Job Specification
NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. NOTE: Appointments may be made to positions requiring bilingual skills. 62153C - Bilingual in Spanish and English SPECIAL SKILL Applicants must be able to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in Spanish and English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. EXAMPLES OF WORK: Conducts investigations within required timeframes to foster the development of a case plan that identifies functional strengths; organizes a complete service program for the family and/or child. Prepares materials and participates in training sessions to apprise staff of community resources and new social welfare theory. Delivers speeches and/or presentations to define the agency’s role and services; promotes the objective of preventing abuse and neglect to school systems, hospitals, clinics, institutions, professional groups, and others. Provides case consultation with other professional staff to discuss family problems and treatment methods; utilizes community resources for mental health, medical, vocational, educational, residential, and other assistance and provides recommendations on behalf of agency clients. Gathers evidence of abuse and neglect, prepares affidavits and depositions, takes or obtains pictures, medical reports, and other documentation, and contacts the local police or prosecutor's office when necessary. Provides documentation for the preparation of detailed affidavits and legal complaints for court review, acts as a witness in court, and provides testimony under oath. Provides information or testimony to juvenile courts and other committees as directed. Processes children for adoption placement; prepares computation for adoption subsidy. Prepares forms and reports and other required paperwork. Visits the homes of clients and families to plan and implement corrective measures and approaches to problems of parent/child relationships. Recruits resource family/foster homes, screens and evaluates applicants for resource family/foster and adoption care and does child-specific recruitment. Participates in the investigation of complex, multi-problem family situations. Conducts surveys, studies, and investigations to evaluate and increase service programs effectiveness. Conducts initial intake investigations of severe and complex abuse and neglect including those involving life-threatening injuries and sexual abuse. Handles a complex caseload of families in severe crisis, provides group and individual counseling to children and their families in multi-problem situations, which may include emotional pathology, substance abuse, spousal abuse, incest, and/or antisocial behavior; counsels individuals and families to identify strengths and community supports in order to strengthen and/or reunite natural families. Handles a caseload of clients who struggle with issues including anger management, sexual abuse and/or behavioral health concerns to enable individuals to more effectively strengthen family connections and plan for successful outcomes. Conducts investigations for abuse and/or neglect referrals within required timeframes; interviews children, parents, relatives, neighbors, and other collateral parties to the family or institution; obtains medical care if necessary; takes appropriate action to seek court intervention, police assistance, or in severe situations, removal of the child from an unsafe environment in accordance with statute. Prepares for and facilitates Family Team Meetings in accordance with the case practice model. Prepares for and facilitates parent/child visitation and sibling visitation as appropriate in accordance with the case practice model. Meets all training requirements and maintains current knowledge of child welfare practice. Participates in social planning groups and represents the Department of Children and Families at meetings and conferences. Provides liaison to child advocacy projects of other State Departments and to citizen advocacy groups. Provides programmatic information and technical expertise to individuals involved in group work activities. Assesses alleged abuse and neglect referrals through telephone or in-person interviews; evaluates seriousness of complaint and provides recommendation for assignment to a service unit. Lifts and carries children and secures them in car seats. Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. The following duties may be assigned to non-caseload carrying positions, providing critical support to caseload carrying staff, offices. and families. These duties may include but are not limited to: Screens requests for Department of Children and Families’ services including: reports of suspected abuse or neglect of children; requests for non-abuse or neglect related child welfare services; general information and referral services. Locates, identifies, and secures resources in the community and from other agencies for services to children and families. Receives, processes, and expedites requests for daycare services for children. Participates in and/or coordinates statewide collection of data, tracking key process milestones and service outcomes, and regularly utilizes and enters data from the workload tracking system. Effectively represents the Department of Children and Families in more complex matters involving juveniles before the New Jersey Superior Court's Family Practice Division by providing policy interpretation and case planning information. Ensures that an appropriate case plan is developed, implemented, and updated as necessary. Develops and maintains cooperative working relationships with court personnel and with other agencies and individuals who also work with children whose conduct