SOCIAL WORKER III (ADOPTIONS & FOSTER CARE)

Salary : $52,332.80 - $62,545.60 Annually

Location : Cabarrus County, NC

Job Type : Full-Time

Job Number : FY22-00732

Department : SOCIAL WORK SERVICES - DSS

Opening Date : 01 / 27 / 2025

Closing Date : Continuous

Description

THIS RECRUITMENT IS A CONTINUOUS OPENING AND WILL BE USED TO FILL POSITIONS AS THEY BECOME AVAILABLE.

Reposting - previous applicants are still under consideration and do not need to reapply.

Hiring range for this position is $52,332.80 - $62,545.60. Initial placement for new employees is customarily at entry level through 35% percentile. Pay grade for this position is 19.

This posting will be used to fill several vacancies on the Permanency Planning Team within the Child Protective Services Division. The vacancies can either be in Adoptions or Foster Care depending on the needs of the department.

The Social Worker III provides foster care and / or adoption svcs for children. Position provides svcs to children who have been removed from their home due to abuse, neglect or dependency and are in DHS custody as well as thru the Dept. of Juvenile Justice. SW provides coordination of svcs, education case mgt. and modeling to biological parents, children and placement providers. Preparation of court reports, providing court testimony, maintains case record, monitors family visits. Good time mgt. skills.

EXCITING NEWS! CABARRUS COUNTY HAS RECENTLY UPDATED OUR DEGREE REQUIREMENTS! We now accept the following Human Services degrees to include but are not limited to : Clinical Social Work, Counseling, Criminology / Criminal Justice, Gerontology, Human Development Learning, Human Services, Psychology, Social Science, Sociology, Substance Abuse Rehabilitation.

General Definition of Work :

Performs difficult professional work providing intensive social work services in adult or child serious and complicated cases which require the flexible use of a wide range of social work skills and intervention techniques in the Human Services Department. Work is performed under the regular supervision of a Social Work Supervisor III.

Examples of Duties

Child Welfare Positions Essential Functions / Typical Tasks :

Providing social work services including in-depth assessment of family dynamics and needs, intervention and treatment of children or families with acute to severe medical and / or emotional disorders and mental illnesses; providing expert testimony in court hearings; developing service plan and goals and follows-up with case management, treatment and preventive services; managing an intake, foster care, adoptions, home based services, or family preservation caseload; preparing detailed and complex court summaries and reports; maintaining records, files and confidentiality.

(These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• Analyzes situations and determines appropriate courses of action immediately or in short time spans and often under very stressful conditions.
• May provide group, family or individual treatment to clients of any age and any developmental, mental, medical substance abuse, financial or family problem.
• Assesses individuals and family dynamics, crisis intervention, referrals for treatment and placement in foster care or residential facilities.
• Exercises considerable judgment in determining whether abuse or neglect has occurred, to what extent and how it occurred as prescribed by federal and state guidelines.
• Interviews the child, family, and collateral contacts. Collects background information.
• Gathers and shares information to determine the extent of abuse or neglect, to provide counseling, to arrange for services and to provide expert opinions to legal counsel.
• Implements the treatment plan including counseling with client, providing direct services according to the service plan, assessing changes and time limits, and making necessary referrals.
• Decides modality of counseling and uses both individual and family counseling. Provides some substance abuse and behavior modification counseling.
• Monitors client's use of services and progress of the family at least quarterly if not more often and writes a case plan each time changes in placement or goals occur.
• Offers consultation to foster parents and group home staff.
• Travels to homes, schools, health and mental health facilities, and other service agencies.
• Attends case conferences and staffing with legal, court personnel, and other Department of Social Services staff. Attends other meetings as required.
• Performs related tasks as required.

Adult Services Essential Functions / Typical Tasks :

Evaluating reports of alleged abuse, neglect & exploitation, this involves assessment, development of service plans, provision of case management and securing treatment for clients with physical, emotional and mental disorders; preparing detailed court documents; providing expert testimony in court hearings; managing an adult protective services, guardianship or adult home caseload; and maintaining records, files and confidentiality.

