Social Worker III – Permanency Planning/Foster Care

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:

The primary goal of the Granville County Department of Social Services is to enhance the quality of life of our residents through programs and services that help the vulnerable, the aged, the young, the sick and the economically disadvantaged. The Permanency Planning unit works in developing and utilizing a family-centered approach which involves the family in identifying, creating, and maintaining a service plan that builds upon identified strengths to enhance and empower families.

Primary Purpose of Position:

A Social Worker in the Permanency Planning/Foster Care unit is assigned to work with families after a petition is filed and the child(ren) has been removed from the home of the parent/caregiver and placed in the custody of the Department of Social Services. The primary goal of the position is to address the safety concerns and risk factors that led to the need for removal and reunify with parent/caregiver. If reunification cannot be achieved, the social worker must identify and work towards an alternative plan such as adoption, guardianship, or custody with a relative or court approved caregiver. The ultimate goal is permanency and safety for the child. The Social Worker must connect the parents to appropriate resources, ensure attendance and completion of the services and promote positive change. Concurrently, the Social Worker must also address children’s well-being needs and support the placement provider to help maintain the stability of the placement while working towards permanence. This position necessitates working as a team in collaboration with the court system, the Guardian Ad Litem, community partners, and placement providers and reporting progress or lack thereof to the court.

There is a significant amount of time spent in family homes and in the community.

Work Schedule:

The normal work schedule is mostly Monday through Friday 8:30am-5pm, with occasional after hours and weekend work as required and on occasion due to shelter duty, projects, and other departmental needs. Social Worker III participates in on-call rotation with other Social Workers for after-hours emergency coverage. Hybrid/remote work schedule may be available after successful completion of 1 year of employment.

KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:

• Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, groupwork, and community problems.
• Considerable knowledge of a wide range of medical, behavioral, and/or psychosocial problems and their treatment theory.
• Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques, governmental and private organizations, and resources in the community, laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program.
• General knowledge of the methods and principles of casework supervision and training.
• In certain settings, considerable knowledge of medical terminology, disease processes and their treatment as they relate to decisions regarding clinical interventions and appropriate therapies based on medical or psychological diagnosis.
• Skill in establishing rapport with a client’s problems.
• Ability to supervise, train, or instruct lower-level social workers, students, or interns in the program.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of the case load and their families, as well as civic, legal, medical, social, and religious organizations.
• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively.

Required Minimum Education and Training:

• Master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; or
• Bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative; or
• Bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one (1) year directly related experience; or
• Master’s degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and one (1) year of directly related experience; or
• Bachelor’s degree in human services field from an accredited college or university and two (2) years directly related experience; or
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and three (3) years of directly related experience.

License or CertificationRequired by Statute or Regulation:

• Must have a valid driver's license and good driving record

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $54,289.00 - $82,826.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• Child welfare: 1 year (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Oxford, NC 27565 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Oxford, NC 27565: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $54,289 - $82,826