brings them before court. Locates and secures resource homes for children in need of placement, and ensures the permanency, safety and well-being of the children therein. Conducts follow-up visits to ensure Resource Family home is complying with licensing standards. Refers families for services. Conducts training for Resource Family applicants and/or new Resource Families. Conducts home evaluations and processes relative care payments. Ensures the Local Office complies with all Child Placement Review Legislation/Statutes with clear and precise understanding and direction regarding the out of home placement aspects of the Department of Children and Families' policies and procedures. REQUIREMENTS: NOTE: Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Six (6) years of professional experience in social work, direct support counseling, guidance, or case management involving high risk child abuse and neglect or other problematic situations involving counseling services to clients with social, emotional, psychological, or behavioral problems including gathering and analyzing information, determining needs, and planning and supporting and/or carrying out treatment plans. OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and two (2) years of the above-mentioned professional experience. OR Possession of a master’s degree in social work, psychology, guidance and counseling, divinity, marriage and family therapy, or other related behavioral science area; and one (1) year of the above-mentioned professional experience. OR Possession of a bachelor’s degree and a supervised social work field placement of three hundred (300) hours serviced through an accredited college or university or performed in a social service agency; and one (1) year of the above-mentioned professional experience. OR Five (5) years of the above-mentioned professional experience and a supervised social work field placement of three hundred (300) hours serviced through an accredited college or university or performed in a social service agency. NOTE: A maximum of one year of non-caseload carrying experience may be credited toward the experience requirement listed above. NOTE: "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions. LICENSE: Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position. KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the economic, social, emotional, and other problems of abused and neglected family members and of expected emotional and other reactions. Knowledge of problems encountered in the investigation of child abuse referrals and other problematic family situations. Knowledge of the methods used to identify whether abuse or neglect has occurred. Knowledge of the signs of child abuse and neglect. Knowledge of counseling and interviewing techniques. Knowledge of the methods used to conduct investigations. Knowledge of the methods used to collect and analyze data. Knowledge of the types of community services and resources likely to be used by the client population served. Knowledge of the assessment methods used to match children to resource families. Knowledge of the types of social service agencies likely to be of assistance in providing for the needs of those with social, emotional, psychological or behavioral problems. Ability to interact with the public in a professional manner. Ability to interpret and apply the Child Protective Services and child welfare policies and procedures. Ability to maintain client confidentiality including all documentation, identifying and non-identifying information contained in the case record. Ability to interpret and apply laws, rules, and regulations to specific situations. Ability to assess the signs for when it is necessary to place children in out-of-home settings. Ability to monitor the effectiveness and appropriateness of services provided to meet the needs of children and families. Ability to identify the need for other community resources and services and make appropriate referrals. Ability to collect and analyze data and evaluate the social relationships of individuals and families, and take appropriate action, including providing services. Ability to conduct investigations of child abuse and child neglect under the direction of a supervisor. Ability to conduct safety assessments and prepare safety plans. Ability to identify risk factors through observation, interviews and collateral sources. Ability to conduct field visits, studies, and/or investigations. Ability to document all case related activities. Ability to prepare case plans with families and appropriate interested parties. Ability to engage families in critical decision making and case planning. Ability to lift, carry, position and secure children in car seats. Ability to prepare case histories, records, and reports. Ability to interview persons who may be emotionally upset and antagonistic, and obtain information needed for planning realistic goals for family and/or individual functioning. Ability to remain calm and decisive in emergency situations, make immediate and critical decisions based on agency policy and perform judiciously under pressure. Ability to oversee collection of basic social data and develop appropriate social and other plans for disturbed, disabled, and/or delinquent children. Ability to provide consultation services in the broad field of social work. Ability to act as a witness in court, and to prepare documents for court review. Ability to provide training to professional staff in counseling methods, techniques, and procedures. Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. This job specification is applicable to the following title code(s) which
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||