(These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

operations as well as investigation of facility complaints to determine if state standards are violated.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their applications to complex casework, treatment, and investigation of abuse or neglect of children; of federal and state laws, policies and procedures, program rules, directives, professional ethics and quality assurance standards; and of individual and group behavior, family dynamics, and medical, behavioral and / or psychosocial problems and their treatment theory. Considerable knowledge organizations and resources in the community. Working knowledge of office equipment and computers and applicable software applications. Ability to write clear, concise, and grammatically correct reports, documentation, case records and treatment plans; to testify as an expert witness; to employ advanced case management interview techniques to establish a supportive relationship and involve families in the initial assessment for the need of services; to quickly assess the risks and safety of the client environment during daylight hours, after dark and in high crime areas; to analyze and assess child development safety issues in relation to risk factors; to analyze tense family situations and make decisions about removing children when the decision has to be made with limited direct information and limited access to consultation; to interact and motivate a resistant involuntary client; to work with multidisciplinary teams; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients and their families, a variety of medical and psychological professionals, law enforcement, court officials, attorneys, community agencies and the general public; and to attend work regularly.

Managment Preferences and Requirements :

Minimum Education / Experience requirements

Education and Experience :

Physical Requirements :

This is normally light work requiring the exertion of up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects; some work may require the exertion of 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects; work requires reaching and fingering, grasping, and repetitive motions; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word, and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels, and to receive detailed information through oral communications and / or make fine distinctions in sound; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operation of office machines, determining accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities; the worker is subject to contact with irate clients and / or family members who may be hostile, resistant or violent; homes that may be poorly maintained or unsafe living conditions; travel in unsafe areas where the threat of violence is real or insolated areas where access to emergency services may be difficult.

The worker may be exposed to blood borne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment.

Special Requirements :

Possession of an appropriate driver's license valid in the State of North Carolina. Position is a safety-sensitive position as defined by the Drug Free Workplace Policy. Must be available to meet with families and children within a time frame that meets state policy and law as well as provides the greatest protection to children. Position may include after hours work and on-call duty rotation.

Must possess or attend and complete the required NC state child welfare pre-service training and in-service training for child welfare positions only.

Supplemental Information

Supplemental and Contact Information

Cabarrus County selects applicants for employment based on job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, political affiliation or political influence.

Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Transcripts, degree evaluations and cover letters may be uploaded with your application. Applicants who obtained their education outside of the United States and its territories are expected to assume responsibility for having their academic degrees validated as equivalent to a degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.

Please be sure to complete the application in full. Resumes may be uploaded with your application, but will not be accepted in lieu of a fully completed application and will not be considered for qualifying credit. "See Resume" or "See Attachment" will NOT be accepted.

If multiple applications are submitted to an individual position, only the most recent application received prior to the posting closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 11 : 59 PM on the closing date.

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account . Processing applications will take an average of 6 - 8 weeks due to the high volume of applications received. It is not necessary to contact the Human Resources Office to check the status of an application. Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for the most qualified applicants.

For technical issues with your applications, please call the NEOGOV Help Line at 855-524-5627 . If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact HR at 704-920-2200.

Mandatory 6% employee contribution

Employees have the option to contribute additional monies to the NC401K plan or to a 457 retirement savings plan

Consumer driven plan including a health savings account

On-site exercise equipment & programs

PPO (Preferred Provider Option) or non-PPO

Includes an annual routine eye exam for individuals on the health insurance plan.

Employee option for up to $50,000 of additional term life coverage

01

I understand in order to be qualified for this position, the description of my work experience must clearly reflect the required education and experience as well as the posted knowledge, skills and abilities for this position. I have included all of this information within my application. (If you haven't completed the application requirements, please return to your application to finish it before submitting your application.) Resumes may be uploaded with your application, but will not be accepted in lieu of a fully completed application and will not be considered for qualifying credit.

02

Select your highest level of education from the information below :

03

This position is in the Permanency Planning Program with Child Welfare. What experiences have you had with this program?

04

I understand this position requires you to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and overtime as needed?

05

I understand this position requires training that may take you away from home for 2 weeks, 4 days each week.

06

Have you completed the NC state child welfare pre-service training and / or in-service training for child welfare.

07

Do you have a valid North Carolina Driver License?

08

I understand if my driver license is valid in another state outside of North Carolina I must obtain a valid North Carolina driver license within 30 days of hire.

Required Question