Family Services Specialist - Foster Care

Family Services Specialist - Foster Care

Print (https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/charlottesville/jobs/newprint/5109157)

Apply

?

Family Services Specialist - Foster Care

Salary

$56,326.40 - $75,192.00 Annually

Location

Charlottesville, VA

Job Type

Regular Full-Time

Job Number

251000003

Department

Social Services Department

Opening Date

10/10/2025

Closing Date

Continuous

Bargaining Unit

N/A

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

General Summary

Contribute to the delivery of programs and services in Charlottesville that support meeting essential needs, which promote self-sufficiency, and that enhance the quality of life for all residents in our community. The Charlottesville Department of Social Services is seeking qualified candidates to be considered for the position of Family Services Specialist - Foster Care who are highly motivated and who strive for success by demonstrating Charlottesville's Core Values of Commitment, Integrity, Respect, Innovation, and Collaboration.

The preferred hiring amount is between $ 27.08 - $36.15 an hour ( $56,326.40 - $75,192.00 Annually ) . Starting offer is based on applicable education, experience, and internal equity. This is a full-time, non-exempt, position which provides excellent benefits including 13 paid holidays plus 1 floating holiday, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, City's retirement options, gym membership reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, and continuing education/training opportunities.

• For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/1047/Employee-Benefits.
• The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system and does not participate in VRS, however the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS and there are certain provisions that must be met. For questions pertaining to the Portability Agreement, please contact the City's Benefits Administrator at 434-970-3462.

This position performs responsible professional work in the support and assistance of agency clients with personal, social, health and economic needs with casework focused on the families and children who are in foster care, including completing intensive family finding training across the child welfare continuum as well as conducting Family Partnership Meetings. Work involves issues of abuse/neglect, family violence, children with special needs, children and teens who are court-involved; does related work as required and/or performs clinical work. Work is performed under the regular supervision of a Social Services Family Services Supervisor.

Note: This job opportunity is advertised with a closing date of "Continuous." If interested in being considered, an application should be submitted as soon as possible. Applications may no longer be considered once a reasonable number of applications has been received or once a candidate to fill the position is identified. Applications may be evaluated on a continuous basis and interviews may be conducted as soon as possible during the recruitment. This job announcement may close at any time after 7 calendar days.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties

• Assesses needs of clients and families which may include but is not limited to
• Investigates referrals
• Interviews clients and family members as needed,
• Takes applications for services,
• Determines service eligibility,
• Works with and counsels clients,
• Provides protection and care to abandoned, abused or neglected children and adults
• Makes appropriate referrals for services,
• Prepares social studies in the formulation, delivery and assessment of service plans, and prepares related documentation.
• Makes field visits to client residences and assesses/monitor situation and/or progress.
• Assists and supports clients in problem-solving and in their use of agency and other resources.
• Makes referrals to clients, employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, etc.
• May identify homes suitable for adoption.
• Conducts group information/education sessions for clients.
• Performs work with specific ancillary agencies such as juvenile and domestic relations courts.
• Assists in the evaluation of programs and services rendered to clients.
• Testifies in court proceedings and makes recommendations to petitions to legal authorities.
• Interprets agency programs to other agencies, community groups and associations.
• Researches and develops community resources, gives presentations.
• Maintains case records and prepares statistical and other reports and documentation.
• Processes financial documentation related to client services.
• May diagnose (based on a recognized manual of mental and emotional disorders or recognized system of problem definition) and provide psychotherapy and counseling (for mental disorders, substance abuse, marriage and family dysfunction, and problems caused by social and psychological stress or health impairment) if licensed.
• Will be included in on-call rotation and expected to respond within agency time-frame.
• May assist in the training of other staff, volunteers and student interns..
• May be asked to work during emergency operations as outlined in department continuity of operations plan.
• Performs related tasks as required.

Education, Experience and Skills

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimally requires a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field. (Or minimally, a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two (2) years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area as mandated in Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia and implemented by the Virginia Board of Social Services may be substituted as equivalent.)
• Requires general knowledge of: social, economic and health problems; individual and group behavior; child, adolescent, adult and geriatric behavior and the practices and techniques of interviewing, counseling and investigating problems; principles and practices of child welfare, substance abuse, family service, employment services, public assistance and/or protective service work.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's Degree in Social Work or related field preferred.
• Preference for experience in foster care with a public agency during the past five (5) years.

Special Requirements:

• Possession of a valid driver's license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia or qualified and able to obtain a valid VA driver's license prior to beginning the position. (To view our driving eligibility requirements, visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/faq.aspx?qid=166).
• Possession of all requirements for entry level as specified by the Virginia Department of Social Services.

