5A03

PAY RANGE:  EP10*

SOCIAL SERVICES TRAINEE

GENERAL DEFINITION

          This is social services work at the trainee level.  Employees in this class learn the principles, practices and techniques required to perform social services work subsequent to successful completion of a comprehensive internship program with the Department of Human Services as part of a federal and state sponsored program.  Work includes exposure to the variety of counseling, referral, placement and/or adoptive functions required to provide services to children and youth, services to adults and aging, services to individuals with mental illness and/or intellectual disabilities, services for family medical care and/or for correctional rehabilitation.  Assignments vary in nature and increase in difficulty as the employee gains experience.  Work is performed under the close supervision of a technical or managerial superior.

ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be approved for this class.)

· Employees work and train in a social services program with the intent of becoming proficient in the profession.

· Positions in this class are available only to employees who have successfully completed a comprehensive internship program with the Department of Human Services as part of a federal and state sponsored program.

TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)

All Positions

Attends training sessions, seminars and lectures to learn the concepts, principles, practices, and application of social services work required to become proficient in designated assignments; reads and studies textbooks, manuals, instruction sheets and applicable rules and regulations; receives instruction in the interpretation and application of appropriate laws, rules, regulations and procedures.

Receives on-the-job training on the accepted social services work methods and techniques for performing a variety of counseling, referral, placement and/or adoptive functions; consults with immediate supervisor on departmental policies, programs, and procedures; observes higher level employees in performing various phases of social services work within respective service areas; receives orientation on the respective programs within assigned functional area; receives instruction and performs a variety of field and office activities in the assigned phases of activity to enable an employee to learn to perform the work.

Interviews defined client and/or family members to elicit socio-economic, family, medical, employment and educational, and criminal justice background and history; reviews case record to identify special needs and/or problems; observes behavior of appropriate case members; discusses case with concerned members of professional and community groups; defines and identifies individuals and family members needs and problems.

Performs related work a required.

Department of Human Services Positions Only:

Quality Visitation Reviewer

Learn with supervision and become proficient in visiting homes and meeting with families to ensure that case documentation matches the family’s experience of services received.

Team Coordinator:

Learn with supervision and become proficient in completing Family Finding and all other appropriate searches for extended family and supports utilizing electronic searches and databases;  schedules team decision making meetings and invites all stakeholders to attend meetings; completes the initial Family Information Form to identify relatives to notify about placement; engages families and explains the purpose and importance of participating in the team meeting;  attends the team meeting and records notes and recommendations that will drive the practice.

Schedules teaming decision making meetings.

Gathers information on, communicates with and schedules participants in the teamings.

          Assists the Practice Specialist in preparation for each teaming; reviews any case documents such as the current status of cases and service plans and gathers pertinent information; provides any necessary support to ensure that teamings occur timely and successfully; tracks progress and maintains record of all teamings; prepares reports, forms, and correspondences as appropriate. 

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

KNOWLEDGE OF:

· the basic principles, practices and techniques of social work.

· social factors which contribute to attitudes and behaviors common to abandoned, neglected and/or dependent individuals.

· principles, practices and techniques required to write narrative reports. 

· English usage and grammar. 

· uses and applications of personal computers and current standard software packages used for word processing, data base manipulation and preparation of spreadsheets as required by job assignment.

· application of basic statistics.

ABILITY TO:

· learn increasingly more complicated principles, practices and techniques of social work.

· learn the functions and resources of public and private welfare and related agencies for meeting social, financial, and medical problems.

· learn the theories, principles and techniques of working with individuals with severe emotional, mental, and social problems.

· learn the principles, practices and techniques of individual and family counseling.

· learn casework principles, practices and techniques.

· learn the principles, practices and methods of group dynamics.

· apply social work techniques to specific problems.

· present ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.

· speak and understand the designated non-English language for the Bilingual specialty.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests.  Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 11/12.)

EDUCATION:

          Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university with major course work in social work that has included successful completion of a comprehensive internship program with the Department of Human Services as part of a federal and state sponsored program.

Note: The internship program may have been completed no more than one year before the last date for accepting applications for the examination for this class.

NOTE: Child Protective Service Law requires FBI criminal history background check as well as the Pennsylvania State Police criminal history background check and Pennsylvania child abuse background check as a condition of initial employment to the class and during tenure of employment.

Department of Human Services Positions Only

NOTE: If the FBI/Pennsylvania State Police criminal background checks reveal the existence of a disqualifying offense, additional documentation must be submitted as required by the City of Philadelphia to determine eligibility for appointment to or continued employment in the class under the Child Protective Services Law. 

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND/OR CERTIFICATES

          Possession of a valid proper class motor vehicle operator's license as issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania prior to examination as a Social Services Trainee. 

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

          Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.

Class Established: 06/05

Spec. Revision: CSC- 6/06; Ad Board- 11/06

Spec. Revision: CSC- 9/12; Ad Board- 11/12

Spec. Revision: CSC- 2/18; Ad Board- 3/18

Latest Spec. Revision:

CSC – 07/19

Ad. Board – 09/19

Change in pay rate:

CSC – 9/22

Ad. Board – 10/22

JH/JL