Social Worker III; FC)

Joining the team at Gaston County Government means being part of a community that is dedicated to improving the lives of its citizens. We are a dynamic organization that values innovation, collaboration, and commitment to service.

As an employee of Gaston County, you will have the opportunity to make a difference in your community every day. Whether you are working in public safety, social services, or administration, your contributions will help improve the lives of our residents and build a better future for our county.

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $27.45 to $32.60

The duties listed below are not all of the duties that may be assigned but are those that are considered as essential for an employee to perform.

• Providing case management services for children in custody of the Department of Health & Human Services and aggressively seeking permanence for them, including [1] seeing each child, [2] attending all court hearings and preparing all necessary reports and documentation, [3] contacting and seeing all appropriate family members and collaterals, [4] coordinating and facilitating visits between child and family, [5] advocating for and obtaining all services the child needs (medical, emotional, education, as well as placement), [6] making home visits (announced and unannounced) to removal home and foster home/group facility – all of such as is required by NCDHHS-Division of Social Services Policy, North Carolina Juvenile Statue, and through local court direction.
• Creating a case file that captures and specifically documents a child’s life while in foster care and away from family/caretakers. Social worker prepares pictures, correspondence, medical records, educational records, running narratives that document all DHHS activities, copies of all court paperwork and order, Permanency Planning Team paperwork case plans developed with caretakers, risk assessments, strengths and needs assessments, visitation plans, referrals for child of parent, release of information forms, any mental health records, visitation plans, eligibility for funding forums, all identifying information (such as birth certificates and social security numbers), social histories, home studies, parental information – assessments, criminal histories, past CPS involvements, referred programs progress notes (i.e., DV Groups, Substance Abuse, therapists, parenting groups, etc.).
• Transporting and accompaniment of child (and sometimes caretakers) to appointments that help to achieve the well-being or permanency goals, visitation between child and caretaker, drug screenings of caretakers, and court.
• Participating and preparatory work for Permanency Planning Team Meetings, Child & Family Team Meetings, Treatment Team meetings for children and mental health needs, and Care Review Meetings for oversight of treatment level and appropriate placements.
• Participating in weekly unit/team staffing, individual staffing (as needed), local trainings, professional development trainings, and state-mandated trainings.
• Preparing monthly reports capturing statistical data.
• Must be available to work mandatory emergency shelters & other duties/tasks as needed or assigned.

• Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited institution.
• Master's degree in counseling or human services field and 1 year of directly related experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Social Work (BSW) from an accredited institution and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative **(Child Welfare positions only)
• Bachelor's degree in Social Work (BSW) from an accredited institution and 1 year of directly related experience.
• Bachelor's degree in a human services field and 2 years of directly related experience.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution and…