Skills: Also requires ability to: identify social problems and needs and to assess the ability of individuals and families to utilize services in problem-solving; plan and organize work and to understand and interpret laws, policies and regulations; communicate and establish effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, other professional and technical staff, social agencies, and the general public; communicate effectively orally and in writing; prepare reports and maintain records.

Physical Conditions & Additional Information

Work occurs in an office setting, and may also occur in client homes, meetings and collaboration in other community agencies, and involvement in court hearings. Frequent contacts with individuals, families, extended families and other stakeholders, other professionals and paraprofessionals requiring skill and tact in dealing with sensitive, controversial and confidential material. Work may involve threatening and potentially dangerous settings and disturbing circumstances. May be required to be on-call and respond within certain timeframes.

A pre-hire background check will be conducted on all candidates who are selected for employment with the Department of Social Services. It will include a criminal record check and a child abuse/neglect registry search. Additionally, a driving record check and education verification may be conducted if applicable.

Please note: The Charlottesville Department of Social Services is unable to hire any applicant, intern, or volunteer if the criminal record check reveals a conviction for, or arrest awaiting final disposition of a barrier crime as set forth in ? 63.2-1719 of the Code of Virginia. Please click here for the list of barrier crimes: http://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/63.2-1719/

The City of Charlottesville is an Equal Opportunity Employer and supports workforce diversity at all levels of the organization. The City prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. The City is dedicated to this with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs, and general treatment during employment.

Requests for reasonable accommodation by individuals with disabilities may be requested by contacting Human Resources at (434) 970-3490 or hr@charlottesville.gov.

The City of Charlottesville conducts job related background checks, reference checks, and pre-employment drug tests, in accordance with federal, state, and local law, of applicants who reach the final stages of the employment selection process. The City's policy has not changed because of the decriminalization of marijuana in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Marijuana remains an illegal drug under federal law, and it continues to be a violation of the US Department of Transportation regulations and the City's policy prohibiting employees from testing positive for marijuana.

SUMMARY OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

Updated February 9, 2026

Benefits cited represent those for regular 40-hour employees and may differ for Management Level, Part-Time, and/or Library positions. Long-term temporary employees are eligible for all benefits except retirement. Interns, temporary, seasonal, substitute, and relief employees are not eligible for benefits.

1. LEAVE:

Vacation: Need some time off? Use it, you earned it:

Years Worked

0 - <3

3 - <5

5 - <10

10 - <15

15 - <20

20 - <25

25

• Hours Accrued Biweekly

3.09

3.85

4.62

5.4

6.16

6.93

7.7

Sick: Under the weather? Earn 4.62 hours biweekly, approximately 120 hours a year, with no limit on accumulation to be used to care for yourself and qualifying family members.

Holidays: Enjoy 13 paid holidays per year. Including 1 Floating Holiday, which must be taken during the Fiscal Year (July 1 - June 30):

OBSERVED CITY HOLIDAYS

New Years Day

Dr. Martin Luther King Day

Presidents? Day

Liberation & Freedom Day

Memorial Day

Juneteenth Day

Independence Day

Labor Day

Veterans Day

Thanksgiving Day

Friday after Thanksgiving

Christmas Eve

Christmas Day

1 Floating Holiday

Volunteer Leave: Paid leave for participating in an authorized event as a volunteer, subject to Section 9-3, Code of Ethics & Conflicts of Interest. Regular full-time employees receive up to 8 hours and all regular part-time employees are eligible to receive pro-rated leave each available each calendar year.

2. INSURANCE:

Aetna Medical Plans: Coverage is effective on the first of the month following date of hire.

+ Choose from two options:

• Select HMO with City-funded HRA ($0 premium for employee-only coverage)
• Choice POS ($13.02 biweekly premium for employee-only coverage)
• Prescription Card: ($10 generic, $30 lower cost name brand,$55 higher cost name brand, 20% up to $150 for specialty drugs)
• Mail Order Maintenance Prescription Drug Program ($20 generic, $60lower cost name brand, $110 higher cost brand) not available for specialty drugs)

Delta Dental Plan:

• Diagnostic and Preventative?100% of allowable charge; Basic Dental Care-80%; Major Dental Care- 50%
• Primary - $50 deductible, 80/20; Prosthetic and Complex Restorative -$50, 50/50
• $1,500 Annual benefit maximum
• $1,000 Orthodontic benefit (children to age 19)

MetLife Vision Plan: (Optional)

• $2.50 premium paid bi-weekly for employee-only coverage. Dependent care coverage also available.
• Eye health exam, dilatation, prescription and refraction of glasses covered after $10 co-pay
• $130 allowance for frames, after co-pay, plus additional discounts where accepted.

