Job Announcement

This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires.

Works as part of the Division of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) to facilitate family engagement meetings. DFS is committed to strengthening the well-being of its diverse community by protecting and improving the lives of all children, adults, and families through assistance, partnership, advocacy, outreach, and quality services. To learn more about DFS and its Mission, Vision, and Values, please click here.

As an integral member of the Family Partnership Program, the Family Engagement Facilitator plays a vital role to involve families and community members, service providers and agency staff, to develop a plan for the safety, stability and wellbeing for the children and youth in their family. Work hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., however, must be able to adjust, as needed, to flexible early morning, evening hours in addition to some weekend work schedules.

Duties include:

• Schedules and coordinates family engagement meetings with extended family members/supports, community partners, services providers and agency staff as outlined by local and state policies and procedures
• Coordinates the logistics of setting up and breaking down the meeting room to include setting up laptop/tablet/computer, projector, and interpretation services.
• Designs and implements strategic family engagement practices to lead and collaborate with team members and various stakeholders.
• Guides the process of team-based planning and the creation of actionable plans which may include but not limited to making alternative care and placement arrangements for children and youth; identifying services for support to primary and extended families so their children can remain within their family; or expediting reunification from foster care and permanency planning for older youth.
• Facilitates FPM for Healthy Minds Fairfax agencies to include the Community Services Board (CSB), Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court (JDRC), Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), and Falls Church City Public Schools.
• Documents and closes activities in automated computer systems such as OASIS documentation and Family Partnership Program (FPP) database.
• Captures meeting data for the generation of invoices billable to Children Service Act (CSA).
• Initiates ongoing process improvement based on client and referring social services specialist feedback
• Supports and assists Child Protective Services (CPS) in completion and review of family assessments, as needed.
• Assists the unit supervisor with providing technical guidance and training new and less experienced specialists.
• Provides supervisory assistance in the absence of the unit supervisor.
• Performs other duties as assigned to ensure child safety and improve outcomes in families

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities include:

• 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 resource as needed
• Knowledge in case review
• Ability to understand team base planning and group dynamics
• Knowledge of child welfare practice.
• Strong organizational, planning, and work plan development skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to successfully engage with diverse families
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.

Important Note: All Fairfax County Government employees are expected to adhere to the Standards of Conduct. In maintaining a drug free workplace, employees are prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, possessing, using or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while at work or on county premises.

Illustrative Duties

(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;
Works with clients to develop a plan of service to meet social, health, emotional and economic needs. With the client, formulates objectives and identifies actions to resolve the clients' problems;
Conducts home visits to families for the purpose of monitoring, counseling and supervision;
Provides crisis intervention on a timely basis to clients or families whose well being is seriously and immediately threatened, to include Child Protective Services after-hours;
Conducts mediation services to families in conflict;
Investigates allegations of abuse and neglect of children, elderly persons and incapacitated adults who live in the community and institutional facilities;
Makes assessment of risks posed to clients in accordance with state and local policies, and works to ensure risks are eliminated or minimized;
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;
Participates, collaborates and contributes to Comprehensive Services Act activities for families on caseload;
Provides training and education on a variety of social work topics;
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.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(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;
Ability to provide management and oversight of a program or project.

Employment Standards

MINIMIMUM 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 the position must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check, a driving record 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).

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in social work (MSW) or a related human services degree.
• Three or more years of professional-level social work experience, to include two or more years of experience in child welfare.
• Experience in child welfare case management (e.g., foster care to include permanency for older youth, child protective services, and child abuse and neglect prevention). 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.
• Family Engagement practice experience to include facilitating team-based planning meetings.
• Experience working with diverse and historically disadvantaged communities.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Sufficiently mobile to travel with 40 pounds of equipment. Ability to use automated technology including laptops, projectors and photocopiers. Sufficiently mobile to attend events. Ability to use automated technology. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing. Able to bend to connect computer and equipment cords. Work requires performing tasks with risks of secondary traumatic stress (STS). Ability to navigate through and make decisions in stressful and crisis situations. All duties may be performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview, may include practical exercise.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we are committed to providing county services to individuals regardless of English proficiency. Qualified candidates who are bilingual in English and another language are encouraged to apply for this job opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.

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