Family Services Specialist IV

• Locations 301 Goodwin Neck Road, Yorktown, VA, 23692, US
• Apply Before 01/23/2026, 05:00 AM
• Degree Level Bachelor's Degree
• Job Schedule Full time
• Minimum Salary $45,591
• Maximum Salary $86,000
• DSS Primary Work Location York County

Hiring Range: $45,591–86,000 (depending on qualifications and budgetary considerations)

Title Description – This is the beginning leadership level in the occupational group for Family Services. Employees function as a lead worker for subordinate family services specialists and/or act as an expert resource specialist. Employees serve as support for the supervisor by performing tasks such as ensuring staff coverage, workload balance, training staff, reviewing case files, and providing back‑up supervision of staff.

Employees may provide consultation on complex cases and may also work on complex case assignments such as individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education. Employees work within established policies, procedures and guidelines with a high degree of independence, seeking supervisory assistance only in unusually complicated and difficult cases/situations.
The Family Services Specialists IV class is distinguished from the Family Services Supervisor class by the latter’s spending a majority of time in supervisory activities such as handling personnel issues, problems, and evaluating the work of others.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Review court reports, service plans, assessments and investigations.
• Provide guidance, consultation and supervision to other staff in the absence of the supervisor.
• Assist in preparing court reports, home studies, service plans and CPS dispositions.
• Provide direct intervention and service delivery for difficult, complex social work cases.
• Attend court, testify in court and coordinate cases with attorneys.
• Screen CPS referrals for validity, assign referrals and staff new cases with worker.
• Conduct field visits.
• Function as a lead worker providing guidance and training to other staff; coordinate program functions, develop programs, and evaluate materials.
• Accompany the assigned family services specialist to court.
• Investigate high‑profile cases; testify in court proceedings.
• Analyze case information to make sound judgments within the framework of existing laws, policies, and regulations.
• Stay abreast of current trends and developments in the social work field.
• Plan and manage own work activities including service delivery, preparing reports, and correspondence.
• Represent the agency at various functions such as making speeches at civic and business associations, providing training and workshops on child/adult abuse and neglect for public and private organizations.
• Provide after‑hours on‑call coverage and respond to emergencies in child/adult protective services and/or foster care.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge – Comprehensive knowledge of: social work principles and practices; human behavior and motivational theory; laws, policies, and regulations relating to human services program areas; investigating and interviewing techniques; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders; principles and processes for providing customer and personal services to include needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of satisfaction;

principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance; and therapeutic treatment technique. Some knowledge of supervisory practices and principles if required in specific assignment.

Skills – Skill in operating a personal computer and the associated software; and the operation of a motor vehicle.

Abilities – Demonstrated ability to: provide guidance and training in program areas to other employees if required in specific assignment; write court reports, home studies, evaluations, mediation agreements, letters, committee reports, presentations, and general information; make clinical judgments, assess clients’ needs, and formulate plan of action; communicate effectively both orally and in…