Life Insurance: In the event of your death, your beneficiary will receive twice your annual salary. Supplementary policies for you and your dependents are available.

Long-Term Disability: U pon approval for along-term illness or injury, you can receive up to 60% of your earnings after a 90-day wait period.

Voluntary Benefits: Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity insurance; Short-Term Disability; Identity Theft Protection

3. RETIREMENT:

Pension:

+ Choose from two (2) options:

• A Defined Benefit Pension plan pays a monthly benefit in retirement using a defined formula based on the employee's earnings history, tenure of service, and age. Our plan has a 5-year vesting period and an employee contribution of 5% of salary.
• A Defined Contribution 401a plan in which fixed contributions are paid into an individual's account by the employer, the contributions are invested, returns (positive or negative) are credited to the account, and the account balance is used to provide retirement benefits. The vesting schedule for our 401a plan is 33% after one year of service, 67% after two years of service, and 100% vesting after three years of service. There is no required contribution from salary. (Note: the Defined Contribution retirement plan is the only plan available for Library employees).

Supplement: Deferred Compensation 457 available for you to invest your own money for additional retirement savings.

4. VOLUNTARY:

Wellness:

• Gym Membership Reimbursement Program (up to $34.00 per month)
• Bicycle Commuter Program: Reimbursement up to $20 per month for reasonable bicycle commuting expenses
• Online wellness resources and Lunch-and-Learn Sessions

Employee Assistance Program:

• A variety of confidential, personal professional services for you and your family available 24 hours a day.

Tuition Reimbursement:

• Up to $1,500 for job-related certificates, trade programs, undergraduate coursework or up to $3,000 for graduate level courses per fiscal year for career-related courses.

Flexible Spending Accounts:

• Expense accounts available for healthcare, dependent care and parking/mass transit.

01

Do you have a Bachelor's Degree in a Human Services field?

• Yes
• No

02

If 'No' was selected to question #1, do you have a Bachelor's Degree in any field with at least two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area?

• Yes
• No

03

What is your level of experience in social work?

• No experience
• Less than two years
• Two to less than four years
• Four to less than six years
• Six to less than eight years
• Eight years or greater

04

Briefly describe your knowledge of the principles and practices of foster care, substance abuse, family services, employment services, public assistance and/or protective service work. If none, please write 'None.'

05

Do you have work experience in Foster Care with a public agency within the past five years?

• Yes
• No

06

Of the following options, select those in which you have prior work experience. (check ALL that apply; must be verifiable with reference to your Work History or Additional Information section of your application)

• A social services department in Virginia
• A social services department outside Virginia
• A Community Services Board
• School social worker or counselor
• Counselor at juvenile detention center
• Staff at group home or similar youth facility
• Clinical position in a hospital setting
• An agency offering in-home clinical services to youth
• Another agency offering services to youth and families
• None of the above

07

Please respond giving evidence of your ability to communicate purposefully and effectively with clients, co-workers, and other professionals. If none, please write 'None.'

08

This position requires driving to perform essential job duties and requires a valid driver's license. The candidate selected for this position must meet the driver eligibility requirements of the City and must provide a certified copy of their DMV driving record. Do you possess a valid driver's license and are you willing to provide a certified copy of your DMV driving record, if selected as a finalist, for the City to confirm your driving eligibility?

• Yes; I possess a valid driver's license and am willing to provide a certified copy of my DMV driving record.
• No; However, I am willing and able to obtain a valid driver's license and am willing to provide a certified copy of my DMV driving record.
• No; I do not have a valid driver's license, nor am I willing or able to obtain one, and/or am not willing to provide a certified copy of my DMV driving record.

09

To be considered, qualifying education and experience, including City of Charlottesville employment, must be clearly documented in the education, work history, and additional information sections of the employment application. Resumes can be attached but should not be used as a substitute for the required information on the application. I understand that an attached resume may not be accepted in place of a completed employment application and that my qualifications should be stated on the employment application itself.

• Yes
• No

10

I certify that the information above is true and correct, and I certify that it can be verified with reference to the information in my basic application. I understand that my application may be rejected if the responses to supplemental questions do not match my basic application.

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer

City of Charlottesville

Address

P. O. Box 911 605 East Main Street Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902

Phone

(434) 970-3490

Website

http://www.charlottesville.gov/jobs