Candidate Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a closely related field required.
• Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL), Child Endangerment Risk Assessment Protocol (CERAP), and Child Abuse and Neglect (CANS) certification required, or the ability to obtain within 90 days of hire.
• Ability to speak English and Spanish required.
• Experience providing collaborative, strength-based services to kids and families preferred.
• Ability to attend in-person meetings and events as needed required.
• Valid driver's license, insurance, and a reliable vehicle required.

What You'll Do

• Manage a reduced caseload of families with children in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) due to an indicated investigation of abuse or neglect.
• Partner with families to assess strengths, needs, and natural support systems.
• Collaborate with families and support networks to develop solutions that promote reunification, permanency, or ongoing family connections.
• Provide comprehensive and consistent engagement with family, including needs assessments, service planning, coordination, child safety monitoring, resource referrals, and progress tracking.
• Participate in required meetings with agencies, community providers, and other systems to support family goals.
• Prepare and present court reports, attend hearings, and testify on behalf of the child’s and family’s best interests.
• Plan home visits, including scheduled and unannounced visits, in alignment with best practices and policy.
• Address safety concerns and report suspected abuse or neglect to DCFS in compliance with the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
• Maintain accurate documentation, records, and billing in accordance with program requirements.

Job Details

Compensation: $57,416/annual fixed salary for qualified English/Spanish bilingual candidates. The salary range provided represents our current estimate for this role at the time of posting and is subject to change. The final salary will be determined based on a range of factors, including but not limited to, a candidate's relevant experience, education, qualifications, skills, certifications, and alignment with organizational needs. We are dedicated to fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to fostering a diverse workforce while providing equal opportunities for all candidates.

Additional Compensation: A $3,000 CWEL Stay Bonus payable in two installments: $1,500 after 6 months of consecutive employment and $1,500 after 12 months of consecutive employment. Eligibility for the bonus is contingent upon the role requiring the CWEL certification.

Opportunity for Promotion: Eligibility for promotion into an Advanced Specialist role within 6-12 months of hire which includes a salary increase.

Benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, 3+ weeks paid time off in the first year including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day (PTO increases with tenure); 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match (more benefits details here).

Location: Hybrid (remote/in office); majority of your time will be spent in Winnebago, Boone and surrounding counties completing home visits to foster homes or meeting with clients in an agency office or community setting, with other opportunities to complete service documentation and other case coordination from your preferred location (in office, or remotely).

Schedule: Full-time, salaried; general business hours with some flexibility required for accommodating client’s schedules and special projects. On call responsibilities on a shared rotation.

We don’t just hire talent—we grow it: Emerging Leaders will have access to leadership development opportunities and one-on-one mentorship.

Student Loan Forgiveness: Brightpoint is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).