Description

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) was created to be a comprehensive agency exclusively dedicated to the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children, youth, and families regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other socioeconomic factors. We believe our workforce should reflect the communities we serve, and are actively searching for candidates that reflect that diversity.

We are looking for a CFWS (Child and Family Welfare Services) ICW (Indian Child Welfare) Active efforts Specialists to help us work together toward the common goal of eliminating child and youth outcome disparities based on race and ethnicity. CFWS/ICW Active efforts Specialist are responsible for making reasonable efforts to reach tribal family members throughout the duration of a case prior to removing a child. This requirement is mandated under the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and Washington Indian Child Welfare Act (WICWA). Our team is comprised of culturally competent individuals who focus on respecting the strengths of clients, including heritage, beliefs, and values. Together, this team contributes to DCYF’s vision that, "All Washington's children and youth grow up safe and healthy-thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community."

The Opportunity:
Indian Child Welfare - Active Efforts Social Service Specialists are responsible for applying child welfare practice principles, laws, rules and policies when assessing and intervening on assigned cases to assess child safety, and a family’s capacity to provide child safety. This position utilizes cultural competency to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with staff, clients and other individuals across cultures, focusing on understanding and respecting the strengths of the clients including their heritage, cultural beliefs and values, communication and learning styles. Additionally, this position will also focus on building collaborative working relationships with identified tribal partners.

Some of what you will get to do:

• Meet and interview with children, parents, Indian Custodians, extended family, and any professional collaterals working with a family.
• Consult and collaborate the child’s tribe.
• Review child protective services and child welfare history, criminal records, and other applicable documents.
• Identify safety threats that are imminent, short-term, or long-term risks that may occur in a family.
• Attempt to reach parents at all contact numbers and addresses on file, seek out relatives, and system of parents of assistance. Contact tribe and parent’s service providers for assistance if needed, and utilize parent locator when parents cannot be found.
• Assess family history and support system by inquiring parents if history of trauma exists, and if trauma triggers are present.
• Ensure parent providers are aware of parent trauma history/triggers by providing collateral information.
• Inquire parents and family members about cultural backgrounds and what cultural involvement means to the family.
• Consult with tribes to identify cultural activities/supports for parents.
• Assess and address barriers to engagement in services and service referrals.
• Seek consultation from parents to determine which providers to refer to, offer support by making calls with parents and help remove other barriers that may occur.
  Assess a family’s access to safe, reliable transportation and help address challenges.
• Assess a family’s access to a reliable address and forms of communication, and help obtain access.

What we are looking for:
A Bachelor’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or an allied field, AND three years of paid social service experience performing functions equivalent to a Social Service Specialist 2.

OR

A Master’s degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or an allied field, AND two years of paid social service experience equivalent to a Social Service Specialist 2.

OR

One year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 2.

One year of paid social service experience must include assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.

Degrees must be obtained from an accredited institution.

In addition to those required qualifications, a successful Racial Equity and Social Justice Administrator will have some of the following:

• Prior public child welfare experience and experience working with tribes and/or Native American families.
• Previous Demonstrated case management experience with mandatory clients.
• Previous demonstrated experience working in fast-paced, high stress environments.
• Previous demonstrated knowledge of child development and/or family systems.
• Previous demonstrated professional experience working with clients who have mental health problems, substance use disorder, developmental delays, or criminal behavior.
• Previous demonstrated ability to successfully manage competing priorities.
• Previous demonstrated strong skills in time management and organization and the ability to develop independent systems to manage large workload.
• Previous demonstrated ability to make critical decisions, based on integration of information from multiple sources that may be discrepant, in high-stress situations.
• Previous demonstrated ability to engage children and families under difficult circumstances, to gather information to make accurate and precise decisions.

How do I apply?
Complete your full applicant profile with your work history and highest education details, and include a copy of your college transcripts. Resume’s and cover letters are not required but recommended.

To take advantage of Veteran's preference please attach your DD-214, member 4 long-form, or your NGB-22. Please black out your social security number prior to attaching.

Supplemental Information:
**Per Governor Inslee's Proclamation 21-14 (Download PDF reader) state employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Please note that any offer of employment is contingent upon you providing verification of your vaccine status, having an approved medical accommodation, or having an approved religious accommodation. No start date will be approved until you have either verified your vaccine status or have an approved accommodation**

This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

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.

The initial screening will be based on the content and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified and documentation may be required. Applications with comments such as "see attachments" or "N/A" in the supplemental question responses will be considered incomplete.

DCYF is an equal opportunity employer and supports equity, diversity, inclusion and respect.

Need accommodation throughout the application/interview process? Unable to apply on-line? Contact the Recruitment team at dcyf.jobs@dcyf.wa.gov or (360) 280 -3705 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf at 800-833-6388

Experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application? Call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

General suggestions for creating a good application packet:

• Read the job posting very carefully. Find out as much as you can about the position.
• Make sure you are very diligent in following all the application instructions. Include all requested documentation.
• Make sure your application and supplemental question responses address how you meet each of the required and desired qualifications.
• Carefully read each of the supplemental questions and respond completely to each one. Pay careful attention to each component of the question, providing examples, and thoroughly describing when and where you achieved the proficiency level, and detail the types of work you performed, the work products, etc., to demonstrate 'how'.
• Specifically include all of your work experiences doing the same or similar work, especially if you reference work in these jobs in describing when/where you gained proficiency level skills.
• Make sure your application reflects your best writing.

2022-17077