Introduction
The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) is seeking a Social Work Supervisor for our Region 1, Bridgeport Area Office Foster Care Unit. You'll lead a team of social workers dedicated to providing flawless care and support to children in crisis. This full-time position at 100 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT offers a chance to shape the future of our foster care services.
What’s In It For You:
- Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
- A healthy work-life balance to all employees.
- State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loan forgiveness after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
Position Highlights:
- In this position, you will work first shift, Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week
- Supervise a unit of 5 to 7 social workers, ensuring they provide ongoing assessment, support, and monitoring of compliance with state and federal regulations.
- Collaborate with social workers caring for children facing trauma, substance use exposure, domestic violence, and various developmental, behavioral, medical, educational, and mental health issues.
- Ensure the alignment and adherence to the latest department standard methodologies, policies, and procedures.
- Coordinate staff development, support, retention, and performance, ensuring that social workers are equipped to deliver outstanding care.
- Serve as a bridge of communication between departments to ensure the provision of services for children.
- Collaborate with Intake and Ongoing protective service social workers, Clinical, Educational, and medical teams to address the adverse impact on child safety, permanence, and well-being.
- Successfully implement strategies to ensure children remain safe, maintain stability, and stay connected to their families and communities.
Who We Are:
At DCF our mission is partnering with communities and empowering families to raise resilient children who thrive. We are proud of our diverse and dedicated workforce who strive every day to meet the needs of those we encounter. Currently we are seeking individuals who are looking to advance their career and make a difference.
We encourage you to continue your career with us and see all that Connecticut has to offer by joining the DCF team!
Selection Plan
In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:
Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.
BEFORE YOU APPLY:
- Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.
- Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
- Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
- Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
- Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.
AFTER YOU APPLY:
- Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
- Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
- Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
- Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP:
Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Ethan Ives at Ethan.Ives@ct.gov.
Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
In the Departments of Children and Families this class is accountable for supervising social work staff in the provision of direct social case work services to clients and providing case work quality improvement for an assigned region through a process of administrative case supervision or Special Review Investigation.
In the Department of Social Services this class is accountable for supervising social work staff in the provision of direct social case work services to individuals.
In the Department of Correction this class is accountable for supervising social work staff in the provision of direct social case work services to offenders.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
- Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work of staff;
- Provides staff training and assistance;
- Conducts performance evaluations;
- Determines priorities and plans unit work;
- Establishes and maintains unit procedures;
- Develops or makes recommendations on development of policies and standards;
- Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures;
- Prepares reports and correspondence;
- Performs related duties as required.
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (ADMINISTRATIVE CASE SUPERVISION):
- Completes administrative case review to ensure treatment plan as developed by Social Worker and Social Worker Supervisor for each child and/or youth in placement is appropriate;
- Completes Special Review Investigation on cases that have experienced serious injury or death of a client to ensure case management and/or treatment plans for child and/or family were appropriate;
- Identifies best practice deficiencies and determines necessary corrective action;
- Facilitates case planning process with involved parties on each reviewed case to develop case consensus regarding permanent plan;
- Reviews and approves revisions to permanent plan for each child and/or youth to ensure conformance to decisions made during review;
- Ensures corrective action taken by Social Worker and/or Social Worker Supervisor;
- Ensures documentation of treatment plan meets all federal, state and departmental policy guidelines;
- Provides leadership in encouraging parental participation;
- Establishes specific timetables for action by case related professionals and parents;
- Participates in formulating policy and regulations relating to work of unit;
- Provides consultation to field staff in solution of problems.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
- Considerable knowledge of
- relevant agency policies and procedures;
- and understanding of case work principles, methods and techniques;
- factors which influence attitudes and behavior of individuals and families;
- Knowledge of
- community resources (e.g. facilities serving social, mental health, medical, educational and legal needs, etc.) and services provided;
- legal basis for departmental programs and requirements;
- Considerable
- interpersonal skills;
- oral and written communication skills;
- Ability to interpret complex written material;
- Supervisory ability.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
Possession of a Master's degree in social work or a closely related field and two (2) years of experience in the self-directed use of case management techniques and counseling to sustain or restore client functioning OR a Bachelor's degree in social work or a closely related field and three (3) years of experience in the self-directed use of case management techniques and counseling to sustain or restore client functioning.
NOTES:
- Closely related fields are: applied sociology, child development, child welfare, clinical psychology, counseling, human development and family studies, human service, marriage and family therapy, nursing, social and/or human services, education and criminal justice.
- Qualifying experience at this level must include the use of professional interviewing techniques, provision of skilled counseling to an assigned client caseload and assessment of basic client needs (nutritional, environmental, financial, medical, protective service) through continuing personal observation during visits, intervention and evaluation. Qualifying experience must be at the full working level above the level of Social Worker Trainee.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience in interpreting and following foster care policies and procedures
- Experience with the Family First Prevention Services Act and Adoption and Safe Families Federal Acts
- Experience with computer literacy and ability to integrate technology in the workplace
- Experience with family-related community services programs and potential networks
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILES: Incumbents in this class are required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's License.
- DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES: Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's License.
- Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
- Incumbents in this class may be required to speak a foreign language.
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.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.