Family Services Specialist I

The Virginia Beach Department of Human Services (VBDHS) seeks social work professionals who will be primarily responsible for providing case management services for children and families that have or have been involved with Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations and family assessments. Successful candidates will adapt to the Virginia Beach Child Welfare Practice Model Values & Competencies:

1. Protect Children & Strengthen Families (Safety)  
2. Comprehensive assessment of adults, families, and children designed to enhance strengths and address challenges (Well-Being) 
3. Support and enhance relationships between children, families, and the community (Permanency)  
4. Connect children & families to immediate, time-limited, and lifelong supports (Safety, Well-Being, and Permanency)   
5. All partners work together as part of a professional team (Essential to Achieve the Above)  

And here's the exciting part - selected candidates will qualify for a $3,000 hiring bonus!**

Specific duties:

• Provide case management services for families that have complex challenges. 
• Facilitate teaming meetings to build a positive rapport with the children and families being served. 
• Refer clients to Family Assessment & Planning Teams. 
• Engage with children and families to ensure that specific needs are addressed. 
• Conduct initial and continuous assessments of foster homes to ensure the foster parents and engage clients in the community in a variety of settings to include family homes, schools, and hospitals.  
• Document client contacts and interaction in a variety of digital case management applications 
• Consult with supervisory team members, and city attorneys regarding the safety, wellbeing, and permanency of children. 
• Assess child safety and risk utilizing a variety of structured decision-making tools, interviews, and observations. 
• Respond to allegations of child abuse/neglect in the community after normal business hours.  
• Prepare strengths-based service and action plans in partnership with families and community partners. 
• Attend pertinent court hearings, prepare court documents, and testify in court hearings. 
• Standby-on-call CPS responsibilities after normal business hours on a rotating basis. 
• Prepare after care plans in partnership with families. 
• Present family cases before the Family Assessment & Planning Team (FAPT). 

The City offers a generous benefits package, which includes health, dental and life insurance, retirement and savings plans, maternity/paternity and parental leave, holidays and Paid-Time-Off.

To view the Family Services Specialist I job description please see link below.  To view a copy of Family Services Specialist II job description, please click here.

Hiring bonuses shall only be for new hires of original employment or reemployment as defined in Human Resources Policy No. 5.0.  

• $500 will be awarded in the first paycheck. 
• $1,000 will be awarded upon completion of the six (6) month interim performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”. 
• $1,500 will be awarded upon completion of the employee’s one (1) year probationary period and a performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”.