Sr. Social Worker; Adolescent Unit

The Forsyth County Department of Social Services is seeking a Sr. Social Worker to work in the Adolescent Unit to provide state mandated services specifically to adolescents in the custody of FCDSS.

This position has been identified to interact with children and must comply with NC G.S. 153A-94.2(b) “requires an applicant for employment to work with children in any capacity, must require the applicant, if offered the position, to be subject to a criminal history record check conducted by the SBI.” These checks must be conducted in accordance with G.S. 143B-1209.26, the statute which authorizes the SBI to provide a fingerprint-based state and national criminal record check to cities and counties.

• The Foster Care Social Worker in this position has the responsibility of assisting families in developing permanent plans for their children who have been placed in the custody of the Forsyth County Department of Social Services.
• Permanent plans include reuniting children with the parent/caretaker from whom they were removed; custody/guardianship to an approved caretaker or relative; and adoption.
• The social worker will be required to collaborate with the families to assess their needs; review and monitor their progress on goals; refer them to the appropriate community resources; complete required documentation and paperwork; and work within the guidelines of state mandated time frames.
• There will be regular court reviews on all cases and the social worker will be responsible for writing court reports and presenting the information in court.

• Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work or;
• Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative or;
• Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year of directly related experience or;
• Master's degree in counseling in a human services field and one year of social work or counseling (Department of Social Services) or;
• Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years of directly related experience or;
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience (Department of Social Services).

Valid driver's license required.

A valid driver’s license is essential to the functions of this position, as regular travel outside of the office is fundamental to the daily work. Foster Care Social Workers must visit the children in their caseload in the child’s home setting monthly, attend school-based meetings routinely, attend court hearings regularly, attend community-based meetings regularly, and respond to emergencies quickly.

Foster Care Social Workers must have a valid driver’s license and the ability to work outside the office in places such as the client’s home, court rooms, schools, etc. He/she must be able to make and report observations accurately without personal biases; and must be able to communicate effectively with persons from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds and mental capacities. A Foster Care Senior Social Worker should have excellent assessment skills, sound judgment, the ability to serve adolescents and families from all socioeconomic backgrounds with a range of mental capacities, without personal biases.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills are also necessary for this position as well as a valid North Carolina driver’s license. The primary hours of work are from 8:00am until 5:00pm but flexibility in scheduling is needed to meet the needs of the families served and the mandated time frames.