Family Based Safety Services Specialist

Brief Job Description:

After a family has been investigated, a Family Based Safety Services (FBSS) worker helps them make changes to protect their children from abuse and neglect and keep them safe at home. This involves providing services offered by the agency, the family's community, and their extended families.

Newly hired employees holding a Master's Degree in Social Worker may qualify for an increase at the point of hire.

HELP US MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

To explore more of what CPS Family Based Safety Services Workers do, click here.

For a realistic job preview of this position and to learn more DFPS, please click here. You will also have access to a self-assessment that will help you determine if this type of work is something that is a good fit for you.  

DFPS is committed to its employees' professional development and ongoing success and offers the DFPS Certification Program to enhance skills and advance careers within our organization. The program is tailored specifically for DFPS employees, provides the opportunity to earn additional compensation through a supportive learning environment that fosters growth and innovation, and equips participants with the knowledge and skills needed to deepen their expertise in their respective role.

Essential Job Functions (EJFs):

• Responds quickly in crisis situations. 
• Provides time limited in-home services to meet the specific needs of families by identifying insufficient protective capacities, developing treatment plans, and using appropriate and necessary resources to minimize risk and provide for safety of the child; and maintains contact with parents and children to achieve treatment goals.
• Assesses child safety and takes the necessary actions to protect the child as appropriate.  This could include removing a child from their family.
• Interacts objectively with “caretakers” who have abused and/or neglected children in their care. 
• Discusses issues with families related, but not limited to income, money management, and personal relationships that they will probably consider personal and private. 
• Encounters family members who are angry and/or scared.
• Helps identify resources and community support available to the family.
• Assists parents to recognize behaviors that lead to child abuse and/or neglect and empower parents to identify ways to make the necessary behavioral changes. 
• Determines action to be taken to remove or to reduce an immediate threat to the safety of a child to include working with families to identify family members who can assist with keeping the child safe, testifying in court to seek emergency protective services, placing children in substitute care, referring family for immediate crisis intervention therapy or other community resources. 
• Gather family and kinship information to support the child in a placement, should the child be placed in DFPS custody.   
• Documents all relevant and appropriate information gathered during the investigation and completing all required forms accurately and in a timely manner.
• Works flexible work hours beyond 8a.m.-5p.m., Monday - Friday. 
• Maintains a balance of objectivity and empathic understanding when engaging families living in stressful and crisis situations. 
• Develops and maintains effective working relationships with law enforcement officials, judicial officials, legal resources, medical professionals, and other community resources. 
• Attends and participates in trainings, meetings and staffings. 
• Performs other duties as assigned and required to maintain unit operations. 
• Promotes and demonstrates appropriate respect for cultural diversity and competency among coworkers and all work-related contacts. 
• Attends work regularly in accordance with agency leave policy.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge of child development
• Knowledge of family dynamics
• Skill in effective verbal and written communication.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships. 
• Skill in problem solving techniques
• Ability to operate a personal computer. 
• Ability to travel and attend child and family visits as well as other work-related appointments and meetings after 5pm.
• Ability to be on call on a rotating basis and work irregular hours.
• Ability to work in an emotion-filled environment and which may require conducting home visits in isolated or high crime areas and may involve exposure to substandard and unsanitary living conditions.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications:

This position requires use of the applicant's personal motor vehicle to complete job functions. Applicants for positions must have a reliable motor vehicle, and acceptable driving record for the past five years, and a current, valid Texas driver's license appropriate for the vehicle and passenger or cargo load. Applicants must provide proof of driving record, insurance and license.

Initial Screening Criteria:

Child Protective Services Family Based Safety Worker I: An accredited Bachelor's degree OR accredited Associate's degree plus two (2) years of relevant work experience OR 60 accredited college credit hours plus two (2) years relevant work experience OR 90 accredited college credit hours plus one (1) year of relevant work experience.   

Examples of relevant work experience in social, human, or protective services include paid or volunteer work within social service agencies or communities providing services to families or other at-risk populations.

Child Protective Services Family Based Safety Worker II:  Employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist I for 9 months AND have received Child Protective Services Specialist Certification OR currently employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist II or Child Protective Investigations Specialist II in Texas Department of Family and Protective Services OR previously employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist II or Child Protective Investigations Specialist II in Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Child Protective Services Family Based Safety Worker III:  Employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist II for 9 months AND have received Advanced Child Protective Services Specialist Certification OR currently employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist III or Child Protective Investigations Specialist III in Texas Department of Family and Protective Services OR previously employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist III or Child Protective Investigations Specialist III in Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Child Protective Services Family Based Safety Worker IV:  Employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist III for 24 months AND have received Senior Advanced Child Protective Services Specialist Certification OR currently employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist IV or Child Protective Investigations Specialist IV in Texas Department of Family and Protective Services OR previously employed as a Child Protective Services Specialist IV or Child Protective Investigations Specialist IV in Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Additional Information:

This position may be filled at any level from a Child Protective Services Family Based Safety Services Worker Specialist I to a Child Protective Services Family Based Safety Services Worker IV. Factors such as education and experience may be considered when establishing the starting salary. 

This position will be in a mobile unit which means the majority of the work will be conducted using mobile technology, such as a tablet, while away from the office. Being mobile requires working independently yet still being responsive to supervision and your assigned unit. 

Newly hired DFPS employees in eligible positions will be assigned a DFPS cellular phone. 

Learn about the essential COMPETENCIES required/acquired during the first few months of employment: DFPS - CPS Practice Guides & Core Competencies

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

These requirements are not exhaustive, and additional job-related physical requirements may be added to these by individual agencies on an as needed basis. Corrective devices may be used to meet physical requirements. These are typical requirements; however, reasonable accommodations are possible.

Physical Activities: He/she is frequently asked to stand, hear and talk; he/she is occasionally asked to climb.

Physical Demands: The incumbent typically performs work that requires him/her to exert up to 20 pounds occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

Visual Requirements: The incumbent must be able to see objects clearly at 20 inches or less, and at 20 or more feet. In addition, he/she must be able to adjust his/her eyes to bring objects into focus, distinguish colors, see objects in his/her peripheral vision, and see objects in three dimensions.

Working Conditions: He/she typically works in a mobile environment (the majority of work is performed outside of the office environment) and is exposed occasionally to adverse environmental conditions including, but not necessarily limited to, extreme heat, wetness and humidity, chemicals, close quarters, gases and heights.