Social Worker III- Family In Home

This job posting expires at 11:59PM on April 01, 2026. No applications can be submitted after 11:59PM on April 01, 2026.

 

 

Job Title:  Social Worker III- Family In Home

 

 

Department: Social Services - Child Welfare

 

 

External Hiring Range: $29.51 - $34.96

 

 

Compensation Grade: 2009

 

 

Posted Internally and Externally

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buncombe County DHHS is hiring for a Social Worker III position in the Family In Home division. This position entails working specifically with families that have had abuse or neglect of children and have not come into custody. The goal is to keep the family safe and together in the home/family unit, through case management and direct interventions.

Purpose of the position:

The purpose of this position is to provide Family In-Home services to children and families to ensure a safe and permanent living arrangement for children, ideally within their own home.

Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience (required at time of hire): Master's degree in Social Work; or a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and one (1) year of directly related experience; or a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Sociology, Psychology, or Human Services and two (2) years directly related experience; or Bachelor’s degree in another field and three (3) years of directly related experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. *BSW and Social Work Collaborative Students preferred.

Additional Training and Experience: English/Spanish bi-lingual speakers preferred. Certificate of completion of the NCDHHS Pre-Service Training: Child Welfare in North Carolina is preferred.

License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation: A current, valid North Carolina driver's license.

Essential Functions of the position:

• Develop and monitor service plans with families involved in Child Protective Services and provide or refer services as needed. Make recommendations to the court, including services needed, progress and barriers to permanent plan.
• Provide direct services to children and their parents/caretakers through which a timely and comprehensive assessment is conducted to determine if abuse/neglect/dependency exist and provide for ongoing intervention if warranted.
• Ensure safety planning for children in compliance with state and federal statutes and policies. If children cannot remain safely in their home a petition to the court and/or non-secure custody is sought.
• Assess, support, supervise and counsel families involved with child protective services to ensure child safety, wellbeing and permanence. Evaluate available information to determine the appropriateness for intervention and level of services required.
• Prepare legal documents, court reports, and court testimony when warranted in compliance with state and federal statutes and policies. Ensure all required documentation, forms and reports are completed and maintained in a timely and consistent manner in accordance with local, state and federal requirements.
• Provide state mandated case management services for children in DSS Legal Custody.
• Develop and monitor service plans with families and provide or refer services as needed.
• Make recommendations to the court, including services needed, progress and barriers to permanent plan.
• Establish rapport with children, families, and appropriate professionals/non-professionals in the community to provide a strengths-based, family centered approach in working with families throughout child welfare involvement.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• Ability to prioritize, identify, and assess risks, problems and needs often in stressful situations with clients who are hostile, emotionally confused, and resistant; Ability to effectively de-escalate individuals.
• Knowledge of medical, behavioral, and socio-economic problems and their treatment.
• Knowledge of numerous funding sources and how to utilize them.
• Knowledge of basic criminal justice procedures, elements of medical and mental disorders, personality theory, family systems dynamics, interpersonal relations, and cultural differences, values, and lifestyles.
• Skills in establishing constructive relationships with resistant clients and utilizing family-centered SW practice.
• Skills and counseling in interviewing and the ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively; and skills in creating resources when none are readily available.
• Thorough Knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their application to specific casework and community problems.
• Thorough knowledge of agency procedures and resources, community systems and resources, manual material, state and federal regulations, permanency planning philosophy, and laws governing protective services for children.

 

 

Buncombe County Government realizes the importance of a diverse professional workforce and the need to foster a responsive and innovative organizational culture, one that fully engages all of our employees, honoring and building on each employee's unique experiences, opinions, and perspective.

It is the policy of Buncombe County to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, marital or familial status, pregnancy, veteran status, religious belief or non-belief, age, or disability or any other legally protected class under federal or NC State law. EEO practices and employment decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, assignment, promotion and compensation shall not be based on any of these protected classes. In addition, the County expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment or discrimination.