CWS Case Manager - Adoptions

Salary : $44,825.00 - $60,471.00 Annually

Location : York County, SC

Job Type : FTE - Full-Time

Job Number : 173196

Agency : Department of Social Services

Division : Human Services

Opening Date : 02 / 04 / 2025

Closing Date : 2 / 11 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Eastern

Residency Requirement : No

Class Code : : GA14

Position Number : : 61083048

Normal Work Schedule : : Monday - Friday (8 : 30 - 5 : 00)

Pay Band : Band 4

Hiring Range - Min. : $44,825.00

Hiring Range - Max. : $60,471.00

Opening Date : 02 / 04 / 2025

EEO Statement : Equal Opportunity Employer

Agency Specific Application Procedures : : All applicants must apply online. All correspondence from DSS Human Resources will be made through electronic mail, unless otherwise indicated.

Veteran Preference Statement : South Carolina is making our Veterans a priority for employment in state agencies and institutions.

Job Responsibilities

Do you have a passion to provide meaningful contributions to your community? Would you like to be part of an organization whose central mission is helping to protect, stabilize and strengthen the lives of South Carolina's children, families, and vulnerable adults? If so, the SC Department of Social Services has the right job opportunity for you!

Job Duties :

• The CWS Case Manager performs case management and concurrent planning in the Child Welfare area of Adoptions in accordance with DSS Policy, Mission and GPS Practice Model. Makes contact with children and families to achieve the permanency goal of adoption. Utilizes critical thinking skills to monitor safety, risk, and well-being. Performs on-call duties as assigned.
• Performs case management (ie, contacts, visitation, case planning) to a caseload of legally free children and families to ensure safety, permanency and well-being. Makes referrals to adoption recruitment resources, coordinates the selection of adoptive individuals or families, prepares children and adoptive applicants for adoptive placement.
• Completes, reviews, and updates the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) according to time frames established by DSS Policy. Utilizes the CANS to collaboratively updates the Family Permanency Plan within the Child and Family Team (CFT) Meeting.
• Authentically engages families, other professionals within the agency, and external partners (i.e. GAL, Foster Care Review Board, DJJ) with empathy and respect; to include timely responses to telephone calls, emails, and texts. Participates in and facilitates child and family team meetings.
• Collaborates closely with legal to promote timely permanency. Adheres to court orders, submits court packets timely and participates in legal proceedings.
• Maintains physical and electronic case record by composing clear, objective, and thorough documentation covering pertinent details of case activities per DSS policy and the GPS Practice Model. Ensures all case management activities are documented in CAPSS system according to time frames established by DSS policy. Ensures documentation meets quality standards and captures necessary elements pertinent to safety, permanency, well-being and case planning.
• Maintains child welfare certification. Completes 20 hours of training yearly to include certifications that are required yearly.
• Maintains an active routine of self-care and pursues support when necessary to minimize the threat of secondary trauma to physical and mental health. Understands the impact of trauma on families and secondary trauma on child welfare staff and applies principles to support families.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Performs Red Cross shelter duty or other emergency shelter duties / services as directed.

Minimum and Additional Requirements

A Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Behavioral Science, or Social Science.

A Bachelor's Degree in any other field and one (1) year experience in a related field.

Preferred Qualifications

his application for employment with the SC Department of Social Services must be completed in its entirety. A resume may be included; but shall not be substituted in lieu of the completion of this application in part or in whole. "See Resume" is not acceptable information for the completion of any part of the requirements of this application. If such is submitted, this employment application will be considered incomplete and may not be forwarded as eligible for consideration to hiring managers.

Must possess a valid driver's license, be able and willing to drive and to transport children and adults; must be able to lift children and to interact with children and adults in a positive manner. May require overtime hours to include weekends and work during natural disaster or deployment of staff in State issued emergency responses.

If you certify, by completion and submission of this application, that you possess educational credentials that qualify you for the available DSS positions, you will be required to provide a certified official transcript, if you are selected for job offer.

The South Carolina Department of Social Services offers an exceptional benefits package that includes :

DIVISION : CWS - Adoptions / York County

Additional Comments

With the recent implementation of the Child Welfare salary plan funded by the General Assembly beginning in July 2021, front line case managers and team leaders (supervisors) will not only earn higher starting salaries when joining DSS than in previous years, but will also enjoy supplements to their starting salaries upon completion of training and competencies, attainment of BSW / MSW degrees for front line case managers, annual increases for years of continuous service, and salary increases upon attainment of established competencies / certifications for moving into Level 2 and Level 3 salaries.

New Child Welfare case managers will earn a starting salary of at least $44,825 during initial certification, depending on education level and degree type, with up-front starting salary supplements of 2.5% ($45,947) and 5% ($47,065) for candidates holding a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) or a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, and 10% ($49,307) for team leaders (supervisors), respectively. Following completion of training certification, assignment of caseloads with one year of completed experience, quarterly adjustments will be made to move successful trainees into the Level 1 salary bracket and will receive at least a 15% salary increase (adjusting their salary to $51,807, $53,103 or $54,314 depending on degree type), and $56,986 for team leaders (supervisors) at that time.

Annual salary increases of up to 0.50% per year will be awarded on a quarterly basis for each consecutive year a Level 1 case manager remains in his / her class / position.

In January of 2022, DSS rolled out additional opportunities for case managers to progress from Level 1 to Levels 2 and 3, with increases in salary averaging 2.5% for each increase in the case manager's level of expertise under the salary plan. Level 2 and 3 child welfare staff will also see accelerated annual increases of 1% to 1.5% per year awarded for each continuous year served in his / her class / position. Progression from Level 1 to Levels 2 and 3 requires completion of specified requirements in the Advancement Pathway which include additional training, skill development, and practice model aligned competencies that increase in complexity as the career path progresses. Case reviews, data compliance reviews, field observations and employee self-assessments are used by supervisors to evaluate eligible employees' demonstration of competencies and skills prior to approval to advance to the subsequent level.

Benefits for State Employees

The state of South Carolina offers eligible employees generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Plus, work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.

Insurance Benefits

Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits. Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.

Retirement Benefits

State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.

Workplace Benefits

State employees may also be eligible for other benefits, including tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.

Note : The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.

Have you ever been terminated or forced to resign from any job? If yes, please explain.

I understand that supplemental questions are considered part of your official application. Any misrepresentation will result in your disqualification from employment. Please complete the state application to include all current and previous work history and education. If you have any periods of time when you were not employed, you must also list those periods on your employment application. A resume cannot be substituted for completing work history and education sections of the employment application. Employment application will be considered incomplete and not forwarded. I have read and acknowledge the above.

I understand that by completion and submission of this application, that if I possess educational credentials that qualify me for the available DSS positions, I will be required to provide a certified official transcript, if selected for the position.

I understand that it is my responsibility to provide a certified official college transcript within two (2) weeks of employment in the event I am offered a position with the Department of Social Services.

If you selected "Yes" that you are a Veteran, are you able to provide a Member 4, Service 2-Copy, or NGB22 DD-214?

Have you ever been employed by the State of South Carolina? If yes, please provide the state agency / agencies.

How did you hear about this job opportunity?

If you selected "Other" or "DSS Employee" in the previous question, please list the source below.

Please select your academic status below :

Please indicate your level of education :

Please provide your major(s) and give the date(s) you received your degree(s).

Required Question

Salary : $44,825 - $60,471