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Application Deadline

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Department

About the Position

Come be a part of a dynamic legal team as a Child Social Worker at the Office of the Public Advocate!

The Child Social Worker serves as a key member of our legal team, working closely with attorneys who represent children in dependency, severance, and delinquency matters, ensuring that the expressed interest of the child is emphasized. This position will involve working with our child clients, typically between the ages of 8 and 17, and their specific needs.

We are looking for a skilled problem solver who can diffuse situations and resolve conflicts using good judgment while providing the critical communication and support necessary to keep our most vulnerable community members safe.

If this describes you and you highly value serving our community, join our team and make a difference!

About Us

The Office of the Public Advocate seeks professionals, both attorneys and legal staff members, to join our legal defense team!

We're committed to the mission of protecting the fundamental rights of our clients. We're dedicated to providing effective legal representation to all indigent persons, those individuals who are not able to afford the services of private lawyers, when appointed by the Maricopa County Superior Court. Our clients include juveniles charged with criminal offenses, parents, and children in dependency and severance matters (loss of parental rights), and people facing court-ordered mental health evaluation and treatment. 

Proud to Offer

• Work with a greater purpose
• Tuition reimbursement
• Exceptional work-life balance, with hybrid and alternative work schedule options
• Opportunities for growth and development within Maricopa County
• Low-cost, high-value healthcare for you and your qualifying dependents

• Child care benefits, including access to the Maricopa County Kids Club, dedicated to serving Maricopa County families
• Paid vacation, sick time, and parental leave
• Extensive wellness program, including an incentive
• Enrollment in the Arizona State Retirement System, a defined retirement benefit requiring an 11.98% per paycheck contribution rate that includes a 100% employer match on Day 1
• Want to learn more about the County’s Qualifying and Compensation Philosophy? Follow this link to learn more!  Work With Us | Maricopa County, AZ

We Require

• One year of direct experience within the child protection system as a case worker, family advocate, or social worker

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Psychology, Child Development, Behavioral or Social Science, or other closely related field

We Also Value

• Master's Degree in Psychology, Social Work, or other closely related field
• Two or more years of direct experience working within a child protection system as a case worker, family advocate, or social worker
• Casework within a public defender organization, an Arizona criminal justice agency, Arizona court department, or a probation department

• Experience applying policies, procedures, and state/federal laws related to child welfare within the state of Arizona
• Experience working with youth
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills

Job Contributions

• Meets with and communicates with the child in a juvenile detention facility, the office, and/or at various placements in the community to discuss their history, services, and needs 
• Educates the child in the court process, case plan, and recommended services
• Identifies appropriate residential treatment centers, group homes, foster homes, and outpatient treatment programs as a resource for the child
• Participates in meetings with other professionals/stakeholders to obtain additional and current information as the case progresses
• Attends multi-disciplinary meetings with professionals/stakeholders to advocate for and advance the client’s expressed interest and takes notes for the attorney
• Interprets all written, verbal, and nonverbal information obtained; advises other professionals/stakeholders regarding the direction a case should take or services that need to be provided to the child
• Reviews police reports, pictures of evidence collected by detectives, forensic interviews, medical records, psychological and psychiatric evaluations, developmental assessments, counseling records, parent aide reports, educational assessments, substance abuse treatment records, and any other potential exhibit pertaining to a child abuse and neglect case
• Confers with the authors of the above reports as well as with other persons with knowledge about the child’s circumstance
• Testifies in court as an expert witness as needed
• Presents information on developmental expectations, signs, and symptoms of childhood trauma, alternate treatment modalities, child welfare law, child protective services policies and procedures, available community resources, and current best practices in the field to ensure appropriate care and treatment are provided to the child

Working Conditions

• Must possess or have the ability to obtain a valid Arizona driver's license by the time of hire
• Position requires visiting children in a variety of settings, including remote areas of the State and potentially dangerous parts of town
• It also requires that some visits be made outside of the “normal” work hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday-Friday
• Working in close physical proximity with others and public contact may be a common occurrence
• You may be required to lift 15-25 pounds from floor to waist; 15 pounds waist to shoulder or shoulder to overhead; carry 15-25 pounds 100 feet or push/pull 100 pounds 1000 feet
• Work requires travel to and from job-related locations during a scheduled workday, subject to County policies regarding the use of County vehicles and/or private vehicles used on County businessSee attached JD

Selection Procedure

• Consideration will only be given to candidates who submit online applications

• Candidates will be contacted primarily through email and their Workday online application profile

• Must pass a pre-employment background and/or fingerprint investigation as required by statute or policy, including drug and alcohol testing requirements for positions designated as safety-sensitive

Maricopa County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process or to perform the essential functions of the position under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please contact [email protected] to initiate the interactive process.

Apply Now!