The Orange County Department of Social Services has an opening for a DSS Social Worker III-Foster Care Licensing. The work involves the responsibility for providing professional social work in Child Welfare as an adoption and licensing social worker. Adoption social work duties include working with children to locate an adoptive home. Licensing social work duties include recruiting, screening, training, and managing licensed foster, kinship, and adoptive families. An employee in this class works with children to address well-being needs, permanency, placement, and court involvement and responds to crisis situations with foster and adoptive families by providing telephone consultation and home visits to support stability of the placement. This position carries 100% Foster Care Licensing caseload.
Work is performed under the general supervision of a Social Work Supervisor with considerable leeway to exercise independent judgment within the framework of applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures in the performance of duties, both in terms of planning and accomplishing work, and in making decisions. Supervision over others is not required of this position. Position does related work as required.
The work schedule is Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm, and hours must be flexible to meet work demands. An employee is responsible for responding outside normal business working hours and providing onsite services, when necessary, in emergency shelters.
Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.
Hiring range is based on the Orange County Social Services Step Plan. The Step Plan is based on years of DSS Social Worker III-Adoption and Foster Care Licensing experience. Full credit is given for years of experience performing the same job functions. Partial credit is given for years of experience performing related job functions. The top half of the scale is reserved for career employees with senior level experience in the same role.
* This is a safety sensitive position and participation in the Drug and Alcohol Program is required.SBI background check with fingerprinting is required.
Click link below to review complete job spec including essential functions, knowledge, skills, and abilities, and physical requirements. Please note this is the general job spec and includes all areas.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in social work;OR
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master's degree in a human services fieldANDone (1) year of work experience in a human services program;OR
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in social workANDone (1) year work experience in a human services program;OR
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in a human services fieldANDtwo (2) years of work experience in a human services program.
An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined above. A higher degree does not substitute for work experience.
Work experience in a NC DSS and completion of relevant training is preferred.
Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT Possession of or ability to readily obtain a valid driver’s license issued by the State of North Carolina for the type of vehicle or equipment operated.
All offers of employment are conditioned upon successful clearance of a background check and pre-employment drug test. Employment cannot commence until the employee has been cleared.
In accordance with Section 28 of the Orange County Code of Ordinances, and/or relevant State and Federal statutes, candidates for employment may be required to undergo fingerprinting and a criminal history background check based on the job responsibilities of the position. A fingerprinting check is conducted by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and a criminal history background check is conducted by an authorized Federal or State regulatory agency to determine eligibility for appointment. Employment is contingent upon successful clearance through these checks, which are mandated for certain roles depending on the nature of the job and applicable laws. Further, all offers of employment are contingent upon the satisfactory verification of your eligibility for employment, successful completion of the required pre-employment testing and/or screening, including drug testing when required and the submission and approval of all new hire documentation completion of your new hire paperwork.
Please attach transcript with application.
As with all positions with the Department of Social Services, this position may be required to serve in shelters in time of natural and man-made disasters including overnight and weekends. The duties assigned during this time may vary from your regularly assigned duties. Assigned duties will be at the discretion of the Social Services Director. Orange County is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer
