Family Safety Practitioner II - Foster Care

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 department's Division of Children, Youth, and Families (CYF). This position works within 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. Learn more 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. Grow your career with 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 . 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.

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.) Performs individual and family safety and risk assessment and casework duties pursuant to applicable state and federal policies/law, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of people facing vulnerabilities;
Determines whether people at risk of harm should be separated from their current living situation including, emergency separations of children or vulnerable adults from their homes when required;
Engages county residents in services that are often non-voluntary and/or protective in nature. County residents engaging in these services are often experiencing difficulties that may be stressful and upsetting and threaten their immediate physical or psychological safety;
Advocates for and assists families and individuals in obtaining services (e.g., mental health, intellectual disability, alcohol and drug, housing referrals, financial assistance for basic needs, home based services, training, and medical services) to ameliorate the circumstances that brought them to the attention of the department;
Provides family, individual, and group counseling and conducts mediation services to families in conflict;
Investigates and/or evaluates complaints of alleged abuse or neglect, and in consultation with supervisor, makes assessment of risks posed to clients in accordance with state and local policies, and works to ensure risks are eliminated or minimized;
Prepares written reports and required documentation supporting decisions related to immediate and ongoing safety needs;
Provides crisis intervention on a timely basis to clients or families whose wellbeing are seriously and imminently threatened;
Collects, documents, and makes appropriate case decisions related to information from clients, their family members and community support systems regarding their social, financial, physical health, emotional well-being, and problems affecting the completion of safety or services plans;
Documentation is detailed and becomes part of the case file which is a legal record;
Participates in the development of court related documents and may testify or attend court to provide support to the clients and/or their caregivers;
Provides training, outreach and education for allied resources including (but not limited to) foster and adoptive parents, volunteers, families, and other county residents regarding supportive services, agency programs, and other specialized topics related to the wellbeing of county residents at risk of harm;
Works with and monitors individual service providers such as contract service providers and volunteers who work with clients to adhere to or complete safety or service plans;
Uses case management, documentation management technology, and hard copy files to maintain and update case data, notes, documents, records, contacts, and summaries of information in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and policies.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are…