Social Worker (Child Protective Services & Permanency Planning)

Salary : See Position Description

Location : Wilmington, NC

Job Type : Full-Time

Job Number : 202400025

Department : SOCIAL SERVICES

Opening Date : 01 / 22 / 2024

Closing Date : Continuous

Position Information

Now Hiring : Those who believe in keeping families together.

Those who Believe in Keeping Families Together Work with Purpose for Child Welfare.

New Hanover County is committed to making lives better through serving children and families with complex needs by...

Doing what's right :

By ongoing assessment and partnering with families to help strengthen them and work to maintain and / or reunite children with their families whenever possible by providing support and comprehensive family-centered, solution focused interventions that will support and build a parent's capacity to protect and nurture their children.

Doing it together :

Working cohesively with families, children, community and in-agency partners, and other child welfare entities to support and strengthen families.

Doing it well :

Striving for excellence in meeting all mandated standards in a fast-paced but rewarding environment that ultimately seeks to assure child safety, permanence and develop and reinforce protective family units.

New Hanover County is accepting applications for Social Workers in both the Child Protective Services unit and the Permanency Planning unit.

Duties in Child Protective Services (CPS) include receiving and screening reports from the public regarding suspected child abuse, neglect and dependency to see if they meet legal criteria for CPS assessments; providing direct services to children and their parents / caretakers through which a timely and comprehensive assessment is conducted to determine if abuse / neglect / dependency exists, and providing for ongoing intervention if warranted; providing protective services to help families keep children who have been maltreated safely at home whenever possible; applying crisis intervention techniques, assessing risk, and developing case plans to ensure children's safety; entering information into various software systems and ensuring all required documentation, forms and reports are completed and maintained in a timely and consistent manner in accordance with local, state and federal requirements.

Duties in Permanency Planning Services (PP) include determining the most appropriate plan of reunification, relative placement, or adoption; partnering with parents, relatives, kinship placements, foster parents to develop case plans ensuring all services are arranged and provided for children and families. This includes testifying in court hearings; documenting cases; preparing reports; entering information into various software systems; and working hard to develop a positive relationship with children and parents to help strengthen families and promote permanency for children in the custody of the Department.

90% of field work is done in homes, court, and the community. Must be able to lift and carry a child.

This position holds the opportunity for telework on a partial basis, where the selected candidate will occasionally start his / her workday from home and report directly to job sites throughout the day. Certain meetings or trainings will require the employee to come into the office. The ideal candidate for telework position is a self-starter with strong written and verbal skills and solid proficiency in using modern office technology to perform work duties.

Working for New Hanover County's Social Services Department :

New Hanover County's Consolidated Human Services Agency is a single county agency that provides any combination of Public Health and Social Services throughout the county. The Social Services department is comprised of a team of dedicated professionals seeking to serve the citizens of our county through providing essential human services. The department is a part of a dynamic, professional county organization with a clear vision as a vibrant, prosperous, diverse coastal community, committed to building a sustainable future for generations to come. Ideal candidates for the department of social services have excellent customer service, organizational and computer skills, the ability to problem solve and make critical decisions and above all, an overwhelming desire to serve the citizens of our county.

New Hanover County is dedicated to the recruitment and recognition of a talented and diverse workforce that is committed to public service. Our shared values of professionalism, equity, innovation, integrity, stewardship, and accountability guide the way we conduct ourselves and deliver services to our customers. Supported by the work of our Office of Diversity and Equity, New Hanover County celebrates diversity in our employees' backgrounds, beliefs, identities, and abilities, and supports equitable and inclusive policies and growth opportunities. Our talented team has a passion for providing care and services that effect change in the everyday lives of the citizens they encounter. The differences that unite us are a reflection of the community we serve. If this sounds like an organization that models the values you uphold, we invite you to join our team at New Hanover County.

Living in New Hanover County, NC :

New Hanover County offers an exceptional quality of life with its picturesque coastal location. Enjoy the stunning beaches, water activities, and a variety of recreational opportunities right at your doorstep. Immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture, indulge in diverse dining experiences, and explore historical landmarks. The county is known for its strong sense of community, excellent schools, and a thriving arts scene. With a focus on good governance and a commitment to customer service, New Hanover County provides an ideal environment for both personal and professional growth.

