Social Worker I/A/T - On Call

General Statement of Duties

Performs responsible work investigating reports of abuse neglect and exploitation of children and disabled adults including children in the custody of DSS. Position rotates coverage with three other on-call social workers. Hours vary may be asked to work some weekends. Most work will be in the evening and at night.

Job Responsibilities

Distinguishing Features of the Class
An employee in this class is responsible for investigating reports of abuse; neglect and exploitation of children and disabled adults within the State mandated policies and procedures. This position provides the after-hours emergency coverage in for all child welfare and adult services cases and includes late afternoons/evenings/late night during the week as well as weekend coverage. Position reports to SW Supervisor III.

Illustrative Examples of Work

Adult Services:
- Take Adult Protective Services (APS) reports and initiate case if necessary to meet mandated timeframes.
- Make visits to APS clients/wards to ensure safety.
- Take and respond to calls regarding wards where DSS has been appointed Guardian.

Permanency Planning:
- Place children when petitions are filed after hours (with guidance from Permanency Planning Supervisor).
- Place runaway children who are found as well as children in placements that disrupt after hours.
- Offer/provide support and information as needed to placement providers and enter notes.
- Assist in locating/providing information to parents who cannot be contacted during regular work hours.

Child Protective Services:
- Screen Child Protective Services (CPS) reports that come in on weekdays after 4p.m. as well as on weekends and holidays with the oversight of the Supervisor that is on-call.
- Initiate screened-in reports in accordance with mandated timeframes.
- Interview/gather information from victims; parents; caretakers; medical providers; law enforcement; relatives and collaterals etc.; who have immediate knowledge of/pertaining to the abuse/neglect allegations
- Complete safety assessments with families to determine if children can remain in the home at the time of the initiation.
- Conduct home visits to determine appropriateness of home/placements.
- Assist day workers needing assistance in initiating cases or interviewing unseen family members.
- Complete and file a juvenile petition for non-secure custody when a child is unable to remain in the custody of the parent(s).
- Complete necessary documentation to support any action taken during on-call hours by 8 a.m. the following morning.

General:
- Completes assist requests made by other Counties and/or States; completes documentation and forms then sends them to the County/State that requested the assist.
- Prepares case record in accordance with agency protocol with accuracy and preciseness.
- Prepares court reports; subpoena witnesses; consults with the agency attorney and testifies in hearings.
- Adheres to the department's safety rules and regulations.
- Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge; Skills and Abilities

- Knowledge of local; State and Federal child and adult welfare.

- Knowledgeable of family dynamics.

- Knowledgeable of child development.

- Must have excellent interviewing skills.

- Ability to establish trust and rapport with victims.

- Ability to discuss allegation and issues in a non-threatening manner.

- Ability to make decisions in stressful conditions.

- Must have excellent observation skills.

- Ability to discern truth from un-truth.

- Must have good problem solving skills.

- Ability to set aside personal biases while making important observations/decisions.

- Ability to document in writing the issues and events in a case for possible review by court personnel and CPS staff so that others can clearly understand what occurred and why certain decisions were made.

- Ability to understand a situation with both intuitive and analytical perception.

- Ability to work after hours in order to respond to emergencies which include cases of severe physical abuse; sexual abuse; neglect and fatalities.

Education and Experience

Master's Degree in Social Work from an accredited School of Social Work and one year experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience including a Master's Degree in a counseling field with two years of social work experience; a four year degree in human services field or related curriculum including at least 25 semester hours of courses related to social work or counseling and three years of social work experience or graduation from a four year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling; pastoral counseling; or related human services field providing experience in casework; group work or community organization; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Licenses and Certifications

Valid North Carolina Driver License.

Physical Requirements

-Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational support functions of climbing; balancing; stooping; kneeling; crouching; crawling; reaching; standing; walking; pulling; lifting; fingering; grasping; feeling; talking; hearing and repetitive motions.

- Worker performs light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally; and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently; and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

- Worker is required to have close visual acuity to work on a computer terminal and perform extensive reading.

- The worker is subject to both environmental conditions: Activities occur inside and outside.

- Worker is subject to extreme cold: Temperatures below 32 degrees for periods of more than one hour.

- Worker is subject to hazards; includes a variety of physical conditions.

- Worker is subject to atmospheric conditions: One or more of the following conditions that affect the respiratory system of the skin: fumes; odors; dusts; mists; gases or poor ventilation.

- The worker is in contact with potentially infectious bodily fluids during the performance of his/her duties.