistance, investigate complaints against licensed facilities
• Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems, to determine what services are required to meet their needs
• In consultation with management, make decisions on behalf of children and families impacted by child abuse/neglect
• Assist with onboarding new staff
• Provide quality and training to staff
• Manage complex cases and assessments
• Manage records and documentation of services provided and maintain history records and prepare reports
• May be required to work varying shifts and weekends
• May be required to staff shelters in the event of a disaster

Minimum Qualifications

Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work AND one of the following: three years of social work experience; qualifying internship; successful completion of the NC Child Welfare Collaborative program
• OR master’s in social work
• OR bachelor’s degree in related major AND four years of social work experience
• OR master’s Degree in related major AND three years of social work experience.

Education: Bachelor's degree in Social Work or related major

Combination of relevant education and relevant experience accepted: Yes

Licenses and Certifications:

• Requires a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver's License

• Requires County Driving Privileges

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred

• Bilingual (Spanish and English) proficiency oral and written

• Previous experience in Child Protective Services

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of

• This position requires strong assessment and interviewing skills, excellent communication and writing skills, the ability to partner with multiple community agencies and the ability to work with families who have experienced trauma. Additional trainings may be required for this position.

• Advanced knowledge of social services procedures, practices, and methods

• Knowledge of work principles and available resources

• Social services procedures, practices, and methods

• Social services related federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations relating to provision of public assistance, and social welfare

• Case management methods and techniques

• Services offered by the county and other local public and private community-based service agencies

• This position requires strong assessment and interviewing skills, excellent communication and writing skills, the ability to partner with multiple community agencies and the ability to work with families who have experienced trauma. Additional trainings may be required for this position.

Skills

• Evaluating records to ensure accreditation standards are met.

• Exercising judgment and discretion

• Maintaining various confidential records

• Managing and executing multiple tasks

• Possessing strong communication skills

• Prioritizing work

Abilities

• Adaptability: Maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusting effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures

• Building Customer Loyalty: Effectively meeting customer needs; building productive customer relationships; taking responsibility for customer satisfaction and loyalty

• Building Partnerships: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, units, or organizations to help achieve business goals.

• Building Trust: Interacting with others in a way that instills confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization

• Care Management: Having the knowledge and skills to secure relevant patient care data and identify key issues and relationships in the management of patient care; understanding the relationships among assessments, interventions, and patient responses; skilled in documentation of assessments and adjusting physical and cognitive prescriptions as needed

• Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided

• Customer Focus: Ensuring that the customer perspective is a driving force behind business decisions and activities; crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers’ and own organization’s needs.

• Decision Making: Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences

• Inspiring Others: Using interpersonal styles and methods to inspire and guide individuals toward higher levels of performance

• Leadership Disposition: Demonstrating the traits, inclinations, and dispositions that characterize successful leaders; exhibiting behavior styles that meet the demands of the leader role

• Managing Conflict: Dealing effectively with others in an antagonistic situation; using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to reduce tension or conflict between two or more people

• Work Standards: Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed

Computer Skills

Advanced in various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite

Reasonable Accommodations Statement

To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Disclaimer Statement

This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, requirements or working conditions. Other duties may be assigned based on business need and the supervisor’s request. Mecklenburg County reserves the right to revise the job description at any time. Designated positions may be required to assist in emergency and/or disaster situations.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

In addition to a competitive salary, Mecklenburg County offers a generous benefits package which greatly increases your total compensation. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, short term disability, long term disability, accident, cancer, critical illness, medical bridge and pet insurance; dependent care, healthcare and commuter flexible spending accounts; health savings account; paid holiday, vacation and sick days; near site clinics for preventive care and illnesses; an employee discount program which provides discounts for retail, dining, shopping, travel, tickets and more; an employee assistance program including financial and legal counseling; access to Mecklenburg County fitness and aquatic facilities; paid family leave; tuition reimbursement; a 5% employer match on retirement savings plan contributions and a defined benefit plan for retirement.