Social Services Specialist III - Father Engagement

• Work collaboratively with team members from other Children, Youth, and Families programs and community partners.
• Serve as a key member of the Prevention Program's team, guiding initiatives to strengthen community prevention programs and build protective factors.
  

• Based in the Pennino Building, Fairfax office.
  
• Regular travel throughout Fairfax County.
  
• Travel for conferences and trainings in and outside of Virginia.
  
• Occasional evening and weekend hours required.

• Be part of a mission-driven organization committed to the well-being of families.
  
• Lead a team dedicated to impactful community work.
  
• Enjoy a collaborative and supportive work environment.

• Provides home visits to fathers to support them with case management needs.
  
• Facilitates weekly groups for fathers using 24/7 Dad curriculum and relationship-based support.
• Links fathers to community resources, including but not limited to, shelter, domestic violence services, legal, childcare, food support programs, financial assistance, employment/training, health, and immigration support services.
  
• Serves as the lead facilitator of fatherhood groups by providing workshops in the community covering topics such as positive discipline, parenting style, children's development, and others.
  
• Helps train volunteer group facilitators and mentors.
  
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team of family support specialists, social workers, marriage and family therapists and community partners.
  
• Coordinate services with other providers who are involved with each family.
  
• Comply with documentation requirements by maintaining client files and timely preparing reports, data, and other documents.
  
• Participate in program evaluation efforts.
  
• Attends group supervision, individual supervision, and regular program staff meetings.
  
• Integrates feedback to promote development of child welfare staff in developing capacity and competence in using the Safe & Connected model in everyday practice
• Assures timely and continuous delivery and quality of training to child welfare staff.
  
• Provides day-to-day coaching of practitioners and supervisors in their work with families and with each other.
  
• Collaborate with agencies, partners, outside vendors or consultants, and stakeholders outside of CYF.
  
• Participate in workgroups and committees that improve best practices and service delivery to children and families in Fairfax County.
  
• Provide Parent Support Line coverage.
  
• Perform other duties as assigned to ensure child safety and improve outcomes in families.

• Ability to apply and model the practice of the Safe & Connected Model
  
• Knowledge of Father Engagement theory, for example 24/7 Dads Curriculum and strength-based approach
• Ability to apply critical thinking skills
  
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a strong confidence level speaking to large or small groups is essential to the position
  
• Ability to exercise discretion and ensure confidentiality
  
• Knowledge of child protection laws, rules, and regulations
  
• Knowledge of foster care and adoption laws, rules, and regulations
  
• Ability to interview, assess needs, counsel, and refer clients to other resources as needed

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)
Contributes to the development of protocols, policies, procedures, grants and contracts for a social services program, department, and other entities;
Manages service contracts and provide and directs other contract-related functions;
Assists the supervisor in planning and carrying out training for new staff, providing guidance to staff. May directly supervise staff, and covers for the supervisor in their absence;
Serves as a policy expert in an area of social work specialization;
Conducts comprehensive clinical assessments and prepares and implements service plans;
Works with the community to identify families, children and individuals needing services and to coordinate these services using a wrap-around approach;
Advocates and assists families and individuals in obtaining services (e.g., mental health, intellectual disability, alcohol and drug, housing referrals, home based services, training and medical services);
Communicates and works with colleagues, clients and the community in a manner that supports the agency and program goals and objectives;
Participates as a contributing member on interagency, multi-disciplinary teams, community groups and professional organizations;
Collaborates and contributes to child specific teams on non-agency cases as assigned to assist in identifying community resources and services for families;
Provides training and education on a variety of social work topics;
Recruits volunteers and manages volunteer services;
Uses automated technology and hard copy files to maintain and update case data, notes, documents, records, contacts and summaries of information;
Manages and maintains program data and outcomes.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of social work;
Thorough knowledge of current social service problems and methods/approaches to address issues;
Thorough knowledge of regulations and guidelines relating to the assigned area of social service specialization;
Knowledge of casework supervision practices and procedures;
Ability to analyze case information and to reach sound decisions on the basis of such information;
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;
Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records;
Ability to maintain professional ethics and confidentiality of client information;
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.;
Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines;
Ability to provide guidance, direction, supervision and coaching to less-experienced staff;

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree, plus three years of professional social work experience. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED
Valid Driver's license.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, driving record check, and a Child Protective Services Registry check to the satisfaction of the employer.

Flexible schedule is required to facilitate evening groups, attend home visits, and community events. May be required to be on-call rotation that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require response into the field.

This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in social work (MSW) or a related human services degree.
• Experience in the child welfare field and/or father engagement practice.
• Experience facilitating groups and trainings.
• Experience conducting home visits.

• At least two years of experience professional social services or human services experience in any of the following areas: adult protective services, alcohol and drug services, child protective services, children and families, case management, foster care, homeless services, intellectual disabilities, mental health, older adults, physical disabilities, domestic violence.
• Bilingual Spanish/English.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.