Foster Care and Adoption Specialist II (Social Services Specialist II), Fairfax County, VA, Fairfax, VA
Fairfax County, VA -
Fairfax, VA,
US
Foster Care and Adoption Specialist II (Social Services Specialist II)
Date Posted: 2024-06-09
Job description
Salary : $62,932.27 - $104,886.91 Annually
Location : FAIRFAX (EJ27), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 24-01364
Department: Family Services
Opening Date: 05/25/2024
Closing Date: 7/5/2024 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S23
Posting Type: Open to General Public
Job Announcement
This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires.
If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated practitioners in the Division of Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) of the Department of Family Services (DFS). You will work as part of our dedicated, multi-disciplinary team. In this role, you would provide clinical casework services to support the permanency of children in foster care as well as their parents and caregivers. We hire only the most caring and motivated individuals to serve families and children in our community. about the culture of DFS, meet our director and some of our employees, watch videos about our programs, and check out the great health benefits offered by Fairfax County.
This ad will be used to fill positions in multiple locations throughout the county.
Grow your career with Fairfax County!
With more than 16,000 employees, Fairfax County is a diverse workforce offering employees stimulating and challenging opportunities across a broad scope of career opportunities. As a Fairfax County employee, you impact the well-being of our community every day.
This is an exciting time to join Fairfax County Government as we shape racial and social equity policies in the county through the One Fairfax Policy. Using this framework, we intentionally consider equity when making policies or delivering programs and services. To learn more, we highly encourage you to watch the Becoming One Fairfax-An Introduction to Key Concepts video and visit the One Fairfax webpage
The Department of Family Services (DFS) is committed to strengthening the well-being of its diverse community by protecting and improving the lives of all children, adults, and families through assistance, partnership, advocacy, outreach, and quality services. To learn more about DFS and its Mission, Vision, and Values, please click
As an integral member of the FC&A Program, performs a vital role to achieve permanent living arrangements for children in foster care and adoption. Work hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., however, evening and/or weekend work is required.
Duties and responsibilities include the following:
Note: All Fairfax County Government employees are expected to adhere to the Standards of Conduct. In maintaining a drug free workplace, employees are prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, possessing, using or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while at work or on county premises.
The Department of Family Services is greatly committed to the professional development of staff. The HR Professional Development and Training Team includes dedicated staff and in-house clinical training offerings in support of the clinical licensure requirements and overall professional development of staff seeking to increase their clinical practice capabilities.
Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus two years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background, a driving record check, and a Child Protective Services check to the satisfaction of the employer.
This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work requires performing tasks with risks of secondary traumatic stress (STS).
Ability to navigate through and make decisions in stressful and crisis situations
Sufficiently mobile to make home visits, attend meetings, court appearances and community events outside the office.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Ability to use automated technology.
Ability to lift, carry, and diaper infants.
All duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview; may include practical exercise.
This job announcement is listed with a closing date of 7/5/24 and interested applicants are advised to submit their applications as soon as possible. Interviews will be conducted on a regular basis throughout the recruitment with candidates whose qualifications best fit our needs. If your application is received later in the recruitment process, it may not be reviewed or considered. The application process may close prior to the currently advertised closing date when the position has been filled.
The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home () and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-###-#### for assistance. TTY 703-###-####. ...@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.
#LI-RS1
Merit Positions
Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:
NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:
For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions
01
What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
02
Please indicate all major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.
03
If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your completed majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable."
04
How many years of full-time equivalent professional social work experience do you have?Note: "Social Work" is defined as an academic discipline and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups and communities in an effort to enhance social functioning and overall well-being.
05
Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?
06
Which of the following are included in your professional social services work experience? Check all that apply.
07
How many years of full-time equivalent professional case management experience do you have?
08
How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have working in the child welfare field?
09
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with the court system, testifying and filing affidavits?
10
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with a diverse multicultural population?
11
Which best applies to your professional experience?
Required Question
Location : FAIRFAX (EJ27), VA
Job Type: FT Hourly W BN
Job Number: 24-01364
Department: Family Services
Opening Date: 05/25/2024
Closing Date: 7/5/2024 11:59 PM Eastern
Pay Grade: S23
Posting Type: Open to General Public
Job Announcement
This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires.
If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference, consider joining the dedicated practitioners in the Division of Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) of the Department of Family Services (DFS). You will work as part of our dedicated, multi-disciplinary team. In this role, you would provide clinical casework services to support the permanency of children in foster care as well as their parents and caregivers. We hire only the most caring and motivated individuals to serve families and children in our community. about the culture of DFS, meet our director and some of our employees, watch videos about our programs, and check out the great health benefits offered by Fairfax County.
This ad will be used to fill positions in multiple locations throughout the county.
Grow your career with Fairfax County!
With more than 16,000 employees, Fairfax County is a diverse workforce offering employees stimulating and challenging opportunities across a broad scope of career opportunities. As a Fairfax County employee, you impact the well-being of our community every day.
This is an exciting time to join Fairfax County Government as we shape racial and social equity policies in the county through the One Fairfax Policy. Using this framework, we intentionally consider equity when making policies or delivering programs and services. To learn more, we highly encourage you to watch the Becoming One Fairfax-An Introduction to Key Concepts video and visit the One Fairfax webpage
The Department of Family Services (DFS) is committed to strengthening the well-being of its diverse community by protecting and improving the lives of all children, adults, and families through assistance, partnership, advocacy, outreach, and quality services. To learn more about DFS and its Mission, Vision, and Values, please click
As an integral member of the FC&A Program, performs a vital role to achieve permanent living arrangements for children in foster care and adoption. Work hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., however, evening and/or weekend work is required.
