Senior Foster Care/Adoption Worker

Job Description:

Senior Foster Care/Adoption Worker

Description

Senior Foster Care/Adoption Worker- Family Services Specialist III

Department of Social Services

12 Months, Full-Time

Non-Exempt, Pay Grade 34

VRS-Eligible, Benefits-Eligible

***THE LISTING ON THE ALBEMARLE COUNTY WEBSITE IS FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES ONLY. APPLICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE VA STATE WEBSITE FOUND HERE:

https://evqk.fa.us8.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_2001/job/4019

Essential Functions:

• Provides services in a specialized service area and may be assigned cases with a high degree of complexity and/or sensitivity and/or carry primary responsibility for a specific program function.
• Assesses cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning of children and their families, while developing and implementing sophisticated psychosocial case plans which integrate psychodynamic, systemic, medical, and social-ecological treatment approaches, and incorporates concurrent planning.
• Provides direct counseling by applying family-systems treatment models to complex, family situations in such a way as to strengthen families, promote self-sufficiency, prevent reoccurrence of abuse/neglect, and perform crisis interventions.
• Independently serves in the role of case manager in planning, organizing, and coordinating service delivery through working collaboratively with mental health, education, legal, medical, and other human services professionals in a team approach to service delivery, with responsibility for assuring coordination and effectiveness of comprehensive services to families.
• Functions as legal guardian for agency foster children (e.g., responsible for child's safety and well-being, consents for medical treatment, etc.) through interpreting laws, policies and regulations, and recruitment of foster/kinship/adoptive families while assuming ultimate responsibility for the safety and well-being of children in the agency’s care; facilitates permanent placement of these children through adoption or custody transfer.
• Plans, oversees, and participates directly in court intervention to protect children and to achieve goals of permanency for children through testimony and submission of developed comprehensive psychosocial assessments and service plans.
• Takes an independent role in planning, documenting, organizing and reviewing all casework to ensure consistency in compliance with local, state and federal policies and practices.
• Assesses, secures, negotiates, and justifies financial resources for which the child is eligible, while ensuring the requirements for funding authorization and service payments are being followed responsibly.
• Shares responsibility with other child welfare senior workers for planning and facilitating child welfare meetings, providing coaching on the practice profiles and trauma-informed best practices, and on-boarding new staff to topics relevant to all child welfare programs.
• Provides coverage after hours and on weekends, on a rotating on-call basis, for emergencies involving the abuse or neglect of children and for situations requiring immediate attention regarding children in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services.

Competency: Knowledge/ Skills/Abilities:

Working knowledge of:

• Social work principles and practices;
• Current social, economic and health problems;
• Social institutions and community resources;
• The methods of the helping process;
• Individual and group behavior;
• Child and adolescent growth and development, family structure and dynamics, the impact of physical and mental conditions on families;
• Crisis intervention;
• The impact of trauma, systemic discrimination, and the intergenerational transmission of disadvantage on children and families as well as effective intervention strategies to promote healing and change.

Skill in:

• Critical thinking;
• Crisis intervention and de-escalation;
• Decision-making and independent judgment;
• Using personal computer with associated software.

Ability to:

• Identify social problems and client strengths and needs and to assess the ability of individuals and families to utilize services in problem solving;
• Develop rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds;
• Recognize and accept the rights, responsibilities and differences of others;
• Work effectively with individuals and families in helping them attain success;
• Plan and organize work;
• Understand and interpret laws, policies and regulations;
• Communicate and establish effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, other professional and technical staff, social agencies and the general public;
• Lead and motivate colleagues to perform at their highest level, modeling best practice, resilience, conflict resolution, and problem-solving skills to achieve identified goals.
• Mentor and coach staff;
• Operate a motor vehicle;
• Prepare reports and maintain records.

Required Education and Experience:

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area (Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia).
• Considerable experience in assigned program area and completion of required training programs or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Preferred Qualifications/Certifications:

• Possession of valid driver’s license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Workers must be willing to travel occasionally overnight and may be required to assist in managing emergency shelters for the public
• Possession of a BSW degree, MSW or related master’s degree and/or a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Work license are preferred.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

• Administers work to the public typically in clients' home, often in remote rural areas.
• Frequent contacts with clients and coordination with other public and private agencies (i.e., school, courts, clinics, etc.) are required.
  Involves frequent driving, walking, and standing.
  
• Involves telework for participating in virtual meetings and much of the office-based administrative work including documentation and data entry can be completed virtually.
  
• Provides coverage after hours and on weekends, on a rotating on-call basis, for emergencies involving the abuse or neglect of children and for situations requiring immediate attention regarding children in the legal custody of the Department of Social Services.
  

Remote Work:

This position is eligible for a hybrid remote work schedule that is in compliance with the County’s Remote Work Policy and meets the operational and service needs for the position. All County staff must maintain residence within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

The Salary Range:

The hiring range for this position is $36.70 - $40.56 per hour ($76,336 - $84,371 annually). Starting offer is based on applicable education beyond minimum requirements and internal equity. The position also provides excellent benefits including 12 paid holidays, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, VRS retirement, and continuing education/training opportunities. This is a full time, FLSA non-exempt position. Internal candidates will receive pay adjustments in accordance with Local Government Personnel Policy, §P-60.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Position open until Friday, April 25, 2025.

Virginia Values Veterans:

Albemarle County is a Certified V3 organization.

EOE/EEO:

Albemarle County is an equal employment opportunity employer, and does not discriminate against any group or individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age or disability in regards to any aspect of employment policy and practice: recruitment, testing, selection, assignment, pay, conditions of work, training, leave, overtime, promotion, discipline, demotion, and separation.