Social Worker III – Adoptions Social Worker

Job Description

Do you have a deep passion for children's welfare? Are you driven by the desire to assist children in their journey toward adoption? Do you enjoy playing a role in connecting children with their forever families? If you answered affirmatively, then this position is ideal for you! This position provides counseling and case management services to children who are legally cleared for adoption and in the custody of the Department of Social Services.

This position works efficiently towards achieving stability and permanency for children and provides a full range of adoption services, as well as post-adoption support services to adoptive families. Adoption services include but are not limited to legal work, emotional preparation of children for adoption, child-specific recruitment and assessment of prospective adoptive families, placements in approved homes, and the supervision of the placements.

NOTE Two professional references are required, with at least one from a current or previous supervisor.

• Write comprehensive and high-quality pre-placement assessments;
• Conduct monthly home visits to assess children and placement providers face-to-face and in their home environments per NC DHHS policies;
• Provide ongoing emotional support as well as ensure the overall health and well-being of children in foster care who are legally cleared for adoption;
• Conduct child-specific recruitment and actively work to identify prospective adoptive families for children;
• Coordinate the medical, dental, educational, mental health, and psychiatric services for children in foster care;
• Work collaboratively with a wide array of partners including youth, the Guardian ad Litem program, foster and adoptive families, treatment providers, and attorneys in working towards permanence for children;
• Participate in Child and Family team meetings, Permanency Planning review meetings, Adoption Committee meetings, and other required meetings as needed;
• Prepare comprehensive court reports, participate in associated court proceedings, and testify in court as needed;
• Assist with the planning and attendance of adoption-related awareness events, celebrations, and ceremonies;
• Complete thorough and timely documentation of case information per policy;
• Participate in the rotation for on-call for Children's Services;
• Participate in shelter operations or other weather-related incidents as needed;
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work;
Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative (Child Welfare positions only);
Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience;
Master's degree in a human services field and one year of directly related experience;
Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience;
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

• Considerable knowledge of child welfare practice and policy including abuse, neglect, dependency, permanency planning, and adoption policies and procedures;
• Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, group work, and community problems;
• Considerable knowledge of a wide range of medical, behavioral, and/or psychosocial problems and their treatment theory;
• Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques, governmental and private organizations, resources in the community, and laws, regulations, and policies that govern the Program;
• Ability to prepare documentation such as preplacement assessments, home studies, and court reports;
• Considerable knowledge of the effects of trauma on children;
• Familiarity and understanding of the behavioral health system, the various levels of care needed for children and youth in foster care, and…