Social Worker III, Trainee

Buncombe County Government

. Co-work child welfare cases with a START Family Mentor for families requiring mandated Child Protective Services .

Posted 11/6/2026full-timeAsheville • North Carolina • United StatesEntry Level💰 $26 - $36 per hourWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in child welfare case management, including assessment, planning, and execution of services for children and families. Proficient in establishing rapport with clients and community professionals while utilizing a strengths-based, family-centered approach.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Master's Degree In Social WorkChild Protective ServicesCase Management ServicesFamily-Centered Social Work PracticeKnowledge Of Social Work Principles

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

AssessmentPlanningCounselingInterviewingExecution SkillsKnowledge Of Medical And Behavioral ProblemsKnowledge Of Criminal Justice ProceduresKnowledge Of Funding SourcesPermanency PlanningClear Written And Verbal Expression

Soft Skills

Ability To PrioritizeAbility To De-EscalateEstablishing Constructive RelationshipsIdentifying And Assessing RisksInterpersonal Relations

Certifications & Qualifications

Current Valid North Carolina Driver's License

Industry Keywords

Foster CareDSS Legal CustodyStrengths-Based ApproachCommunity Systems And ResourcesState And Federal Regulations

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Co-work child welfare cases with a START Family Mentor for families requiring mandated Child Protective Services
Work Foster Care cases
Provide mandated services to children and families affected by parental substance use
Ensure children who cannot safely return to birth families achieve safe and legally secure placement via adoption or guardianship
Evaluate, arrange, maintain, and supervise temporary substitute care plans
Provide direct services to children and pre-adoptive caregivers
Assess, prepare, place, and monitor children cleared for adoption
Provide state-mandated case management services for children in DSS Legal Custody
Develop and monitor service plans with families and provide or refer services
Make recommendations to the court regarding services, progress, and barriers to permanency
Establish rapport with children, families, and community professionals using a strengths-based, family-centered approach
Perform other related duties as assigned

Requirements

What you’ll need

Master's degree in Social Work; or Bachelor's degree in Social Work and one (1) year of directly related experience; or Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Sociology, Psychology, or Human Services and two (2) years directly related experience; or Bachelor's degree in another field and three (3) years of directly related experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience
Current, valid North Carolina driver's license
Must relocate or reside within a 2-hour drive from 200 College Street, Asheville NC 28801 within 6 months of hire
Ability to prioritize, identify, and assess risks, problems, and needs in stressful situations
Ability to effectively de-escalate individuals
Knowledge of medical, behavioral, and socio-economic problems and their treatment
Knowledge of funding sources and how to utilize them
Knowledge of criminal justice procedures, medical and mental disorders, personality theory, family systems dynamics, interpersonal relations, cultural differences, values, and lifestyles
Skills in establishing constructive relationships with resistant clients and utilizing family-centered social work practice
Interviewing, counseling, clear written and verbal expression, planning, and execution skills
Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, practices, agency procedures, community systems and resources, state and federal regulations, permanency planning, and laws governing protective services for children

Benefits

Comp & perks

Hybrid schedule allowed over time
Time-and-a-half leave accrued for hours worked over 40
Promotion and increased compensation upon becoming fully qualified as Social Worker III