The City of Richmond Department of Social Services is actively seeking a highly qualified candidate to fill the position of Family Services Worker for the In-Home Services Unit. The primary focus of the In-Home Services Unit is to provide services that stabilize and strengthen family functioning, aiming to prevent abuse and neglect, as well as out-of-home placements during crisis situations, including foster care or institutional placements.
Key Responsibilities:
- Providing family-centered and community-based services to at-risk cases assigned from Child Protective Services, Foster Care, Juvenile Court, and Community Partners.
- Conducting home visits, intake, and needs/family assessments and formulating service plans.
- Counseling clients and making referrals for services.
- Providing case management services to assist clients in becoming self-sufficient.
- Preparing court reports and other legal documents, executing and monitoring progress/compliance of court orders, providing testimony in court, and handling out-of-home placements as required.
- Submitting case reports within agency requirements and meeting state-mandated deadlines.
- Participating in Family Partnership Meetings and referring families to the Family Assessment & Planning Team (FAPT).
- Assisting with other agency responsibilities as required, including CPS and Foster Care assignments.
Qualifications:
- Considerable knowledge of principles and practices in the human services field, including programs, socio-economic trends, and behaviors impacting human services delivery.
- Familiarity with state and local policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
- Demonstrated skills in advocating, counseling, administering assessments, conducting interviews, case management, and oral/written communication.
- Ability to understand and interpret policies, procedures, regulations, and laws, think critically, manage time effectively, make sound judgments, problem-solve, and analyze, assess, and evaluate data.
- Bachelor's degree in a human services field (e.g., social work, psychology, sociology, guidance/counseling, child development, or criminal justice) and three years of related experience.
- Licensing, Certifications, and/or Other Special Requirements: Valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record.
- Preferred Training and Experience: Commonwealth of Virginia Social Work license; Master's degree in social work is preferred. Proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking Spanish is a plus. Prior experience in child welfare practice, including child development and family systems, policies, and processes. Knowledge of the FAPT process and the Family Partnership Meeting process.