Children Services Consultant

The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) anticipates one (1) transfer or promotional opportunity for a Children Services Consultant position in Hartford, Central Office.

This opportunity is a vacancy and will be filled by either a transfer of equal classification or promotional opportunity through a competitive process. This position will have oversight of the foster care licensing portal for Therapeutic Foster Care which includes the receipt, review and uploading of State and Federal fingerprint results and other required background check and licensing documents. Candidates will need to be proficient in our Child Welfare Information System (LINK) and other technical databases as required. This position will be knowledgeable in basic contractual processes, foster care policy, and Child Placing Agency regulations. The candidate must be detail-oriented with sufficient knowledge in the area of mandatory state, local and federal background check requirements and their intersection with IV-E federal reimbursement and state audit requirements. 

This position will be accountable for tracking and analyzing data as it relates to foster care placement and matching, service utilization, and provider performance. Proficiency of Excel and LINK Reports will be required. This position will be accountable for the consultation of and coordination with DCF regional partners and external state contracted Child Placing Agencies. 

Please consider joining the Department’s efforts to ensure that children and youth are placed with families who can provide a safe and nurturing home, as well as meet all of the state and federal foster care licensing requirements. 

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT employee of the Department of Children and Families, who has permanent state status*, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application. 

*For employees in the classified service, permanent status is obtained after successful completion of a working test period.  For employees in the unclassified service, permanent status is obtained after serving in a position for at least six months (full-time or full-time equivalent).

Please ensure that your application is complete and you have included your resume within the "Resume Tab" of your application.  You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system. If you have any questions regarding this posting, please contact: Lena.Romanelli@ct.gov, (203) 384-5407.

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: This class is accountable for providing consultation, coordination and delivery of specialized children services program activities.

OFFICE OF THE CHILD ADVOCATE: This class is responsible for assisting the Child Advocate in securing and ensuring the legal, civil and special rights of children residing in the state of Connecticut.

DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES: Plans, develops and implements new special programs and projects as assigned; develops and negotiates contracts; monitors, evaluates and makes recommendations for modifications in existing programs; provides consultative services to regional offices within department, social services agencies, courts, child caring institutions and individuals in matters relating to child and foster care, adoption, protective services, private child placing agencies or child caring institutions; participates in preparation of manual material, forms and interpretative material; provides consultation to field staff in solution to problems; plans and participates in training programs and workshops for field staff in conjunction with the training section; facilitates flow of information among courts, judges, public officials, auxiliary services and other departments; acts for director in communicating changes in procedures, practices and policies throughout various regional offices and following up for consistency in their implementation; may represent department in committees to improve children's services and use of financial and human resources; performs related duties as required.

OFFICE OF THE CHILD ADVOCATE: Assists Child Advocate in securing and ensuring legal, civil and special rights of children residing in State of Connecticut; evaluates delivery of services to children by state agencies; reviews procedures of state agencies providing services to children with a view toward rights of children; investigates complaints regarding children receiving state services; visits residential facilities to review procedures, assure safety and assess facilities; may recommend changes in state policies concerning children including changes in system of providing juvenile justice, child care, foster care and treatment; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge and understanding of case work principles, methods and techniques; considerable knowledge of factors which influence attitudes and behavior of individuals and families; considerable knowledge of departmental programs, policies and procedures; knowledge of legal basis for departmental programs and requirements; knowledge of community resources and services they provide; knowledge of group process including group leadership skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; interpersonal skills; ability to understand and explain complex written materials.

Eight (8) years of experience in work having as its primary responsibility the autonomous and self directed use of case management techniques and therapeutic counseling to sustain or restore client functioning.

Note: Qualifying experience at this level shall include use of professional interviewing techniques; provision of skilled therapeutic counseling to an assigned client caseload; assessment of basic client needs (nutritional, environmental, financial, medical, protective service, etc.) through continuing personal observation during home visits and intervention; evaluation of social work interns.

1. College training may be substituted for the General experience on the basis of fifteen (15) credit hours equaling six (6) months of employment to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in counseling or psychology may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience for a total of five (5) years.
3. A Master's degree in social work or child welfare may be substituted for two (2) additional years of the General Experience for a total of six (6) years.
4. For State employees, two (2) years of experience as a Social Worker-Social and Human Services with responsibility for a caseload focused on children and youth may be substituted for the entire General Experience.

Ideal candidates will have: 

• 2 years experience as a DCF child protective services Social Worker
• Experience in quality assurance
• Experience in data collection and analytics
• Demonstrated proficiency in use of Excel
• Demonstrated experience in the multidisciplinary consults and service referral process
• Be extremely organized and detail oriented
• Be proficient in Link and Excel
• Be resourceful
• Be solution focused
• Possess strong communication skills
• Have established successful working relationships with a broad cross-section of internal DCF staff as well as external stakeholders, including providers.  Travel will be required.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.