Job Title: CPS Lead Worker - Social Service Specialist 4 (SSS4).  Location: Lakewood, WA - Parkland Office. Region 5.  This full-time, permanent position requires time in the field and the office; full-time teleworking is not an option.  Travel is a requirement of this position; which includes travel within the assigned areas of work, travel with clients as cases require, and attending training and meetings in other locations.  Closes: 12/19/2024 Salary: $5,783  -  $7,779  Monthly.  This position will also receive 10% assignment pay in addition to the regular base salary; the required duties include performing visits in unregulated environments, such as private residences, to conduct investigations for allegations of abuse and/or neglect to assess the safety of vulnerable children.    Our Parkland Office, located in Lakewood, WA is seeking a Lead Social Service Specialist 4 (SSS4) to provide mentorship and guidance to our team of Social Services Specialists in the CPS unit. The ideal candidate should possess exceptional leadership skills and advanced risk assessment abilities. Apply today!   Click here to learn more about DCYF.   The Opportunity: As a Social Service Specialist 4, you will lead a team of Social Service Specialist staff in providing professional social services involved with Child Welfare Field Operations programs, which include Child Protective Services (CPS)/Investigations, Family Assessment Response (FAR), Family Voluntary Services (FVS), and Family Reconciliation Services (FRS). You will assign work, review cases, establish and maintain procedures for efficient workflow, and act as unit supervisor in the absence of the supervisor. Your role will require you to utilize cultural competency to understand and communicate with staff, clients, and other individuals from different cultures.   Some of what you'll do: * Serve as the lead worker assigned to the most complex cases determined by the supervisor or Area Administrator. * Provide on-the-job training, mentoring, feedback, coaching, and consultation to Social Service Specialists (1-3) and perform advanced specialized case management.  * Support with onboarding of new staff.  * Assist in transitioning Social Service Specialists from a formal training program to fieldwork. * In conjunction with the supervisor, assign work, review work for efficacy, use data to identify trends, and review case actions for accuracy.  * Report strengths and weaknesses of employees to their direct supervisor, provide feedback for annual performance evaluations, and identify training needs.  * Provide coverage of assigned caseloads in the absence of social service specialists.  * In the supervisor's absence, attend meetings and provide supervisory coverage. * Prepare and provide testimony at administrative hearings, court proceedings, and criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings. * Train and support Social Service Specialists in preparing court reports, testimony, hearings, and proceedings. Required Qualifications: Seven (7) years of paid social service experience* AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline.  OR Bachelor's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences or Bachelor's degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND three (3) years of paid social service experience* in planning, administering, developing, or delivery of public child welfare, social, health, or chemical dependency treatment programs. OR  Master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences or Master's degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND two (2) years of paid social service experience* in planning, administering, developing, or delivery of public child welfare, social, health, or chemical dependency treatment programs.  (A two-year Master's degree in one of the above fields that included a practicum may be substituted for one year of paid social service experience). OR  One (1) year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 3.   * Paid Social Service experience must include at least one (1) year of assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.   Degrees must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a foreign equivalent verified by a NACES-approved organization at naces.org.  For Degrees obtained outside the U.S.: Foreign Equivalency certification must be attached to the application.  In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following: * Child welfare experience in multiple program areas: Child Protective Services (CPS), Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS), Family Voluntary Services (FVS), Family Reconciliation Services (FRS), and/or Permanency/Adoptions. * Case management experience. * Knowledge of child development and family systems. * Professional experience working with clients who have mental health or substance use disorder, developmental delays, or criminal behavior. * Experience researching, interpreting, and applying laws, rules, and policies and delivering services accordingly. * Familiarity with the agency's software programs, which include Outlook, Excel, and FamLink.   How do I apply? In addition to completing the online application, please attach the following documents:  *  Current Resume *  Cover Letter *  Transcripts - an unofficial copy is acceptable to apply. Supplemental Information: The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington's children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve.  If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.   The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability. This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.   Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.  This position requires a valid unrestricted (other than corrective lenses) driver's license.  This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).  For more information: https://wfse.org/    Benefits eligibility for this position may be different than what's listed in the benefits tab of this recruitment announcement, for more information on employee benefits eligibility visit: Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB).   If you need an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact DCYF Recruiter.  If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855)524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.     Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 902-2276 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (800) 833-6388.   2024 - 13776