The Social Worker position in a Child Welfare Education Unit is a full-time, benefits eligible, salaried position.
The Social Worker in a Child Welfare Education Unit is responsible for educating and training students in child welfare social work through the management of DCS on-going cases consistent with DCS policies and standards for practice.
The Social Workers model and teach skills in engagement, assessment, and intervention and they apply Social Work frameworks and theories in the context of child welfare practice.
Social Workers also coach students in skill development, provide feedback to students on their performance, actively use critical discourse to promote social justice and students critical thinking skills, mentor students in their professional development, teach students the technical and legal knowledge competencies associated with child welfare practice, and prepare students for the professional role of a DCS Specialist.
While students in the unit provide support on cases, the Social Worker is responsible for ensuring family engagement and child safety and for promoting the permanency and well-being of the children on her/his/their caseload.
modeling best practice approaches in client engagement, interviewing, assessment, and case planning modeling and coaching students in solution focused approaches, motivational interviewing, and narrative approaches.
teaching and supervising BSW and MSW students in accordance with the competency framework for field education promoting students acquisition of frameworks that view both problems and solutions through relational, resiliency, and trauma-informed theories promoting students acquisition of critical decision-making skills that incorporate an understanding of the experiences of oppressed populations evaluating student performance and providing feedback mentoring students in their professional development assessing safety and risk in families and environments ensuring child safety promoting childrens permanency and well-being applying the SAFE AZ Model engaging with families in solution-finding advocating for parents, children, families, and out-of-home care providers collaborating with parents in meeting goals teaming with providers identifying resources and referring families to appropriate services documenting case notes and safety assessments writing case plans and court reports and testifying in legal proceedings.
conducting home visits with children, parents, and out-of-home care providers complying with DCS policies, procedures, and standards of practice assisting in the development of trainings and presentations for students and staff representing the ASU Child Welfare Education Project in the community and at community events attending Child Welfare staff meetings, DCS meetings, and interagency meetings transporting children and/or families and traveling to appointments maintaining all necessary clearances including an AZ DPS Level 1 Fingerprint Card with no restrictions, no substantiated allegations in the AZ Child Abuse registry (CPSCR), and a valid drivers license with less than 8 points in any 12 month period.