Social Worker III - Adoptions/Foster Care

Position Description

An employee in this class is responsible for managing a child custody caseload and post-adoption cases. The majority of the caseloads will include a primary plan of adoption and the work focuses on aggressively seeking permanence for those children. Work involves highly sensitive and confidential information. Work involves assisting in seeking and assessing appropriate placements for children entering foster care and permanent homes for children being adopted. The employee develops a plan detailing activities, parties, and goals which allows the family to be reunified and also documents an alternative plan. An employee in this position will complete paperwork for children placed with adoptive families and handle all post-adoptive procedures. Work involves assessing the homes of parents and relatives residing in Alexander County who are requesting placement of biological, relative, or adoptive children in their home. This position will also be responsible for holding a foster care caseload and the responsibilities in seeking permanence for children placed in the foster care system. Work is performed independently under the general supervision of the Social Work Supervisor III.

Responsibilites

• Supports and supervises foster and adoptive families to strengthen abilities/skills and sustain placements.
• Assesses, selects and matches foster/adoptive families with foster children.
• Assesses ongoing best interests of children based on developmental, physical, emotional, and other needs.
• Supports and advocates for parents, children, foster parents, and pre-adoptive parents.
• Prepares children and families for transition/placement.
• Supports children and families throughout time in foster care and through the finalization of adoption.
• Creates a case file documenting a child’s life while in foster care.
• Completes and files all required legal documents and case documentation for the adoption process.
• Completes all financial components of adoption assistance.
• Completes Mutual Home Assessments/Pre-placement Assessments and Adoption Assistance requests.
• Pursues termination of parental rights, when reunification fails, and is responsible for carrying out Permanency Planning Team recommendations.
• Sees, works, and talks to the children at least once a month; and maintains contact with appropriate family members and collaterals.
• Attends all court hearings and prepares all necessary reports and documentation.
• Prepares correspondence, records, and narratives that detail all DSS activities, copies of all court paperwork and orders, visit plans, assessments, funding eligibility, and other related documents.
• In the event of an emergency, as determined by the County Manager or designee, participation in preparedness and response operations is expected. The employee is required to fill a temporary assignment in a role different from standard duties, work hours and/or work location in preparation for, during, and after the emergency. The employee is also required to participate in relevant exercises and regular preparedness training.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Work in a professional independent manner using educational and consultative supervision.
• Sound interviewing skills, communication skills, intervention skills, and writing skills are critical.
• Broad knowledge base is required, including service components to children, natural families, foster families, and group homes; child welfare principles and practice strategies; and effective methods of casework, group work, and family work.
• Knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices must be demonstrated and applied to specific casework and community problems.
• Considerable knowledge of behavioral and socioeconomic problems.
• Must engage governmental, civic, and private organizations.
• Knowledgeable of community, county, and state resources.
• Understand laws, regulations, and policies which govern the social work programs.
• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, and to plan and execute work effectively.
• Must have typing/word-processing/computer skills and must effectively use equipment to complete job assignments.

Required Minimum Education / Experience

• Master’s degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work experience;
• or a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience;
• or 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 experience in the techniques of casework, group work or community organization;
• or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license.

• Enroll and complete pre-service training within 6 months of the date of hire.
• A minimum of 24 hours of additional training is required for each social work position annually after preliminary requirements for pre-service training are met. Many opportunities are provided for the employee to attend program-specific and/or technical training. Additionally, local training and professional conferences are available as reasonable and appropriate.

• One year of work experience can be credited for completing the social work collaborative.