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Supervisory Social Worker, Guardian ad litem Program

Employer
Children's Law Center
Location
Washington, DC
Salary
Children’s Law Center offers a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, and
Closing date
Jul 2, 2021

View more

Focus Areas
Youth Development
Job Function
Social Work / Counseling
Position Type
Full Time
Degree Level
Masters
Willingness to Travel
up to 25%
Experience Level
Professional

Who We Are

At Children’s Law Center, everything we do is focused on one thing – delivering better client outcomes for kids and families in DC. Our staff are empowered to open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions. We encourage intellectual curiosity, innovation, diversity, and mutual respect.

Our greatest assets are our people. We strive to attract and cultivate a vibrant, creative, and diverse community.  We recognize that people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives fuel our ability to provide the best outcomes for our clients. Our staff drive Children’s Law Center’s mission with their leadership, result-oriented mindset, and commitment to cultural humility and centering the needs of our clients.   We are looking for an individual who enjoys working in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment, likes to be challenged, and values the opportunity to make a difference.

Children Law Center’s success depends on recruiting and retaining individuals who possess and value these attributes.

*Children’s Law Center is currently operating remotely. This position will work remotely until the organization returns to the office.

Job Summary

This position is part of our Guardian ad litem program. Lawyers in our Guardian ad litem program represent children who are the subject of abuse and neglect cases in DC’s Family Court.  Staff attorneys work closely with CLC social workers, investigators and special education attorneys to advocate, formally and informally, to advance the best interests of clients with regard to their safety, permanency, physical and mental health and education.   CLC social workers receive requests for short-term and long-term support on cases with complex needs and/or could benefit from social work specific assessment and advocacy.

The supervising social worker serves as the primary supervisor for 2 to 3 social workers and is responsible for the training, supervision, professional development, and evaluation of supervisees.  The supervising social worker is responsible for ensuring that their supervisees provide high quality clinical assessments and recommendations as well as strategic advocacy efforts on attorney cases.  The supervising social worker is further responsible for ensuring that supervisees develop their clinical skills, utilize a “best practice” lens, and practice ethically. Supervision tasks include being regularly available to supervisees, attending internal team meetings between supervisees and attorneys, reviewing written assessments, providing consistent and timely feedback on performance, and ensuring compliance with program and organizational policies.  The supervising social worker will meet regularly with their supervisor to review case issues and trends, spot supervision and attorney collaboration issues, assess plans for assisting in the professional development of their supervisees, and assist with innovation and evaluation efforts.  In addition to supervising staff social workers, the supervisor will maintain a partial caseload and lead specific projects as delegated by the GAL Director and/or Director of Social Work.

The supervising social worker reports to the Director of Social Work.

Duties/Responsibilities

Supervision: Clinical Assessment, Intervention, and Advocacy

  • Ensure that supervisees are practicing ethically, including within the areas of competence, as well as providing independent assessment and recommendations in order to achieve the social work goals identified on the attorney’s case.
  • Support supervisees in identifying and implementing steps and actions in order to conduct independent assessments, address teaming concerns, and/or effectively advocate in informal (i.e. Team meetings) and formal settings (i.e. Court).
  • Review and provide feedback on all written assessments (for the first year of independently and clinically licensed social workers or until that license is obtained.)
  • Review attorney requests for social work involvement to ensure supervisees have the time and competence to work on those requests.
  • Observe/participate in meetings between supervisees and attorneys to support supervisees and provided feedback.

Supervision: CLC Policy and Protocol Adherence

  • Ensure that supervisees are responding to attorney requests for social work support on their cases in a timely and appropriate manner.
  • Ensure compliance with applicable policies and protocols, including social work quarterly goals, teaming policy, timekeeping policy, client visitation and contact protocol, social work licensing, mandatory reporting procedures, and supervision standards.

Supervision: Quality Supervision Meetings

  • Conduct weekly individual supervision to review and discuss social work practice on attorney cases, including the progress on CLC social work goals.
  • Provide feedback on all written material including assessments, initial meeting notes, CLC social work goal reviews, and any other necessary social work documentation.
  • Meet weekly with Social Work Director to discuss issues and develop strategies for cases as well as discuss supervisory tasks and approach.
  • Monitor supervisee practice on attorney cases, regularly addressing implicit bias, social work best practices, and advocacy efforts.
  • Discuss supervisee collaboration efforts with attorneys and provide feedback on the use of self in those relationships as well as the child welfare team as a whole.

