Children and Family Services Senior Social Worker

Children and Family Services Senior Social Worker

(Senior Social Worker)

SALARY INFORMATION

Salary may be negotiable, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

This recruitment will establish an open eligible list and will be used to fill current and future Senior Social Worker positions within Social Services Agency, Children and Family Services. The eligible list established from this recruitment may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications within the County of Orange.

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately, as the recruitment will close on

Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. (PST).

The County of Orange is California's third most populous county, with more than 3 million residents and 34 cities. With a workforce of more than 18,000 employees across 22 diverse departments, the County offers a variety of opportunities for career development and growth, the job satisfaction of serving the public, and to contribute to efforts that make a difference in people's lives.

SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY:
The County of Orange,Social Services Agency (SSA)is composed of four business divisions: Assistance Programs; Children and Family Services; Family Self-Sufficiency & Adult Services; and Administrative Services; and over 4,000 dedicated employees, providing human services to an average of one in three Orange County residents. Our mission is to deliver quality services that are accessible and responsive to the community, encourage personal responsibility, strengthen individuals, preserve families, and protect vulnerable adults and children.

Clickhere to learn more about the Social Services Agency.
Clickhere to view a video about the Social Services Agency.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

The Children and Family Services Senior Social Worker is responsible for the identification, assessment, and treatment of a variety of complex social issues which may impact individual, family, and/or social functioning such as child abuse (physical, sexual, emotional) and neglect, domestic violence, and substance abuse. Intervention and case management efforts are generally provided through provision of voluntary prevention services or court-ordered dependency proceedings (e.g., family reunification, family maintenance, and permanency planning services such as adoption or guardianship. Senior Social Workers hired with the Social Services Agency may be placed in various programs within the Children and Family Services division such as, but not limited to, the following:

Child Abuse & Adult Protection Hotline, Dependency Investigations,Emergency Response, Placement Coordination, Resource Family Approval,Adoption Program, Orangewood Children and Family Center, Family Maintenance Collaborative Services, Integrated Continuing Services,Permanency Services Program, Specialized Family Services, Transitional Planning Services Program, Resource Development & Management, and Resource Family Recruitment, Development, and Support.

Staff placed in one of these programs may also be moved to other programs depending on business needs.

WORK SCHEDULE:

Work schedules will vary depending on program needs and are subject to change. Some positions may work a flex schedule and/or telecommute schedule. Some positions may also be assigned to be on-call, evening, or night shift, including weekends and holidays.

POTENTIAL SUPPLEMENTAL PAY:

• On-call pay.
• Night shift differential pay.
• Bilingual pay is available to positions requiring bilingual skills. Candidates must pass the bilingual exam to be eligible for supplemental pay.
• Premium pay for certain program assignments.

TRAINING EXPECTATIONS:

The newly hired SSW must complete statewide mandatory training, Social Worker Induction Training, which may include the Dependency Investigation training. Also, based upon business needs, it is possible that once you complete the mandatory training you may be moved to a different assignment within Children and Family Services.

Click below video link to learn more about the Senior Social Worker position with the County of Orange.

Senior Social Worker

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES:

The ideal candidate will have experience and/or training: assessing safety and risk to children, managing crisis situations, writing professional reports documenting assessment, findings, conclusions, and action/case plans. In addition, candidates will also demonstrate experience and/or training in the following competencies:

Judgement and Decision Making:

• Thinking critically using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approach to problems.
• Challenging existing beliefs or ideas to see if they hold up under scrutiny.
• Recognizing personal or external biases that might influence your judgement and trying to minimize their impact.
• Analyzing evidence by looking at facts, data, or arguments presented and evaluating their reliability, relevance, and completeness.
• Drawing logical conclusions by using sound reasoning to make decisions, avoiding fallacies, and being open to revising conclusions if new evidence emerges.
• Applying critical thinking to solve problems by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable parts and exploring possible solutions systematically.
• Assess the harm and risk of a child for neglect and abuse to determine the lowest level of intervention necessary to ensure their immediate physical and emotional health and well-being.

Verbal and Written Communication:

• Showing attention through verbal and non-verbal cues.
• Adjusting vocabulary and formality according to the audience and purpose.
• Writing effectively by using correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling, including producing written information that is appropriate for the intended audience.
• Asking insightful, pointed, specific questions to actively investigate allegations to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the perspective of the client.
• Write comprehensive reports, such as Investigation, Detention, Jurisdictional/Dispositional and Status Review reports which are legal documents specific to each part of the investigation of child abuse allegations and the subsequent legal proceedings for any child placed into protective custody.

Interpersonal Skills and Adaptability:

• Demonstrates strong interpersonal awareness by asking thoughtful, targeted questions and adapting communication style to fully understand the client’s perspective and needs.
• Ability to maintain composure with adults and children in highly charged and challenging situations.
• Recognizing and respecting diverse cultural background and experiences of clients.
• Willing to work irregular hours or varying work schedules.
• Be exposed to unsanitary environments and work with clients who have communicable diseases, substance abuse, domestic issues, criminal history, and mental/behavioral issues.
• Work outdoors in all types of climatic conditions including inclement, very hot and/or cold weather. Respond to cases within Orange County as well as outside Orange County.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Clickhereto learn more about the minimum qualifications for the Senior Social Worker classification as well as the physical and mental requirements and the environmental conditions.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Candidates will be required to undergo a background clearance check from the California Department of Social Services and Community Care Licensing and must successfully clear prior to the start of their employment. All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Areas considered in the background check include conviction history, employment history, professional references, and education verification (i.e., degree, license, or official transcripts), if applicable. Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services. In addition, a Child Abuse Central Index background clearance check may be required. The Child Abuse Central Index background clearance check is a repository of child abuse investigation reports managed by the Department of Justice that contains information related to substantiated cases of physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental/emotional abuse, and/or severe neglect of a child.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS:

Human Resource Services will screen all application materials to identify qualified applicants. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.

Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those candidates who meet the qualifications listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Online Assessment (Weighted 100%):

Candidates will be invited to participate in an online assessment covering job related items. The candidates with the most competitive scores will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition.

Eligible List
Once the assessment has been completed, Human Resource Services will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.

Veterans' Employment Preference Policy
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants with the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here (Download PDF reader)to review the policy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Clickherefor additional Frequently Asked Questions.

For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, contact Cindy Mora atcindy.mora@ssa.ocgov.comor (714) 245-6265.

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.