Lead Social Caseworker – Children, Youth, & Family Services

Full Job Description

Join El Paso County Children, Youth, & Family Services as a Lead Social Caseworker, where you’ll play a critical role in supporting children and families while also mentoring and guiding team members.

This position blends leadership with hands-on casework, requiring strong organization, documentation, and time management skills.

You’ll manage your own caseload while providing coaching, training, and support to staff, all within a collaborative child welfare environment.

The work is dynamic and meaningful, involving in-office collaboration, home visits, court appearances, and occasional travel.

If you're driven to make a lasting impact and thrive in a role that balances leadership with direct service, this is an opportunity to do both.

Adoption Team:
Specializes in guiding children and prospective families through the adoption process, including case management from post-termination through finalization, writing adoption home studies, and completing legal and contractual documentation.

Ongoing Team:
Provides well-rounded, generalist casework across a diverse caseload, supporting children and families through ongoing services while navigating court involvement, home visits, and working closely with partners.

Adolescent Ongoing Team:
Focuses on working with older youth and their families, using strong engagement and critical thinking skills to support teens through complex casework and promote stability and long-term success.

Intake Team:

Due to the sensitive nature of this role, additional background checks may be required, including a Government Program Fraud, Child Welfare Abuse & Neglect database (TRAILS), and Child Welfare Caseworker Falsification check.

Works to preserve and/or rehabilitate families while protecting children's physical, emotional, and mental well-being through child protection, adolescent services, placements, and/or permanency plans. Based on position assignment, coordinates the practice and is responsible for primary decision-making of child protection practices or coordinates the services and secondary-service decisions as related to safety, permanency, well-being and preserving families. Serves as a lead caseworker, advising and assisting caseworkers on case assignments. May be assigned to the Practice or Support & Services unit. Employment is subject to the terms, conditions, and policies detailed in the Personnel Policies Manual (PPM). This position requires regular in-person presence as an essential job function.

Requirements

Provides lead work for a team, including assisting with training, technical support, orienting new employees, providing guidance and mentoring, and resolving complex problems and issues to meet the needs of clients.

Provides input and support to the leadership regarding applicable performance evaluations.

Fosters a team atmosphere that is inclusive and supportive.

Provides casework and assessment services for teams as directed. Reviews and ensures incorporation of treatment and work plans from the court, caseworkers, providers, and community partners.

Interviews clients and develops appropriate treatment plans as needed.

Initiates and/or coordinates home studies and provides intensive casework services to families and children related to assigned functional area.

As assigned, reports and/or investigates allegations of child abuse and assesses imminent danger for children; makes referrals to community resources and collateral contacts.

Monitors clients' progress and ensures that needed services are being provided, that treatment plans are being followed through in a timely manner, and determines the appropriateness of the placement and services provided.

Ensures services are being provided effectively and in a timely manner for the safety and wellbeing of the child.

Provides crisis management and coordinates support services for clients to resolve problems, barriers, and conflicts.

Acts as a liaison for the DHS and consults with other caseworkers and community professionals on case situations, treatment/case plans, issues, and problems.

Attends and testifies in court hearings and mediations; completes appropriate paperwork, documentation, petitions, reports, reviews, etc., for court hearings; monitors clients' compliance with court orders; serves temporary custody notices and petitions the court for verbal orders.

Prepares for and participates in meetings and staffings. Mediates any disagreements during meetings and staffings; builds consensus to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child.

Addresses child safety issues in the home to mitigate safety concerns as assigned; ensures that children in the department's custody or supervision receive necessary interventions.

Documents all contacts and ensures that all paperwork and documentation are accurately completed and filed; completes necessary case information reports, inputs updates into database.

Arranges and provides transportation for clients to appointments, therapy, school, court hearings, pre-placement visits, etc.

Ensures compliance with Federal, State, and County laws, outcome measures, rules, and regulations; reviews cases to ensure case plans are developed and implemented.

Provides support to Practice and Support and Services teams within the CYFS Division as needed. 

Assists with collecting, monitoring, and reporting team statistics, data, and outcomes.

Facilitates meetings as needed.

Performs other duties as required.

Supervision Exercised: This classification requires functioning as a lead worker performing essentially the same job duties as those directed and includes overseeing work quality, training, instruction, and scheduling work. May include providing input on hiring/disciplinary action and work objectives/ effectiveness, performance evaluations, and realigning work as needed.
Supervision Received: This classification requires functioning as a lead worker performing essentially the same job duties as those directed and includes overseeing work quality, training, instruction, and scheduling work. May include providing input on hiring/disciplinary action and work objectives/ effectiveness, performance evaluations, and realigning work as needed.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Working knowledge of casework practices, procedures, and protocol; working knowledge of child safety and family engagement.
• Demonstrated leadership skills preferred.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with co-workers, clients, other agencies, the courts, and the public. Ability to provide excellent customer service.
• Ability to efficiently plan, schedule, and organize.
• Ability to assess situations and make prudent and appropriate decisions. Ability to apply conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to lead and train others; ability to objectively assess the performance of others.
• Abilities in interviewing and investigative techniques and practices.
• Ability to accurately and efficiently complete paperwork, reports, and documentation timely. Ability to utilize supervision in making casework decisions.
• Ability to work independently and in a team environment. 
• Ability to use standard office equipment, including computer, fax machine, copier, and telephone.
• Maintain regular and punctual attendance.

Required Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree or higher from a higher education institution with course work related to the job responsibilities of child welfare social caseworker as stated in Volume 7.

Course work examples can include and are not limited to, the development of human behavior, child development, family intervention techniques, diagnostic measures, or therapeutic techniques.

Two years of professional, internship, or volunteer work experience in a human service-related agency.

Successful completion of a Bachelor’s Degree of Social Work (BSW) or Master's Degree of Social Work (MSW) internship in a human services-related agency may substitute for one year of the required experience.

Licenses/Certificates

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and proof of automobile insurance as stated within El Paso County’s Personnel Policies Manual.
• Must obtain and maintain necessary certifications as applicable to position.
• Colorado State Child Welfare Caseworker Certification or the ability to successfully complete and pass initial examination within ninety days of enrollment.

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Must pass conditional post offer background investigation to include fingerprinting, motor vehicle record check, and drug screen. College transcripts required prior to the date of hire.

Additional Information

Duties are performed in an office environment, client's homes, schools, jails, and court; must be able to climb stairs in or outside of these environments and able to walk up and down driveways and sidewalks. This position may require occasional lifting, such as files, supplies, children, and car seats. Hybrid remote work environment dependent upon Department discretion and business needs. May be exposed to hostile family situations/individuals, and unsanitary and hazardous conditions. Reliable transportation is required as you will be utilizing your own registered and insured personal vehicle to transport clients as needed; mileage reimbursement is available upon request. This position may require a 24/7 on-call and after-hours rotational schedule. Local and non-local travel, including possible out-of-state travel, may be required.

The classification specification above is intended to represent only the key areas of responsibilities and minimum qualifications; specific job assignments, duties, education, experience, licenses/certifications, and environmental conditions will vary depending on the needs of the department/office and the particular assignment. Changes to this document may only be made by a member of the Human Resources Department.