Social Service Specialist In-Training; SSS- Region​/King

Social Service Specialist 2 (SSS2) and Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3)

Units: CPS, CPS/FAR, and CFWS. Positions in Region 4 – King County. Offices are in Kent, Queen Anne (Seattle), Rainier Valley (Seattle), Bellevue, and West Seattle.

Travel is required. Applicants will travel within their assigned areas of work, with clients, trainings, and meetings at other locations.

Job Type: Full‑time, Permanent.

Salary: $5,398 – $7,622. King County Premium (5%) not included. Assignment Pay: 10% additional pay for SSS3 when reaching goal class. 2% wage increase effective July 1, 2026 not included.

In this role, you will assess complex family situations, interview children and parents, evaluate child safety, develop plans to protect children in their homes, and offer services to children and families.

CPS Specialists investigate allegations of child abuse or neglect and provide recommendations and services for families. Under the CPS umbrella is FAR (Family Assessment Response), an alternative pathway for families with low‑moderate allegations. Social Service Specialists work with families to keep children safe and build on their strengths to establish community support for long‑term success.

CFWS Specialists provide a variety of strategies to achieve safe and timely permanency for children. Permanency planning involves active and reasonable efforts for timely reunification and identifying and monitoring placement that is in the child’s best interest, safe, stable, least restrictive, and near the parent and the child’s school when possible.

• Determine if children are safe with their families through respectful investigation and/or assessments.
• Intervene to protect unsafe children and develop a case plan with the family to remedy the situation so families can safely parent their children.
• Follow child welfare laws, policies, and procedures.
• Conduct ongoing comprehensive assessments of risk and safety, develop case plans, and authorize services for children, youth, birth parents, and caregivers.
• Implement culturally appropriate, ADA‑sensitive, and individualized service plans that are goal‑directed, behavior‑specific, and time‑limited.
• Refer, coordinate, and monitor the delivery of services.
• Utilize shared planning meetings to plan, develop, and coordinate with parents, relatives, attorneys, and other relevant professionals.
• Conduct health and safety visits to ensure the child’s health, safety, and well‑being needs are met.
• Develop and implement timely permanent plans responsive to the child’s permanency needs.
• Provide reasonable and active efforts to parents to prevent removal and ensure early and prompt referrals for court‑ordered services.
• Identify primary and concurrent permanent plans within legal and mandated time frames.
• Consult with the agency attorney and prepare required legal documents for court, placement, and service delivery.
• Assist in placing children in approved placements and prepare the child for visitation with parents and siblings.
• Transport children to placement, appointments, or family time/sibling visits.
• Schedule and supervise/monitor visitations.
• Document case notes and case activity in the State computer database, FAMLINK.
• Write court reports and prepare legal documents.
• Attend court and provide expert court testimony.

The goal class of this position is Social Service Specialist 3. We will also consider candidates at the Social Service Specialist 1‑2 level, with a training plan to advance to the goal class. The Hiring Manager will evaluate the education and experience of each candidate for one of the levels mentioned below.

• Social Service Specialist 2: $5,398 – $7,254
• Social Service Specialist 3: $5,666 – $7,622

• Five (5) years of paid social service experience AND completed 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline.
• OR A Master’s degree in social services, human services, or behavioral sciences, or a Master’s degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline AND a completed…