Family Support Worker

This position is located in the office of Out-of-Home Care. The Family Support Worker (FSW) is responsible for providing an array of support services to the clients by assisting and partnering with the agency staff of the assigned program and coordinating with the community members, service providers, and other concerned entities to ensure delivery of services.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Family Support Worker duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Performs casework, group work, and community organization work. Assists the social work team to assess the needs and strengths of families and to investigate reports of child abuse and neglect.
• Participate in home visits and/or investigations to determine the needs of clients and/or gather pertinent information related to the child and/or family. Assists in locating the assessment sites; conducts unaccompanied home visits in safe situations; or facilitates visitations, arranging or transporting of children; assists with physical oversight of groups of children and enters observational information into FACES as appropriate.
• Assists Social Workers by discussing and documenting clinically related information into the case record.
• Provides transportation assistance for clients to and from CFSA to court, service providers, and city hospitals and to other institutions at the request of the Social Worker or Supervisor; enters observational information into FACES as appropriate. Drives government provided vehicles as required.
• Interviews children, families, neighbors, professional groups, and other interested parties to obtain or provide information. Makes referral for assessments. Establishes and maintains linkages with community agencies and facilities that provide client services.
• Contacts collateral sources such as neighbors, landlords, schools, clinics, and other service providers to gather information necessary for the timely delivery of services. Prepare reports and findings on home visits and/or investigations.
• Assists the social worker in completing specified paper and record searches to locate hard-to-find families by engaging diligent search services or by searching and clarifying existing data, checking files, and contacting other agencies as necessary.
• Provides services related to planned or emergency placement of children or other emergency assistance, under the direction of the social worker or supervisory social worker.
• Maintains statistical data regarding the number of children, family members, or other group served and the types of services provided. Works with other Social Workers and professional staff to share knowledge of pertinent resources that affect children and/or families.
• Participate in educational training seminars, conferences, and workshops.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Education

Must possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the grade 07 level in the District of Columbia government service or its non-District equivalent. Specialized experience is experience which is directly related to the position and has equipped the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position including, but are not limited to, performing support related casework, group work, and community organization work; assisting the social work team to assess the needs and strengths of families and to help investigate reports of child abuse and neglect; participating in home visits and/or investigations to determine the needs of clients and/or gather pertinent information related to the child and/or family; or other similar social support duties.

OR

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or in a related social services field, i.e., psychology, sociology, to provide support services to Social Workers, is highly preferred.

Ability to speak Spanish is highly preferred.

License and Certification

Required to drive and maintain a current valid Driver’s license, either from the District of Columbia or its state equivalent.

Other Significant Factors

Tour of Duty: 8:30a.m. – 4:30p.m. Tour of duty may include evenings and weekends. Must be flexible based on the needs of the agency.

Promotion Potential: None

Collective Bargaining Unit: This position is covered under the Collective Bargaining Unit

Work Conditions/ Work Environment: The work is performed in an office setting and community/field locations. Some lifting involved (no more than 75lbs). The work is a combination of office (sedentary) and field/community work. The latter requires the employee to perform home visits to include observing the parent-child interactions, ensuring safety and taking notes about what occurs and supervision of minor children; visit to school and child care centers, and transporting or arranging transportation for clients to/from medical/dental facilities/clinics; driving to groceries or drugstores, and other locations relative to the need of the clients.

The work may involve discomforts in physical surroundings and compliance with safety (i.e., taking defensive driving course) measures is required.

Duration of Appointment: Career Service – Regular

Pay, Series & Grade: CS-0301-09

Position Designation: This position is designated as “essential” and “safety” sensitive in accordance with DPM Chapters 12 and 4, respectively. The candidate/incumbent is subject to a criminal background check, traffic records check (as applicable), pre-employment drug and alcohol test, reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol test, post-accident or incident drug and alcohol test, random drug and alcohol test, and return-to-duty or follow-up drug and alcohol test.

Residency Preference: Applicants claiming "Residency Preference" will be required to maintain residency in the District of Columbia for a minimum of (7) years. Failure to do so many result in forfeiture of employment.

EEO Statement: The District of Columbia Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, physical handicap, or political affiliation.

Closing Statement: Official job offers are made by the DC Child and Family Services Agency.