Follow your calling, Find your career!!
Please apply by May 19th, 2026
Salary Range: $30.32 to $37.90 per hour. This is a non-exempt (hourly) position. Please note: Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity. Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant's salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.
At Mecklenburg County, you'll have the chance to build a career as unique as you are with support, inclusive culture, and technology to become the best version of you. We're counting on YOUR unique voice and perspective to help Mecklenburg County become even better, too. Join us and build an exceptional experience for yourself, and a better working world for all.
Youth and Family Services Division (YFS) of the DSS Department of Child, Family and Adult Services (CFAS) provides a variation of services to safeguard children by strengthening the protective capacities of families whose children's health, safety and well-being are at risk. The mission of DSS is to strengthen families and communities through a safety-net of services, collaborations, and hope. The Department's vision is to define and cultivate an organizational culture that is more compassionate and understanding toward each other and our clients. YFS firmly believes the people who do this work are our most important resource. As such, children and families deserve trained, skillful professionals to engage and effectively assist them. If you have a passion for social work and making a difference in your local community, come join our Youth and Family Services team!
Position Summary
This is a specialized position within the Special Victims Unit (SVU) as the Child Welfare Specialist III. The Child Welfare Specialist III will be required to conduct investigations regarding child abuse and neglect to include child trafficking, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, fatalities, foster homes, and group homes. This position is responsible for providing community-based services to individuals, groups, families, or communities regarding issues that could include child and adult abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation, mental health concerns, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, housing, childcare, or medical care.
This position in Youth and Family Services, under general supervision, is responsible for providing evaluation and assessment of risk and safety issues, case management, counseling, and referral services for complex cases to assist in meeting the needs of these clients. This position may handle more complex cases requiring a higher-level skillset.
Essential Functions
Assess and provide appropriate services on complex child abuse/neglect cases involving complex mental health, domestic violence, human trafficking, and
substance abuse issues
Work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to ensure child safety, permanency and well-being of children and families
Be receptive to case feedback
Attend trainings as needed
Maintain a positive working relationship with the SVU supervisor and manager
Assess needs of individuals and/or families; and provide counseling and services in both individual and group settings and discuss goals, expected outcomes, and means with which to meet goals and expected outcomes
Develop and review service plans in consultation with clients, and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided and ensure services were effective and situations have improved
Transport clients to appointments such as medical, job related or others, if appropriate
Refer clients to community resources for services such as job placement, debt counseling, legal aid, housing, medical treatment, or financial assistance, and provide concrete information, such as where to go and how to apply
Consult with parents, teachers, and other school personnel to determine causes of problems such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions
Monitor residential facilities for compliance with licensure standards, provide technical assistance, investigate complaints against licensed facilities
Interview clients individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems, to determine what services are required to meet their needs
In consultation with management, make decisions on behalf of children and families impacted by child abuse/neglect
Manage complex cases and assessments
Manage records and documentation of services provided and maintain history records and prepare reports
May be required to work varying shifts and weekends
May be required to staff shelters in the event of a disaster
Minimum Qualifications
Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Social Work AND one of the following: three years of social work experience; qualifying internship; successful completion of the NC Child Welfare Collaborative program
OR master's in social work
OR bachelor's degree in related major AND four years of social work experience
OR master's Degree in related major AND three years of social work experience.
Education:
Bachelor''s degree in Social Work or related major
Combination of relevant education and relevant experience accepted?: Yes
Licenses and Certifications
Requires a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver''s License
Requires County Driving Privileges
Preferred Qualifications
Master's degree preferred
Bilingual (Spanish and English) proficiency, oral and written
Training Completion: NC DHHS: Responding to Child Sex Abuse, The Art of Narrative Interview: Skills for Meaningful Engagement, Understanding and
Screening Trauma (Similar Trainings can be considered for out-of-state candidates)
3 years of investigation experience within the last 5 years
Demonstrated familiarity with the signs of physical, emotional, and behavioral abuse
Demonstrated experience in forensic interviewing
Demonstrated experience in multidisciplinary collaboration with community partners (law enforcement, medical professionals, and other specialized partners)
Demonstrated experience in promptly identifying threats to children's safety and engaging necessary protective actions
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of
This position requires strong assessment and interviewing skills, excellent communication and writing skills, the ability to partner with multiple community agencies and the ability to work with families who have experienced trauma.
Additional trainings may be required for this position.
Advanced knowledge of social services procedures, practices, and methods
Knowledge of work principles and available resources
Social services procedures, practices, and methods
Social services related to federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations relating to provision of public assistance, and social welfare
Case management methods and techniques
Services offered by the county and other local public and private community-based service agencies
This position requires strong assessment and interviewing skills, excellent communication and writing skills, the ability to partner with multiple community agencies and the ability to work with families who have experienced trauma. Additional trainings may be required for this position.
Skills
Evaluating records to ensure accreditation standards are met.
Exercising judgment and discretion
Maintaining various confidential records
Managing and executing multiple tasks
Possessing strong communication skills
Prioritizing work
Abilities
Adaptability: Maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work responsibilities or environment; adjusting effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements, or cultures
Building Customer Loyalty: Effectively meeting customer needs; building productive customer relationships; taking responsibility for customer satisfaction and loyalty
Building Partnerships: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one's area and other areas, teams, departments, units, or organizations to help achieve business goals.
Building Trust: Interacting with others in a way that instills confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization
Care Management: Having the knowledge and skills to secure relevant patient care data and identify key issues and relationships in the management of patient care; understanding the relationships among assessments, interventions, and patient responses; skilled in documentation of assessments and adjusting physical and cognitive prescriptions as needed
Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided
Customer Focus: Ensuring that the customer perspective is a driving force behind business decisions and activities; crafting and implementing service practices that meet customers' and own organization's needs.
Decision Making: Identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequences
Inspiring Others: Using interpersonal styles and methods to inspire and guide individuals toward higher levels of performance
Leadership Disposition: Demonstrating the traits, inclinations, and dispositions that characterize successful leaders; exhibiting behavior styles that meet the demands of the leader role
Managing Conflict: Dealing effectively with others in an antagonistic situation; using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods to reduce tension or conflict between two or more people
Work Standards: Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing
assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed
Computer Skills
Advanced in various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite
Reasonable Accommodations Statement
To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable
accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Disclaimer Statement
This is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities, duties, skills, requirements or working conditions. Other duties may be assigned based on business need and the supervisor's request. Mecklenburg County reserves the right to revise the job description at any time. Designated positions may be required to assist in emergency and/or disaster situations.