CHILD PROTECTION SPECIALIST

at Illinois Department of Children & Family Services in Rock Island, Illinois, United States

Job Description

Rock Island, IL, US, 61201

DCFS is deeply committed to the welfare and protection of children. Our goal is to protect children by strengthening and supporting families. In every effort, from receiving hotline calls to reaching family reunification or foster care and adoption, children and families are our focus

Agency:  Department of Children and Family Services 

Closing Date/Time: 06/13/2023 
Salary:  $4,982 - $7,369 Monthly; Anticipated Starting Salary $5,644 Monthly (Step 2)  
Job Type:  Salaried Full Time  
County:  Rock Island  
Number of Vacancies:  1  
Plan/BU:  RC062  

PIN: 832945

REQ: 27597

This position is a union position; therefore, provisions of the relevant collective bargaining agreement/labor contract apply to the filling of this position.

All applicants who want to be considered for this position MUST apply electronically through SuccessFactors.  Applications submitted via email or any paper manner (mail, fax, hand delivery) will not be considered.

IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU UPLOAD OFFICIAL COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS

Under direction of the team supervisor, receives and investigates reports of child abuse and neglect within mandated time limits; assesses immediate safety of children and initiates appropriate levels of protection needed; conducts home evaluations, observing family situations relating to allegations of abuse and neglect; interviews clients and professionals to obtain information for the purposes of making a finding and determining protection and service needs; conducts service assessments; on a rotating basis, assigned to 24 hour “on call” duty in addition to normal assignments; prepares investigation reports; selects, summarizes, and presents case material for transfer to permanency caseworker or community agencies; determines the need for and coordinates the placement of children in substitute care facilities.

1.  Receives and investigates reports of alleged child abuse/neglect within mandated time limits; assesses immediate safety of children and initiates appropriate levels of child protection needed; drives to conduct home evaluations, observing family situations relating to allegations of child abuse/neglect; interviews clients and professionals to obtain information for purposes of making a finding on the allegations and determining protection and service needs; conducts service assessments; provides information and referral services to community agencies, purchase of service agencies, and the permanency unit; briefly monitors families referred to community services; on a rotating basis, assigned to 24 hour “on call” duty in addition to normal assignments, to ensure that services are provided as mandated by statute and policy.

2.  Prepares investigation reports for assessing validity of reports of allegations; completes forms authorizing payment for services provided to clients; prepares other statistical and narrative reports, which include documentation in the Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System; completes service assessments and opens case records.

3.  Selects, summarizes, and presents case material for transfer to permanency caseworker or community agencies; attends supervisory conferences and consults with other disciplines regarding casework planning; makes recommendations for additional follow-up services.

4.  Determines the need for and coordinates the placement of children in substitute care facilities; provides recommendations and testifies in court regarding investigative findings.

 5.  Attends multi-disciplinary diagnostic and technical staff conferences to assess needed services; develops and maintains working relationships with community and other state agencies; explains agency responsibilities to the community.

 6.  Transports clients when taking protective custody, when placing them in substitute care, and when changing placement location; transports clients to appointments (i.e., court hearings, medical appointments, counseling sessions, police station, etc.) and to necessitate the delivery of client services.

 7.  Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.