Extended Foster Care Social Service Specialist ; SSS- Region​/Seattle

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community.”

Extended Foster Care Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3) or Social Service Specialist 2 In-Training (SSS2)

Seattle, WA – Region
4. Office locations include West Seattle, Queen Anne, South Seattle, Kent, and Bellevue. This position requires travel within these areas and to attend training and meetings.

$64,776 - $91,464 annually. King County Premium:
The listed salary does not include the additional 5% premium granted to all King County employees.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families, Extended Foster Care (EFC) program in King County seeks a motivated, team-oriented Social Service Specialist 2-3 dedicated to empowering youth as they transition toward independent living and build essential emerging adult skills.

• Act as the EFC liaison for the local office and region, providing highly skilled casework to youth.
• Meet time frames for intake referrals, multi‑disciplinary staffings, transition plans for youth exiting care, health and safety visits, sibling visits, Child Health and Safety Tracking (CHET) screens, permanency planning, financial planning requests, court reports, and ICPC requests.
• Assess youth progress and identify barriers to independent living.
• Provide guidance and service referrals designed to help overcome specific barriers.
• Determine housing resources, complete life skills assessments and develop plans for services that prepare youth for successful adulthood.
• Identify and develop community support and resources.
• Provide referrals for assessments and resources that respond to the youth's identity, cultural, and emotional needs.
• Provide EFC program and transition planning information to other social service specialists, community partners, youth and families, and the court.
• Meet documentation and payment initiation requirements for accurate and timely entries into Fam Link.
• Address safety risk concerns through cultural competency and strength‑based communication.
• Develop and update the EFC case plan with the youth, assisting in developing skill‑based individual objectives.
• Document progress made by youth toward meeting the identified objectives/goals of the case plan.
• Prepare written and informed reports to the court addressing the youth's compliance with the EFC agreement and program.
• Attend and testify in court.

Social Service Specialist 2:

• Five years of paid social service experience AND 30 semester or 45 quarter college credits in a Social Services discipline.
• or a Bachelor’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or a completed Bachelor’s degree which included 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND one year of paid social service experience.
• or a Master’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences or a Master’s degree that included 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline AND a completed practicum.
• or one year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 1 (SSS1).

Social Service Specialist 3:

• Six years of paid social service experience AND 30 semester or 45 quarter college credits in a Social Services discipline.
• or a Bachelor’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or a Bachelor’s degree that included 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND Two years of paid social service experience.
• or a Master’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences or a Master’s degree that included 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND one year of paid social service experience.
• or one year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 2 (SSS2).

And:

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

* Paid Social Service experience must include at least one year assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family‑centered practice services.

• Prior public child welfare experience.
• Bache…