CHILD PROTECTION SPECIALIST - 0716300 - Marion

Job Responsibilities

Under direction of the team supervisor, receives and investigates reports of child abuse and neglect within mandated time limits; assesses immediate safety of children and initiates appropriate levels of protection needed; conducts home evaluations, observing family situations relating to allegations of abuse and neglect; interviews clients and professionals to obtain information for the purposes of making a finding and determining protection and service needs; conducts service assessments; on a rotating basis, assigned to 24 hour “on call” duty in addition to normal assignments; prepares investigation reports; selects, summarizes, and presents case material for transfer to permanency caseworker or community agencies; determines the need for and coordinates the placement of children in substitute care facilities.

1. Receives and investigates reports of alleged child abuse/neglect within mandated time limits; assesses immediate safety of children and initiates appropriate levels of child protection needed; drives to conduct home evaluations, observing family situations relating to allegations of child abuse/neglect; interviews clients and professionals to obtain information for purposes of making a finding on the allegations and determining protection and service needs; conducts service assessments; provides information and referral services to community agencies, purchase of service agencies, and the permanency unit; briefly monitors families referred to community services; on a rotating basis, assigned to 24 hour “on call” duty in addition to normal assignments, to ensure that services are provided as mandated by statute and policy.

2. Prepares investigation reports for assessing validity of reports of allegations; completes forms authorizing payment for services provided to clients; prepares other statistical and narrative reports, which include documentation in the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System; completes service assessments and opens case records.

(Job Responsibilities continued)

3. Selects, summarizes, and presents case material for transfer to permanency caseworker or community agencies; attends supervisory conferences and consults with other disciplines regarding casework planning; makes recommendations for additional follow-up services.

4. Determines the need for and coordinates the placement of children in substitute care facilities; provides recommendations and testifies in court regarding investigative findings.

5. Attends multi-disciplinary diagnostic and technical staff conferences to assess needed services; develops and maintains working relationships with community and other state agencies; explains agency responsibilities to the community.

6. Transports clients when taking protective custody, when placing them in substitute care, and when changing placement location; transports clients to appointments (i.e., court hearings, medical appointments, counseling sessions, police station, etc.) and to necessitate the delivery of client services.

7. Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Requires working knowledge of the basic principles and techniques in a child welfare field.
• Requires working knowledge of the Department of Children and Family Services rules and regulations as they apply to child abuse/neglect investigation.
• Requires working knowledge of child growth and development.
• Requires ability to assess home situations and family relationships for child abuse/neglect.
• Requires ability to write reports.
• Requires ability to successfully complete agency-sponsored training programs and meet mandated licensure requirements.
• Requires ability to relate positively with people.
• In addition to English verbal and written skills, candidates may be required to translate, speak and write a language other than English at a colloquial skill level to perform the duties of the position.
• Some positions may require candidates to possess specific effective communication skills such as, but not limited to, Braille, sign language or another form of manual communication.

Physical Requirements

• Requires physical, visual and auditory ability to carry out assigned duties.

Employment Conditions

• Requires ability to satisfactorily pass an in-depth background check as a condition of employment.
• Requires possession of a valid driver's license, daily access to an automobile, and proof of vehicle insurance.

Education Degree

• Preferably requires a master's degree in social work;
• OR
• Requires a master's degree in a related human service field, in criminal justice, criminal justice administration, or law enforcement and one year of directly related professional experience;
• OR
• Requires a bachelor's degree in social work and one year of directly related professional experience;
• OR
• Requires a bachelor's degree in a related human service field, in criminal justice, criminal justice administration, or law enforcement and two years of directly related professional experience.

Education Major

• social work
• or a related human service field, in criminal justice, criminal justice administration, or law enforcement