Family Services Specialist I in Chesapeake, Virginia at City of Chesapeake Human Resources

The Family Services Specialist I provides professional social work services to children and families through the Department of Human Services’ In-Home Prevention Services program. The position partners with families, children, relatives, community providers, and other support systems to promote child safety, permanency, and well-being while supporting children safely within their homes and communities whenever possible.

The position uses a family-centered, safety-focused, and collaborative approach to assess family strengths, needs, risks, and protective capacities; develop and monitor individualized service plans; coordinate services; and support meaningful, sustainable outcomes.

The position may serve children living with parents or caregivers, temporarily with relatives or kin, or long-term with relatives or kin while maintaining appropriate parental relationships and visitation.

The position requires balancing child safety with family preservation, recognizing that family preservation must never compromise child safety. Decisions are based on each child and family’s circumstances and applicable laws, regulations, policies, and professional standards.

The City of Chesapeake offers an exceptional range of benefits. Please browse our Benefits Brochure, for a full list of benefits and employee perks.

VOCATIONAL/EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT:
In order to be evaluated for vacancies in the Family Services Specialist job series, applicants shall possess the qualifications outlined in (1) OR (2) below:
1) A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in the human services field, including Social Work, Rehabilitation Counseling, Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Counseling and Guidance, Counselor Education, Human Services, Sociology, Family and Child Development, Aging Studies, Gerontology, Criminal Justice with a minor in one of the above studies, or other related degrees determined by the Department of Human Resources based on the similarity of the curriculum and course content.
2) A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in any field accompanied by a minimum of two years of appropriate and related, full-time equivalent experience in a human services-related area.
To be considered for promotion, persons currently employed in the Family Services Specialist job series by a local department prior to January 1, 1999, who do not meet the qualifications outlined in either (1) or (2) above, must possess four years of appropriate and related experience in a human services area and must have successfully completed all available competency-based training related to the promotional area.

SPECIAL CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES:
Requires a valid driver’s license and a driving record that is in compliance with City Driving Standards.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Emergency Duty (On-Call) participation is required to comply with mandated responsibilities as listed under Section 63.2-1503,B; Section 63.2-900; and 63.2-1604-63.2-1610, Code of Virginia. Employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term departmental needs and/or City-wide emergencies.

In accordance with City policy, this position is deemed safety-sensitive. As such, applicants for this position are subject to pre-employment drug/alcohol testing after receiving a conditional offer of employment and may also be subject to random testing. This drug test includes testing for marijuana. Possession of a medical marijuana card will not excuse an applicant from the testing process; however, a test will not be considered positive for marijuana if a valid medical marijuana certification is presented unless the position requires a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or is a sworn law-enforcement officer/deputy.