Sr. Social Worker (Foster Care/Permanency Planning)

Salary : $60,444.80 - $69,513.60 Annually
Location : 741 North Highland Avenue, Winston-Salem, NC
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 08988
Department: Social Services
Division: Family and Children
Opening Date: 07/28/2026
Closing Date: Continuous
General Statement of Duties
Forsyth County's Department of Social Services is currently seeking to hire a Sr. Social Worker in the Foster Care/Permanency Planning division. The Foster Care Social Worker in this position has the responsibility of assisting families in developing permanent plans for their children who have been placed in custody of the Forsyth County Department of Social Services.
Distinguishing Features
Permanent plans include reuniting children with the parent/caretaker from whom they were removed; custody/guardianship to an approved caretaker or relative; and adoption. The social worker will be required to collaborate with the families to assess their needs; review and monitor their progress on goals; refer them to the appropriate community resources; complete required documentation and paperwork; and work within the guidelines of state mandated time frames. There will be regular court reviews on all cases, and the social worker will be responsible for writing court reports and presenting the information in court.
The primary hours of work are from 8:00am until 5:00pm but flexibility in scheduling is needed to meet the needs of the families served and the mandated time frames.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
This position has been identified to interact with children and must comply with NC G.S. 153A-94.2(b) "requires an applicant for employment to work with children in any capacity, must require the applicant, if offered the position, to be subject to a criminal history record check conducted by the SBI." These checks must be conducted in accordance with G.S. 143B- , the statute which authorizes the SBI to provide a fingerprint-based state and national criminal record check to cities and counties.
Minimum Education and Experience
Master's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work or;
Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative or;
Bachelor's degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year of directly related experience or;
Master's degree in counseling in a human services field and one year of social work or counseling (Department of Social Services) or;
Bachelor's degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years of directly related experience or;
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and three years of directly related experience (Department of Social Services).
Valid driver's license required.

• A valid driver's license is essential to the functions of this position as regular travel outside of the office is fundamental to the daily work. Foster Care Social Workers must visit the children in their caseload in the child's home setting monthly, attend school-based meetings routinely, attend court hearings regularly, attend community-based meetings regularly, and respond to emergency situations quickly.

If you do not meet the minimum "experience requirements" as listed above for the position but have the required bachelor degree, you may apply for consideration as a possible "Work Against" status. Consideration for "Work Against" applicants will be considered if recruitment for qualified Sr. Social Worker is unsuccessful.
Hiring Rate for Work Against is $49,732.80
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR A BACHELOR'S DEGREE. YOU MUST SUBMIT COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT WITH APPLICATION.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Foster Care Social Workers must have a valid driver's license and the ability to work outside the office in places such as the client's home, court rooms, schools, etc.
• He/she must be able to make and report observations accurately without personal biases; and must be able to communicate effectively with people from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds and mental capacities.
• A Foster Care Senior Social Worker should have excellent assessment skills, sound judgment, the ability to serve children and families from all socioeconomic backgrounds with a range of mental capacities, without personal biases.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are also necessary for this position.

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01
The following supplemental questions may be used as a scored evaluation of your knowledge, skills and experience. Be certain that the choices you make correspond to the information you have provided on your application. Please be as honest and accurate as possible. You may be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in a work sample or during a hiring interview.By completing this supplemental evaluation you are attesting that the information you have provided is accurate. Any information you provide may be reviewed by the hiring manager. Any misstatements or falsification of information may eliminate you from consideration or may result in dismissal. "See resume" is not an acceptable answer to the questions.

• Yes I understand and agree
• No I do not agree

02
Please select your highest level of completed education.

• Some High School
• High School Diploma or GED
• Some College, Trainings, Certifications
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree or Advanced Degree

03
Do you have a Bachelor's degree in Social Work (BSW)?

• Yes
• No

04
Do you have a Masters degree in Social Work (MSW)?

• Yes
• No

05
Did you complete the NC State Child Welfare Pre-Service Training?

• Yes
• No

06
Which best describes your years of work experience in Child Welfare Services?

• No experience
• Less than 2 years
• 3 to 5 years
• 2 years to less than 10 years
• 10 years or more

07
Do you have a valid driver's license?

• Yes
• No

Required Question