Supervision: Professional Development

  • Set annual goals, participate in quarterly goals reviews, and exchange positive and constructive feedback to assist in staff development.
  • Identify supervisees’ strengths and provide support and direction around professional development.
  • Identify supervisees’ challenges and formulate plans, timelines, and measures of success to address them.
  • Regularly address supervisee performance and planning in supervision with Social Work Director and/or GAL Director as needed.
  • Collaborate with supervisees in identifying training opportunities which further professional development and address case specific needs while meeting continuing education requirements for licensure.

Supervision: Personnel Management

  • Interview, hire, and train new staff along with Social Work Director.
  • Provide constructive and timely performance evaluations along with the Social Work Director.

Supervision: Program Activities

  • Attend biweekly supervisor meetings with the GAL Director and the Social Work Director.
  • Attend and contribute to the Social Work group supervision, including presenting cases for group feedback.
  • Take a leadership role in program activities as assigned.

Social Work Case Practice

  • Spend approximately 35 to 40% of time on social work practice on attorney cases.
  • Clinically review cases and consult with GALs on case planning, permanency planning, mental health, educational services, and health.
  • Provide independent comprehensive assessments and observations in multiple child welfare related domains including placement, education, caregiving capacity, and therapeutic services.
  • Conduct field and academic based research and provides proactive, strategic, clinical recommendations and advocacy, in the best interests of the client.
  • Conduct visit with client(s) and participate in meetings.
  • Identify appropriate interventions and assist in coordinating therapeutic services. 
  • Assess, engage, and strengthen both internal and external child welfare teams. 
  • Provide clinical advocacy and testimony in court. 
  • Ensure timely and accurate documentation of case information and adhere to program logic model to achieve positive outcomes for clients.

Organizational and Program Leadership

  • Collaborate with Social Work Director to ensure effective communication and support across programs.
  • Collaborate with the Social Work Director to instill a shared vision and values throughout the project.
  • Contribute to innovation in case work and trainings.
  • Support the collection of reporting of case information to improve practices.
  • Collaborate with the Social Work Director in the development and evaluation of social work specific policies and procedures to promote programmatic success.

Skills/Abilities

  • A desire to work with children and families within the child welfare system.
  • Understanding and integration of trauma and attachment principles in social work practice on micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
  • Effective and skilled verbal and written communication skills. 
  • The ability to build and maintain productive and ethical relationships with diverse groups of people and/or individuals, including in conflictual environments.
  • The ability to be flexible, manage time effectively between multiple priorities and organizational skills. 
  • Astute observation, critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. 
  • Values self-reflection in relationships, open to feedback, and implements relevant changes.
  • Intellectual aptitude and curiosity.
  • Demonstrated capacity to work independently and collaboratively.  Education and Experience
  • Active LICSW in District of Columbia and LCSW or LCSW-C in Maryland are required for this position.  Will consider the license equivalent in another state and will require proof of DC and MD license application prior to start date.
  • Two or more years of experience of social work practice with children and families.
  • One or more years of experience working within interdisciplinary teams.
  • Supervisory experience is preferred.
  • Driver’s license required.  

    Application Instructions: 

    To apply, please submit the following materials in one PDF file: cover letter, resume, writing sample and three professional references.  The writing sample/excerpt should be no more than five pages and should reflect assessment abilities. The professional references must include at least one supervisor.  Applications may be submitted via mail, fax, or email to: 

    Children’s Law Center

    Attn: Supervisory Social Worker Hiring Committee

    501 3rd Street NW

    8th Floor

    Washington, D.C. 20001 

    202.467.4949 (fax)

    Jobs@ChildrensLawCenter.org

    No telephone calls please.

    Children’s Law Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunities for all applicants and existing employees.  We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation. We invite you to visit us here to learn more about our organization and our career opportunities (www.childrenslawcenter.org/join-us).

    Children’s Law Center is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment. If you believe that you need accommodation to search for, or apply for, one of our positions please send an email to Jobs@ChildrensLawCenter.org. In your email, please include the accommodation you are requesting and the job title you are applying for. It may take up to three business days to receive a response to your request.

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