STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Children Services Consultant

Recruitment #200803-1927SH-001

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Introduction

The Department of Children and Families are continuously working together with families and communities for children who are healthy, safe, smart and strong.   We are recruiting for a full-time Children Services Consultant (IPVS), to work in our Region 1 office, which covers Bridgeport and Norwalk.  This regional position operates 40 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

The IPVS will utilize a family strength-based approach that integrates non-clinical and clinical approaches to support child protection practice and service provision and coordination.  This approach focuses heavily on supporting frontline workers with specific cases and in some instances, includes direct consultation with families. The IPVS will have the opportunity to offer guidance to Social Workers especially as it pertains to information and resources that can help the entire family system. The IPVS will also have the opportunity to promote systems change. The positions will focus on education and training both within the agency and in the community.

Responsibilities:

Support and Advocacy: 

  • provide consultation to DCF staff throughout the duration of cases involving intimate partner violence, including help with referrals to other services such as emergency shelter, community support and therapeutic intervention as deemed appropriate;
  • team with DCF staff in meeting with families, at home or elsewhere;
  • empower and support DCF staff to work with families with intimate partner violence involvement;
  • assist DCF staff with the case planning;
  • provide networking support with professionals (prosecutors, attorneys, probation and parole officers, others) involved in concurrent cases affecting family members;
  • participate in case consultation, permanency teaming or other identified meetings such as SAMSS, MAPS, case assessment conferences, Administrative Case Reviews, domestic violence dockets, Multi-Disciplinary Teams and Considered Removal Meetings, as needed; and
  • act as the gatekeeper for IPV services contracts.

 

Direct Interaction with Families:

  • complete client visits either in the client's home or elsewhere;
  • provide support to clients to assist them in understanding intimate partner violence and its impact, safety planning, protection protocols, referrals and additional information as necessary;
  • provide information about and help with applications for the victims of crime;
  • provide assistance to families in obtaining protective and restraining orders; and
  • offer resources that are culturally relevant and responsive to the unique strengths and needs of the family.

 

Systems Change:

Training:

  • provide training, instruction and guidance including both coordination of training and provision of training about the legal, social and health-related aspects of intimate partner violence and about community resources; and
  • provide community education, including training for a range of professionals and organizations that interact with the same families.

 

Community Liaisons/Gatekeeper:

  •  strengthen the collaboration between the CPS staff and other agencies that deal with intimate partner violence, including IPV service providers, law enforcement and probation and parole; and 
  • maintain continuing interaction with the community.  

 

Information Gathering and Dissemination:

  •  gather information and data, including tracking cases and referrals;
  • develop and disseminate information about resources for victims, perpetrators and children that are culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate to the community's varied populations; and
  • provide information about trends and best practices related to domestic violence.

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current 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. 

All applicants must include a resume within the "resume" tab of their application, as well as upload a cover letter with their submission.  Applicants invited to interview may be required to submit additional documentation, which supports their qualification(s) for this position.  These documents may include:  performance reviews, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.

Should you have questions pertaining to any phase of this recruitment, please contact the hiring agency's human resources office:  Lena Romanelli, lena.romanelli@ct.gov, (203) 384-5407.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

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.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

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.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

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.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  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.

Conclusion

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.





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