Duties and responsibilities include the following:
- Conducts face-to-face contacts and attends home visits to ensure children in foster care and adoption are safe and that their physical, emotional, and educational needs are being met
- Conducts comprehensive assessments to include but not limited to the following areas: safety, permanency, and wellbeing; educational, social, and independent living skills; substance abuse, and developmental concerns; family relationships such as parent-child conflict and domestic violence; assessing the family (i.e., parenting capacity, family relationships, social supports, physical health challenges and disabilities, and basic needs such as shelter, food, and clothing)
- Collaborates with the parents, prior custodians, foster parents, and children when appropriate, to develop a family-centered, solution focused service plan ensure safety, permanency, and wellbeing of the children in foster care
- Coordinates and collaborates with foster families and others to deliver services (i.e., home-based family and individual counseling, health insurance and medical care, parenting support, and domestic violence interventions) to children and parents/family members
- Responds and intervenes in emergency crisis around placement of children in foster home, congregate care facilities, and trial home placements with parent or relative caregivers
- Conducts court-related services to include writing and submitting service plans to court, consulting with county attorney, writing affidavits, filing petitions, and testifying in court
- Documents assessments, critical incident reports, detailed case contacts, progress notes, and service plans in a timely manner in accordance with local and state policy
- Participates in required trainings and meetings and serves as a representative on workgroups and contributes to development of written product
- Coordinates and attends intra-agency and inter-agency meetings
- May be required to be on-call rotation that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field
- Performs other duties as assigned to ensure child safety and improve outcomes in families
- Knowledge of child protection laws, rules, and regulations
- Knowledge of foster care and adoption laws, rules, and regulations
- Ability to interview, assess needs, counsel, and refer clients to other resource as needed
- Knowledge of childhood trauma and attachment
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of social work
- Knowledge of current social service problems and methods/approaches to address issues
- Ability to analyze case information and to reach sound decisions on the basis of such information
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
- Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records
- Ability to maintain professional ethics and confidentiality of client information
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals
- Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines.
Note: All Fairfax County Government employees are expected to adhere to the Standards of Conduct. In maintaining a drug free workplace, employees are prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, possessing, using or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while at work or on county premises.
The Department of Family Services is greatly committed to the professional development of staff. The HR Professional Development and Training Team includes dedicated staff and in-house clinical training offerings in support of the clinical licensure requirements and overall professional development of staff seeking to increase their clinical practice capabilities.
Employment Standards
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus two years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background, a driving record check, and a Child Protective Services check to the satisfaction of the employer.
This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master's in social work (MSW) degree or a related human services degree
- Experience in performing case management services in a child welfare setting (child protective services, foster care, adoption, family prevention, permanency planning, or domestic/sexual violence)
- Experience in child welfare and/or mental health
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Work requires performing tasks with risks of secondary traumatic stress (STS).
Ability to navigate through and make decisions in stressful and crisis situations
Sufficiently mobile to make home visits, attend meetings, court appearances and community events outside the office.
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Ability to use automated technology.
Ability to lift, carry, and diaper infants.
All duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview; may include practical exercise.
This job announcement is listed with a closing date of 7/5/24 and interested applicants are advised to submit their applications as soon as possible. Interviews will be conducted on a regular basis throughout the recruitment with candidates whose qualifications best fit our needs. If your application is received later in the recruitment process, it may not be reviewed or considered. The application process may close prior to the currently advertised closing date when the position has been filled.
The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 38.7% of residents speak a language other than English at home () and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-###-#### for assistance. TTY 703-###-####. ...@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.
#LI-RS1
Merit Positions
Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:
- Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
- Group Term Life Insurance
- Long Term Disability
- LiveWell Program
- Flexible Spending Programs
- Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
- Paid Holidays
- Contributory Retirement Plan
- Deferred Compensation
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employees' Child Care Center
- Commuter Benefit Program
- Continuous Learning Opportunities
NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program:
For additional details please visit the
Non-Merit Positions
- Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.
- Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
- Flexible Spending Program
- Deferred Compensation
- Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.
- No benefits
01
What is the highest level of education that you have completed?
- Less than 12th grade
- High school diploma or GED
- Some college
- Associate's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Master's degree
- Doctorate degree
02
Please indicate all major(s) or minor(s) for your completed degree(s). Check all that apply.
- Psychology
- Social work
- Education
- Counseling
- Public administration
- Other (related)
- Other (non-related)
- None of the above
03
If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your completed majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable."
04
How many years of full-time equivalent professional social work experience do you have?Note: "Social Work" is defined as an academic discipline and profession that concerns itself with individuals, families, groups and communities in an effort to enhance social functioning and overall well-being.
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
05
Do you currently possess a valid driver's license?
- Yes
- No
06
Which of the following are included in your professional social services work experience? Check all that apply.
- Adult protective services
- Alcohol and drug services
- Child protective services
- Children and families
- Domestic violence
- Education
- Foster care
- Intellectual disabilities
- Mental health
- Older adults
- Physical disabilities
- Prevention
- Sexual assault
- None of the above
07
How many years of full-time equivalent professional case management experience do you have?
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
08
How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience do you have working in the child welfare field?
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
09
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with the court system, testifying and filing affidavits?
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
10
How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working with a diverse multicultural population?
- None
- Less than one year
- One to less than two years
- Two to less than three years
- Three to less than four years
- Four to less than five years
- Five or more years
11
Which best applies to your professional experience?
- Presently work for Fairfax County as a Social Services Specialist
- Previously worked for Fairfax County as a Social Services Specialist
- None of the above
Required Question