Child Protective Services - Social Worker - Tiered

What You'll Be Doing

Wake County Social Services’ Child Welfare Division isseeking mission‑driven, adaptable, and skilled Social Workers who want to makea meaningful impact every day. Our work is guided by three federally mandated goals:

• Safety – Protect children from abuse and neglect
• Permanence – Ensure every child has a stable, permanent home
• Well‑being – Support children’s educational, physical, and emotional health

We achieve these goals by strengthening families, applying policy with clarity, practicing critical thinking, and working collaboratively with caregivers, community partners, and the court system.

You’ll be part of a supportive, mission‑focused team that values professionalism, growth, and collaboration. Wake County offers:

• Comprehensive training, coaching, and clinical supervision
• Opportunities for internal mobility and career development
• Competitive benefits and retirement
• A team culture rooted in communication, shared responsibility, and service to families

As a Child Protective Services (CPS) Social Worker, you playa vital role in ensuring child safety while honoring the strengths, dignity, and cultural backgrounds of families. You will use sound judgment, strong analytical skills, and calm, regulated decision‑making to assess risk, respondto crises, and support families through complex circumstances. This role is both fast‑paced and meaningful. Success requires balancing independence with teamwork, knowing when to seek supervisory consultation, and demonstrating confidence in the decisions you can make autonomously.

Strong candidates remain composed under pressure and are able to navigate sensitive conversations while maintaining professionalism. This position supports both CPS Assessments and CPS In‑Home Services, and duties may occur in the office, in the field, in homes, andin court.

Conduct CPS Assessments

• Evaluate allegations of abuse, neglect, or dependency
• Gather collateral information and apply NC policy to reach clear, evidence‑based decisions
• Use structured critical thinking to determine safety threats, vulnerability, and protective capacities
• Decide when circumstances require supervisory consultation versus independent decision‑making

Support & Strengthen Families (Assessment & In‑Home)

• Provide services that help children remain safely at home whenever possible
• Build rapport with caregivers and hold difficult conversations with empathy,clarity, and professionalism
• Complete timely, behavior‑based safety plans grounded in policy and family capacity
• Facilitate ongoing monitoring of safety plans, caregiver progress, and risk reduction

Ensure Child Safety

• Conduct regular home visits, including some evenings and weekends
• Assess the child’s environment using observation, interviewing, and risk‑assessment tools
• Respond to crises with calm, regulated decision‑making and clear communication

Provide CPS In‑Home Services (If Assigned)

• Develop and implement Family Service Agreements with measurable goals
• Monitor caregiver progress, service engagement, and child safety
• Adjust interventions or safety plans as needed based on ongoing assessment
• Partner with providers, schools, legal partners, and internal teams tosupport sustained risk reduction

Act When Protective Services Are Needed

• Facilitate foster care placements when safety cannot be maintained in the home
• File petitions and initiate legal action when needed to protect children
• Prepare and deliver concise, factual, and legally defensible court testimony

Document Clearly & On Time

• Write accurate, neutral, policy‑aligned documentation
• Translate complex observations into clear, objective, court‑ready notes
• Complete documentation within seven days of each contact and maintain tracking systems

Collabo…