Family Services Specialist 1/2

Department:

HUMAN SERVICES

Compensation Grade:

G23

Compensation Range & Starting Salary:

Actual job level (e.g. I or II) will be determined on the qualifications of the selected applicant and made part of the job offer. This position may be filled as either a FSS I or FSS II depending on the qualifications of the selected applicant. The associated pay grades and ranges are as follows and starting salary may be negotiable based on qualifications:

FSS I: $55,494.40 - $80,995.20
FSS II: $57,340.00 - $89,315.20

Job Exempt (If No, Position is eligible for overtime):

No

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

About Us:

Recognized as one of America’s Best-In-State Employers for 2024, the City of Virginia Beach is proud to offer a diverse and dynamic work environment. Our workforce plays a crucial role in delivering exceptional government services to both our citizens and fellow City employees. Apply now to join an organization where you truly make a difference.

Job Duties and Preferred Qualifications:

The Virginia Beach Department of Human Services is seeking candidates for the position of Family Services Specialist I/II in the Foster Care & Adoptions Unit.  This position is primarily responsible for providing case management duties for children and families receiving foster care and adoptions services.

And here's the exciting part - selected candidates will qualify for a $3,000 hiring bonus!**

Duties:

• Provide case management services for families that have complex challenges.

• Manage an active foster care, and adoptions caseload. The workload reflects cases with serious social and family challenges where the children have been separated from their caretakers due to abuse and/or neglect. Individuals will provide and manage direct services to clients whose presenting challenges require a high level of skill and ability.

• Make well-informed decisions on behalf of children.

• Facilitate team meetings to build a positive rapport with the children and families being served.

• Refer clients to Family Assessment & Planning Teams.

• Engage with children and families to ensure that specific needs are addressed.

• Conduct initial and continuous assessments of foster homes to ensure the foster parents and perspective adoptive parents qualify to meet the children’s physical and emotional needs.

• Coordinating service delivery toward the attainment of permanency for children.

• Partner with the Virginia Department of Social Services and private organizations to match children with adoptive families.

• Ensure Full-Disclosures are completed in a timely manner.

• Eliminate barriers to permanency.

• Provide support to natural supports that may be willing to accept children into their home as kinship care providers.

• Ensure that reunification services are provided by linking the children and families to services in the community, both formal (community providers) and informal (family, friends, neighbors, church, school, etc.) resources to strengthen the family while ensuring the safety of the children.

• Prepare narratives, court reports, home studies and social histories; testify in court hearings; present cases to the Family Assessment and Planning Team.

• Team with, and coordinate community resources to effectively address client needs; monitor and evaluate progress of families to ensure the safety and well-being of their children.

• Conduct community visits that may require traveling out of state or out of the Virginia Beach geographical area.

• Participate in Family Partnership Meetings.

• Utilize family engagement and crisis intervention skills; organize records; use computer to complete work assignments within required time frames and maintain compliance with state law and policy.

• Follow federal, state, and local guidelines associated with child safety, well-being, and permanency.

The City offers a generous benefits package, which includes health, dental and life insurance, retirement and savings plans, maternity/paternity and parental leave, holidays and Paid Leave.

Hiring bonuses shall only be for new hires of original employment or reemployment as defined in Human Resources Policy No. 5.0.  

• $500 will be awarded in the first paycheck. 
• $1,000 will be awarded upon completion of the six (6) month interim performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”. 
• $1,500 will be awarded upon completion of the employee’s one (1) year probationary period and a performance evaluation with an overall rating of “Meets Expectations”. 

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Additional requirements:
• DMV Transcript: Yes
• CDL: No
• Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse: No
• CPS Check: Yes
• Physical: No
• Respirator: No
• Psychological Screening: No
• Polygraph: No
• At Will: No

Minimum Requirements:

FAMILY SERVICES SPECIALIST I
MINIMUMS: Must possess a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a human services field (social work, counseling, gerontology, guidance and counseling, family and child development, psychology or sociology); or possess a Bachelor's degree in any field accompanied by a minimum of two (2) years related experience in a human services area. Must have a current and valid driver’s license

FAMILY SERVICES SPECIALIST II
MINIMUMS: Requires a Bachelor's degree in a human services field (social work, counseling, gerontology, guidance and counseling, family and child development, psychology or sociology) and three (3) years of experience in a human services field; or possess a Bachelor's degree in any field accompanied by a minimum of five (5) years of related experience in a human services area. Experience requirements must include two (2) years in Child Welfare. Must have a current and valid driver’s license.

All employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term department needs and/or City-wide emergencies.

Skills:

Case Documentation, Child Protective Services, Crisis Interventions, Testifying in Court

Working Conditions:

Per HR Policy 6.19, Americans with Disabilities, the City follows the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in all hiring and employment decisions. The City shall not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring and employment practices. The City shall make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant or employee with a disability upon request unless the accommodation would cause an undue hardship on the operation of the City’s business. 

The Working Conditions Summary is intended to provide a general overview of the environmental conditions inherent in the job setting, as well as the physical, mental, and sensory requirements necessary to perform the essential functions of the position in the noted job profile.  Please copy and paste the URL below into your web browser to view the Working Conditions Summary for this position.


FSSI: https://workingcondition-summary-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/P3863.pdf

FSSII: https://workingcondition-summary-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/P3906.pdf

Official Job Descriptions:

To browse official job descriptions, please access this link - https://virginiabeach.gov/careers/job-descriptions-pay-plans?search=&group=E

VRS Contribution: All full-time employees are required to contribute 5% of annual salary toward their retirement account; in accordance with VRS retirement provisions. This will be handled through a pre-tax payroll deduction.

Drug Free Workplace: The City of Virginia Beach maintains a drug free workplace.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement: The City of Virginia Beach is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a diverse and inclusive work environment. We do not discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected status as defined by applicable law.