Salary Information :

The hiring range for this position is $60,943 - $80,764.50 . Salary will be determined based on qualifications. Bilingual candidates are eligible for a differential (5%) when performing Spanish language interpretation during the course of work.

Trainee Opportunities :

Applicants who meet the required minimum education but lack the required social work experience may be considered, and if hired, will be paid at least the minimum trainee rate of $56,351 and will remain at a trainee rate until the minimum experience qualifications are met. Priority consideration for trainee applicants will be given to those applicants who have completed the NC Child Welfare Education Collaborative Program and to those possessing a BSW or MSW. The maximum period for an employee to remain in a trainee status is two (2) years. All experience requirements must be met within two (2) years of employment.

New Hanover County offers :

• Employer paid 401k contributions;
• Retirement plan through the NC Retirement system;
• Flex time and telework availability, depending on your position;
• Paid sick and personal leave 13 paid holidays per year;
• Paid parental leave;
• Paid community services leave to give back to our community;
• Education leave to obtain a degree within your line of work;
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance many other insurance options;
• Onsite, employer-paid health and wellness center;
• Professional development trainings & leadership initiatives;
• Opportunities to make a difference in your community;
• And so much more!

Please check out our careers page at www.nhcgov.com / careers for more information on why New Hanover County is a great place to work.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications :

Bilingual in English and Spanish preferred.

Note : Applicants who only have economic services caseworker or Probation / Parole Officer experience to count as social work experience, must have a minimum of two years of experience in order to be considered as a trainee. Experience counts as social work experience for one half the time up to one year maximum. For example, one year of experience equals six months of social work experience; two years of experience equals one year of social work experience; and ten years of experience still equals one year of social worker experience.

Licenses / Certifications

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities :

Other Information

North Carolina Child Welfare Work :

Watch a introduction into the daily life of a social worker and learn what it takes to make a profound impact on your community. This information is provided by the UNC School of Social Work, and the video can be found by clicking this link :

Hours :

8 : 00 AM - 5 : 00 PM Monday through Friday. All position assignments must be available to work during emergency situations.

Important Applicant Information :

This is a continuous posting that will be open to receive applications throughout the year. As vacancies occur, the applications in the pool will be screened and considered for referral to the department.

Applications will be active for 90 days. You must submit a new application every 90 days to keep your application actively under consideration for opportunities that arise.

Application Status :

Applications will be screened by Human Resources. Applicants referred to the department will receive an email requesting important information pertinent to the position applied for. Please be sure to check your email for this communication so we may proceed with the next step in the recruitment process in a timely manner. Updates regarding your application status can be viewed through your applicant portal.

If you have interviewed for a position and would like to inquire about the status of your interview, please contact the hiring manager that you interviewed with.

New Hanover County offers a competitive benefits package designed to encourage and support your health, well-being and productivity to include

Benefit options for eligible positions include medical, dental, elective supplemental insurance options including short-term disability, vision, flexible spending accounts, voluntary term life, cancer, accident, and critical illness policies. Employees who elect medical and dental insurance within the specified timelines provided during on-boarding, will have coverage effective on their date of hire. For more information about New Hanover County benefit options, including our benefit rates, please click

Please check out our careers page at for more information on why New Hanover County is a great place to work.

Note : All positions listed as temporary, casual part time, volunteer, and intern are not eligible to receive benefits. P art-time position with fewer than 20 scheduled hours per week will not include benefits.

Please select which unit(s) you are interested in being considered for :

If you do not have the minimum social worker experience to meet the minimum requirements, are you interested in being hired as a social worker trainee?

Select your highest level of education from the information below :

If your degree is NOT in social work, please indicate the field of study you received your applicable degree in.

Do you have an MSW or BSW through the NC Welfare Collaborative?

How many years of social worker experience do you have?

Please indicate the social worker units in which you have had work experience.

Have you had your driver's license suspended for any reason in the last three years?

If a partial telework position becomes available, are you interested in working a partial telework position?

As a reminder, candidates are expected to thoroughly complete each relevant section of this application. Have you included all the required information on your application?

Required Question

Salary : $60,943 - $80,765