Sawyer CountyPosition Description

Title:Social Worker - Child Protective Services

Department:Health and Human Services Department

Reports to:Child Protective Services Unit Supervisor

Purpose of Position:

Under the direct supervision of the CPS Supervisor, the CPS worker will provide a variety of child protective services to clients, including Access, Initial Assessments, and Ongoing services. Additionally, the CPS worker will provide on-call services on a rotating basis.

Essential Functions:

The duties and responsibilities described below are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other duties may be required and assigned.

Duties and Responsibilities

Provide Child Protective Services to Children who are alleged to be in need of protection and services.

  • Receive and screen reports of abuse or neglect of children - Accept child abuse/neglect and child welfare referrals as assigned for intake and assessment of risk regarding child in-home safety
  • Coordinate with community agencies regarding referrals and when necessary make appropriate referrals
  • Develop service plans using community and agency resources to promote family’s strengths and reduce risk for children
  • Coordinate with LCO ICW and other tribes when appropriate regarding Native American children and families
  • Complete necessary forms, reports, and dictation as required by the statutes and the agency
  • Coordinate with law enforcement and other community services when necessary for investigation
  • Provide comprehensive investigation to determine substantiation

Coordinate Alternate Care Services for Children Who Need to be Placed Outside their Homes

  • Follow statutory and agency policy guidelines in determining need for out-of-home placement and prepares petitions, court reports and treatment plans
  • Comply with all statutory requirements regarding out-of-home placements
  • Provide ongoing services to the child, natural family and foster family in order to reunite the child with their family as soon as possible
  • Complete all necessary forms, dictation and treatment plans per state requirements
  • Coordinate foster care cases with LCO ICW Office and reviews these cases making sure all necessary documentation is in the file per the 161 agreement

Provide Child Welfare Services

  • Conduct home studies, custody studies, stepparent adoptions as ordered by the court, and Kinship Care assessments
  • Conduct period visits of children placed out-of-home
  • Work closely with other agencies and institutions to promote outreach and educate the community on reporting procedures
  • Perform other duties as required or assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related field with one (1) year preferred experience. The position requires Wisconsin social work certification and possession of a valid Wisconsin driver’s license.

Ability to communicate effectively through oral and written communication, including persuasive communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with contracted service providers,

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

  • Personal and professional integrity
  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively to create environments that promote child protection
  • Self-directive, innovative and able to exercise sound judgment
  • Knowledge of state CPS standards, rules, and regulations
  • Knowledge of federal and state child welfare laws programs
  • Knowledge of Wisconsin Statues Chapters 48, 938, 51
  • Knowledge of prevention, detection, reporting and treatment of child abuse and neglect policies and practices
  • Knowledge of interventions and best practices for child protection
  • Knowledge of cultural, environmental, sociological and psychological factors influencing the health and welfare status of children populations
  • Knowledge of agency and community agencies, programs and resources in the human services field and child protection
  • Ability to coordinate with department and community agencies in program planning and development.
  • Comprehensive knowledge, principles, practices and skills in care management
  • Knowledge of human behavior and the basic principles and practices of care management
  • Ability to communicate effectively through oral and written communication, including persuasive communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with contracted service providers
  • Communicate and speak effectively in written and oral form and before groups
  • Coach, counsel, teach and inform clients and the community concerning child protective issues
  • Deal with sensitivity to the needs of people with different cultural, environmental and social backgrounds
  • Analyze data, problem solve, and make logical decisions
  • Write and prepare a variety of statistical reports, record, and charts
  • Work independently on projects and programs
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others
  • Input, access and analyze data using a computer terminal
  • Accept agency philosophy, purpose and objectives

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ABILITIES REQUIRED TO PERFROM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Language Ability and Interpersonal Communication

Ability to analyze data and information using established criteria in order to determine consequences and to identify and select alternatives. Ability to compare, count, differentiate, measure, copy, record, and transcribe data and information. Ability to classify, computes, tabulates, and categorizes data.

Ability to counsel and mediate. Ability to persuade, convinces, and train others. Ability to advise and provide interpretation regarding the application of policies, procedures, and standards to specific situations.

Mathematical Ability

Ability to perform basic mathematical functions including ability to calculate percentages, fractions, decimals, volumes, ratios, and present values. Ability to interpret basic descriptive statistical reports. Ability to prepare and analyze complex reports, financial statements, governmental accounting, cost analysis, and other relevant data.

Judgment and Situational Reasoning Ability

Ability to use functional reasoning in performing influence functions such as supervising, managing, leading, teaching, directing and controlling.

Ability to exercise the judgment, decisiveness, and creativity required in situations involving the direction, control and planning of an entire program or multiple programs.

Physical Requirements

Ability to operate a variety of office equipment including computer terminal, typewriter, telephone, fax machine, calculator/adding machine, and photocopier. First aid equipment, electronic testing equipment, general medical equipment – needles, blood tubes, bandages, blood pressure, etc.

Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet and limbs in performing movements requiring moderate skill, such as typing. Ability to sustain prolonged visual concentration.

Ability to exert light physical effort in sedentary to light work which may involve some lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling.

Environmental Adaptability

Ability to work under safe and comfortable conditions where exposure to environmental factors such as repetitive computer keyboard use poses a very limited risk of injury.

CLOSING STATEMENT:

This description has been prepared to assist in evaluating responsibilities, duties and skills of the position. The duties listed above are intended as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the County and employee and is subject to change by the County as the needs of the County and the requirements of the position change.

Selection Guidelines

Formal application, rating or education and experience; oral interview and reference check. A state background check is required.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Sawyer County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with representatives of Sawyer County.

______

Employees Signature Human Resource

______

Date Date