Introduction
Are you a current Department of Children and Families agency employee seeking new opportunities or challenges? If so, we invite you to consider the Children Services Consultant position below!
The State of Connecticut, Department of Children and Families (DCF) – is accepting applications for one (1) full-time Children Services Consultant position, in Torrington, CT.
As a Children Services Consultant, Intimate Partner Violence Specialist (IPVS) with DCF you would provide case consultation to regional social work staff around domestic violence issues for families involved with DCF, assess for the presence of the dynamics of domestic violence (DV), assist in determining the needs needs of offending and non-offending partner, and children affected by Intimate Partner Violence. As the IPV Specialist, you will have the opportunity to promote systems change. There are 6 duty areas that you will be entrusted to perform. You can read more about each area here.
Position Highlights: PCN 42880
- Full-time | 1st shift | Hybrid | 40 Hours per week
- Monday – Friday | 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
What we can offer you:
- View our newState Employee Benefits Overview page!
- Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
- A healthy work-life balance to all employees!
- The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked one of the best Employers of 2023 – State of CT receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
- The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service. Click here for more information.
In your role as an Children Services Consultant, you will have the opportunity to:
- Provide support and advocacy;
- Directly interact with families;
- Implement system changes;
- Provide training;
- Act as the Community Liaison/Gatekeeper;
- Gather and disseminate information;
- Perform related duties as required.
- A more comprehensive list of duties can be found here.
We believe that:
- Children and adolescents with serious emotional disorders can lead productive and satisfying lives.
- Children, youth and their families have the right and responsibility to participate in their treatment.
- No child will be refused treatment based on their ability to pay for services.
- Our services work best when integrated with community care.
Selection Plan
In order to be considered for this job opening you must be a current State of CT employee of the agency listed above for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
FOR ASSISTANCE WITH APPLYING:
Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!
To Apply:
- In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
- For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
- The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
- These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion, and merit employment rules. Applications to this recruitment will be used to meet collective bargaining requirements. Once any collective bargaining requirements have been met, all other applications may be considered.
- Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meets the preferred qualifications, so please ensure that your application is complete and details your experience as outlined in this job posting. Please note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system.
- The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
- Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
- Revised Master Application Tutorial: Click Here
Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:
- Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
- This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
- At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.
- All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
- Due to the large volume of applications received, the Department of Administrative Services is unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.
- Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.
Connect With Us:
- If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Rocky Young at rocky.young@ct.gov and reference the recruitment number.
- Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn.
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
- This class is accountable for providing consultation, coordination and delivery of specialized children services program activities.
OFFICE OF THE CHILD ADVOCATE
- This class is responsible for assisting the Child Advocate in securing and ensuring the legal, civil and special rights of children residing in the state of Connecticut.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
- Plans, develops and implements new special programs and projects as assigned;
- Develops and negotiates contracts;
- Monitors, evaluates and makes recommendations for modifications in existing programs;
- Provides consultative services to regional offices within department, social services agencies, courts, child caring institutions and individuals in matters relating to child and foster care, adoption, protective services, private child placing agencies or child caring institutions;
- Participates in preparation of manual material, forms and interpretative material;
- Provides consultation to field staff in solution to problems;
- Plans and participates in training programs and workshops for field staff in conjunction with the training section;
- Facilitates flow of information among courts, judges, public officials, auxiliary services and other departments;
- Acts for director in communicating changes in procedures, practices and policies throughout various regional offices and following up for consistency in their implementation;
- May represent department in committees to improve children's services and use of financial and human resources;
- Performs related duties as required.
OFFICE OF THE CHILD ADVOCATE
- Assists Child Advocate in securing and ensuring legal, civil and special rights of children residing in State of Connecticut;
- Evaluates delivery of services to children by state agencies;
- Reviews procedures of state agencies providing services to children with a view toward rights of children;
- Investigates complaints regarding children receiving state services;
- Visits residential facilities to review procedures, assure safety and assess facilities;
- May recommend changes in state policies concerning children including changes in system of providing juvenile justice, child care, foster care and treatment;
- Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
- Considerable knowledge and understanding of case work principles, methods and techniques;
- Considerable knowledge
- of factors which influence attitudes and behavior of individuals and families;
- departmental programs, policies and procedures;
- Knowledge of
- legal basis for departmental programs and requirements;
- community resources and services they provide;
- group process including group leadership skills;
- Considerable
- oral and written communication skills;
- interpersonal skills;
- Ability to understand and explain complex written materials.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
Eight (8) years of experience in work having as its primary responsibility the autonomous and self directed use of case management techniques and therapeutic counseling to sustain or restore client functioning.
NOTE:
- Qualifying experience at this level shall include:
- use of professional interviewing techniques;
- provision of skilled therapeutic counseling to an assigned client caseload;
- assessment of basic client needs (nutritional, environmental, financial, medical, protective service, etc.) through continuing personal observation during home visits and intervention;
- evaluation of social work interns.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED
College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) credit hours equaling six (6) months of employment to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
A Master's degree in counseling or psychology may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience for a total of five (5) years.
A Master's degree in social work or child welfare may be substituted for two (2) additional years of the General Experience for a total of six (6) years.
For state employees two (2) years of experience as a Social Worker-Social and Human Services with responsibility for a caseload focused on children and youth may be substituted for the entire General Experience.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience working with cases and survivors of intimate partner violence and/or offenders.
Conclusion
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.
