Family Safety Supervisor I

This is a leadership position and is accountable for critical decisions that are vital to the protection of children. Provides day-to-day management of a unit of caseworkers (social services specialists) responsible for conducting family assessments, investigations, case management, and intervention to ensure child safety and well-being as well as to stabilize and support families. Work hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., however, evening and/or weekend work as well as being part of an on-call rotation for CPS supervision that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field are required.

Duties include:

• Directs and monitors staffs case actions related to safety and risk on a daily basis
• Monitors workloads within the unit and program to advise location of deployment of staff
• Conducts and participates in staffing and consultations with staff
• Supervises, motivates and trains staff through use of regularly scheduled meetings
• Ensures timely contacts is made on all cases and staff are continually assessing child safety
• Reviews case records to ensure staffs documentation and contacts are entered accurately and timely
• Reviews and approves submitted safety plans to enhance safety and reduce risk and further maltreatment
• Reviews cases submitted for closure in accordance with Department policies and procedures
• Accompanies staff to family meetings, home visits, and for court processes and/or appearances to model, train and to assure compliance with policy and best practices
• Provides instruction, guidance, and support to on all imminent risk situations and intervenes as needed to resolve crises with clients
• Trains or ensures staff are trained in policies and procedures and court paperwork
• Evaluates performance and make appropriate recommendations regarding personnel actions
• Interviews, selects, hires, manages, and develops competent staff who can engage, support, and empower families to ensure their safety, permanency, and well-being
• Reviews, authenticates, and approves staffs time and attendance (T&A) and reimbursement
• Communicates with and serve as liaison to social service agencies, local police, local law enforcement agencies, and the courts regarding reports and investigations of child abuse and neglect cases
• Assists in the development and implementation of appropriate program-related policies and procedures
• Provides guidance to staffs about Emergency Removal Order (ERO), Preliminary Protective Order (PPO), CYF Visitation Policy, and other related policies and procedures related to the separation of children
• Prepares for the appeals process for investigations that have been appealed and represents the Department in the appeal process
• Takes the lead in scheduling staffing/consultations with County Attorneys and other relevant parties when imminent risk remains present
• Takes on a leading role in the operation to screen for validity, priority response time, and track assignments of reports received by the CPS hotline
• Confers with program leadership when an unresolved danger indicator in the family or factors
• Performs other duties as assigned to ensure child safety and improve outcomes in families
• Be part of an on-call rotation that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field

(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.)

Provides day-to-day guidance and direction to a group of Family Safety Practitioners on case related issues, policies and procedures, and agency initiatives;
Ensures acceptable levels of quality and quantity in the delivery of services;
Plans caseloads, assigns cases and reviews case records and reviews and signs off on service plans, case assessments, and other reports which require supervisory review;
Develops, revises, and implements policies, procedures, and protocols to address gaps in service delivery;
Identifies crisis situations and provides intervention as needed to address difficult or dangerous client situations;
Interviews job applicants and makes recommendations for hiring, prepares and conducts formal and informal performance evaluations, and handles performance and discipline issues in a timely manner and in accordance with County personnel policy;
Approves and monitors expenditures for client services consistent with the program budget and client outcomes;
Evaluates the effectiveness of policies and procedures and recommends changes;
Develops and implements ongoing team training plans;
Works with the community to identify families, children, and vulnerable adults needing services and to coordinate these services;
Participates in intra and interagency work groups, supervisors' meetings and special projects;
Prepares or oversees and presents narrative and statistical reports documenting the work of the unit and/or in relation to case activity;
Promotes the attainment of agency and individual staff goals related to service access components (Automatic Call Distribution service levels, case objective outcomes, time studies, silent monitoring, and customer service surveys) through the ongoing monitoring of service requests and subsequent service delivery;
Establishes and maintains ongoing collaborative relationships with public and private providers, community-based groups, and residents to coordinate and integrate services, improve access, and identify community needs and barriers to service delivery.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

Extensive knowledge of the principles, methods and problems of organization and management;
Extensive knowledge of regulations, laws, policies and guidelines relating to the assigned area of social service specialization and the ability to correctly interpret and apply them accordingly;
Extensive knowledge on principles, policies, and laws related to the administration and oversight of safety for vulnerable individuals;
Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of social work and casework practice and supervisory practice and principles;
Thorough knowledge of current social service problems and methods/approaches to address them individually and systematically;
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions and therapeutic treatment techniques;
Ability to accurately apply, interpret and administer regulations and guidelines relating to the assigned area of social service specialization;
Ability to support decision making in partnership with the county legal team regarding legal issues such as those impacting parental rights, client autonomy, and client safety;
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;
Ability to use automated technology;
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 plan and direct the activities of a group of social service professionals;
Ability to develop speeches and represent the agency on program training and workshops;
Ability to apply strategic foresight related to potential safety issues, policy or practice issues and notify superiors for situational awareness, discussion and recommendations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or a *related field; plus, five years of increasingly responsible experience in the assigned area with safety-sensitive and vulnerable populations. A master's degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of the required experience.

*A related field is based solely on the position description.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.
Positions within this class are required to complete the state mandated training in the functional area within a specified time period.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to the position must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check, driving record check, credit check, and a Child Protective Services check.

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).

Requires being part of an on-call rotation that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in social work (MSW) or a related human services degree
• At least three (3) years of experience in child protective services
• At least three (3) years of experience in child welfare. Child welfare is the continuum of services designed to ensure that children are safe and that families have the necessary support to care for their children successfully
• At least three (3) years of experience in providing supervision
• Experience in performing case management services in a child welfare setting (child protective services, foster care, adoption, family prevention, permanency planning, or domestic/sexual violence)

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.