Home Study Specialist 3 (SSS3) - Kent

Description

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community."

Job Title: Home Study Specialist 3 (SSS3)

Location: Kent, WA – This position is Full-Time/Permanent/Flexible/Hybrid.

Closes: Thursday, July 11th, 2024

Salary: $5,214 - $7,016 Monthly

*The listed salary does not include the 5% premium pay granted to all King County employees and the 3% general salary increase effective 7/1.

Are you a highly skilled and motivated individual ready to make a difference in your community? Our Licensing Division (LD) team in Kentis seeking a Home Study Specialist to help eliminate disparities in child and youth outcomes based on race and ethnicity. Join us in our mission and apply today.

Click here to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity:

As a Home Study Specialist (SSS3), you will partner with families, service providers, and others to address safety risks through cultural competency and strength-based communication. You will facilitate child-specific licenses and placements; help locate the opportunities within the family's everyday life and identify behavior(s) that may lead to maltreatment. You will develop co-constructed plans to target primary safety areas and other child needs, develop skill-based objectives, and take additional action as needed.

Some of what you'll do:

• Performs assessments through intensive interview and information gathering process to complete Home Studies for relative or suitable other placement and/or adoptive placement and/or foster home licensing based on compliance.
• Review completed background checks, suitability assessments, waivers and disqualifications.
• Assist licensed foster families to retain the family as a service provider.
• Make timely notification of foster home licensure to other staff, including placement coordinators and the Developmental Disabilities Administration.
• Work collaboratively with the Child Welfare Program and the Developmental Disabilities Administration to maintain communication in order to maintain safe and stable placements in the home during the home study process.
• Utilize Department databases to document licensure/home study activities and maintain provider records within program and manual standards, accountability requirements and agency’s documentation practice.
• Participate in efforts to recruit foster families, including community presentations or meetings.

Required Qualifications:

• Six (6) years of paid social service experience* AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline .
  
  OR
• A Bachelor's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or any degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND Two (2) years of paid social service experience*.
  
  OR
• A Master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or any degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND One (1) year of paid social service experience*.

OR

• One (1) year of experience* as a Social Service Specialist 2.

Note*- Paid Social Service experience must include at least one year of assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with diverse populations.
• Solid working foundation and understanding of agency policies, WAC, and RCW related to licensing foster homes.
• Previous demonstrated program management experience in a regulatory or supervisory capacity for facilities providing care to children.
• Previous demonstrated ability to clearly and concisely communicate verbally and in writing with management, peers, clients, and the public as required to carry out the assigned duties of the position.
• Previously demonstrated being skilled in the use of MS Office (Word and Outlook) and Department databases.