Child Welfare Specialist I (Licensing & Placement Unit

Follow Your Calling, Find Your Career!!

Salary Range
: $25.06 to $31.33 per hour.

Please note:

Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity. Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant’s salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.

At Mecklenburg County, you’ll have the chance to build a career as unique as you are with support, inclusive culture, and technology to become the best version of you. We’re counting on YOUR unique voice and perspective to help Mecklenburg County become even better, too. Join us and build an exceptional experience for yourself, and a better working world for all.

Youth and Family Services Division (YFS) of the Department of Social Services (DSS) provides a variation of services to safeguard children by strengthening the protective capacities of families whose children’s health, safety and well-being are  mission of DSS is to strengthen families and communities through a safety-net of services, collaborations, and hope. The Department’s vision is to define and cultivate an organizational culture that is more compassionate and understanding toward each other and our clients.

YFS firmly believes the people who do this work are our most important resource. As such, children and families deserve trained, skillful professionals to engage and effectively assist them. If you have a passion for social work and making a difference in your local community, come join our Youth and Family Services team!

This position within the Licensing and Placement Unit will provide community-based services to individuals and families by gathering information from clients, family and other available resources. This position is in Youth and Family Services and is responsible for determining individual's specific needs and assisting with developing an action plan and/or mutual responsibility agreement.

The Child Welfare Specialist I seeks to identify placements for children in foster care, collaborating with community providers, facilitating orientations, meetings, and training, generating reports, recruiting foster and adoptive families, participation on committees, and large amounts of data tracking.

This position will be located at 3205 Freedom Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208. The hours for this position are Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.

• Finding safe foster home placements that fits the specific physical and emotional needs of the child.
• Position requires provider outreach and coordination for appropriate placement and tracking placement capacity.

• Assess needs of individuals and/or families and link them to appropriate resources to meet goals and expected outcomes.
• Assess wellbeing and safety of children
• Facilitate face to face, telephone and virtual contacts with children and families and internal and external community stakeholders to assess safety and risk
• Attend child and family team meetings, along with stakeholder and provider team meetings
• Provide supportive services to kin and resource caregivers
• Assist clients in the completion of required paperwork for items that may determine program eligibility, referrals, or provide job assistance, such as job applications
• Manage records and documentation of services provided and maintain history records and prepare reports
• Provide, find, or arrange for support services
• Serve as a liaison between department staff, community stakeholders, students, homes, schools, family services, child guidance clinics, courts, protective services, doctors, and other contacts, to help children who face problems such as disabilities, abuse, or poverty; communicate with other staff members regarding referrals and transitioning of clients
• May be required to work varying shifts and weekends for community events
• May be required to staff shelters in the event of a disaster

Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in social work AND one of the following: one year of social work experience; qualifying internship; successful completion of the NC Child…