Child Welfare Caseworker - Intake

Child Welfare Caseworker

Under supervision and utilizing a team approach, provides direct casework services to children, birth families, kinship caregivers, and foster families in situations involving abuse, neglect, dependency, risk to harm, and/or families in need of services. Positions in this classification are responsible for conducting investigations, assessing child risk and safety, and providing ongoing, direct casework services to ensure the well-being and permanency of children.

Employees will exercise independent judgement within established policies, procedures, and legal guidelines. Work will include direct interactions and face-to-face contact with children, families, caregivers, and community partners, often in complex and high-risk situations. Caseworkers are responsible for developing and implementing service plans, coordinating resources, and monitoring progress towards safety and permanency goals. Work is performed in a combination of office and field settings and is subject to strict, regulatory, legal, and documentation requirements.

If assigned to Intake/Ongoing

• Provides direct casework services to families in which children may be dependent, neglected, or abused, and secures protection for children from potentially unsafe environments.
• Conducts home visits with parents, children, kinship caregivers, and foster families to ensure the safety and well-being of children.
• Assesses family functioning, risk factors, and available supports to develop service plans that reduce safety concerns and improve family stability.
• Assesses client needs and implements services that promote family preservation, placement stability, reunification, concurrent planning, and permanency.
• Collects relevant information for possible legal action and presents factual evidence in court proceedings.
• Develops and supports a team-based approach when working with birth families, kinship caregivers, and foster families.
• Ensures youth receive educational and independent living services.
• Assists families and children in accessing appropriate community resources.
• Develops and maintains professional relationships with agencies serving children and families.
• Maintains regular contact with treatment specialists, educational providers, medical providers, and other service team members.
• Provides support to foster families to maintain placements and facilitate timely reunification, while pursuing alternative permanency plans when necessary.
• Prepares written assessments, reports, and related documentation.
• Provides foster families with guidance regarding the placement process, roles, responsibilities, child needs, and reunification efforts.
• Advocates for both natural families and foster families.
• Participates in placement matching decisions and coordinates pre-placement and post-placement activities.
• Performs other related duties as required and assigned.

Minimum Qualifications and Requirements

CWC 1 – Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Public Administration, Education, or related field; OR alternative, equivalent evidence of the Minimum Class Requirements.

CWC 2 – Master's Degree in Social Work, Public Administration, Education, or related field. Preference given to candidates with field placements or volunteer experience involving casework responsibility with families and children; OR Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Public Administration, Education, or related field and at least two (2) years of related experience preferably in Child Welfare; OR alternative, equivalent evidence of the Minimum Class Requirements.

CWC 3 - Master's Degree in Social Work, Public Administration, Education, or closely related field with two (2) years of experience in Child Welfare, OR Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Public Administration, Education, or closely related field plus five (5) years of Social Work experience in Child Welfare; OR alternative, equivalent evidence of the Minimum Class Requirements.

Driving Requirement :
Must maintain a current valid United States driver's license with an acceptable driving record and have proof of valid auto insurance.

Training and Development :
First Aid, Defensive Driving, Car Seat Installation & Safety

Supplemental Information

Major Worker Characteristics Knowledge of:

• General knowledge of individual and group behavior.
• General knowledge of current social, economic and health problems and methods of addressing such issues.
• Working knowledge of social services casework techniques and associated human behavior sciences with some specialized knowledge of family dynamics and out of home placement
• Knowledge of family dynamics and counseling as well as child development.
• Knowledge of foster parent programs.
• Knowledge of office practices and procedures
• Knowledge of counseling, case management and psychology
• Knowledge of public relations
• Knowledge of the Ohio social services and child welfare regulations, processes, practices, and procedures
• Knowledge of separation and related processes
• Working knowledge of cultural and socio-economic…