Salary: $69,348.00 - $93,288.00 Annually
Location : Pierce County - Tacoma, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Permanent
Job Number:Department: Dept of Children, Youth, and Families
Division: CW Field Operations - Region 5
Opening Date: 07/31/2026
Closing Date: 8/14/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step
Description Job Title: CFWS Adoptions Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3)
Location: Tacoma, WA
Closes: 8/14/26
Salary: $69,348 - $93,288 Annually
DCYF is looking for a Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS) Adoptions Social Service Specialist to join our team in Tacoma. If you are someone who enjoys seeing children/youth find permanency, overcome trauma, and move through grief and loss to find stability, this may be the job for you. Our team brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, and we enjoy supporting each other and creating a solution-focused environment. We are looking for a Social Service Specialist who possesses strong case management skills, knowledge of adoption, guardianship, and the importance of permanency for all children in foster care.
If you would like to come and join our amazing team and build a career making a significant difference in the lives of children, apply today!
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The Opportunity:In this role, you will work with children and teens, support relatives and foster parents, and collaborate with service providers, attorneys, and other external stakeholders to ensure positive outcomes for youth. Your caseload will emphasize adoption, engage in critical thinking through shared decision-making and case planning, and protect children from harm.
Some of what you'll do:- Complete health and safety visits and assess for child well-being and barriers to permanency.
- Attend all child-related meetings required by policy and in the child's best interest.
- Collaboratively work with families, courts, DCYF social workers, and child advocates to offer supportive adoption services and prioritize timely permanency.
- Write and file court reports, declarations, or other required documents within the required timeframes.
- Implement culturally-relevant, ADA-sensitive, and individualized service plans with clients that are goal-directed and have specific behavioral objectives.
- Collaborate with community professionals planning services for dependent legally-free children to include juvenile court, mental health agencies, schools, and contracted providers •
- Crisis counseling and intervention for children and coordinate and monitor appropriate placement in the least restrictive setting.
- Develop and implement informed permanent plans that are responsive to the child's permanency needs.
- Participate in decision-making through shared staffing forums to identify and develop permanent plans.
- Provide assessments of safety and risk as defined by law and best practice using the agency-preferred models.
- Assess resource needs of children and caregivers and provide placement and placement stabilization supports.
- Evaluate progress of children by assessing verbal and written reports from therapists, counselors, caregivers, school personnel, family members, and other significant individuals.
- Identify and develop community support and resources.
- Utilize Famlink to document case activities and maintain case records
What we are looking for (Required Qualifications):Social Service Specialist 3: - Six (6) years of paid social service experience* AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline.
OR - Bachelor's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or any degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND Two (2) years of paid social service experience*.
OR - Master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or any degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND One (1) year of paid social service experience*.
OR - One (1) year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 2.
AND- The ability to take action to learn and grow.
- The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.
*Paid Social Service experience must include at least one year of assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.
Preferred/Desired Qualifications:- Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply current applicable laws, rules, and policies on delivery of child protective and child welfare services.
- Demonstrated ability to partner effectively with community partners and professionals to develop and maintain resource teams to support children and families.
- Ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with caregivers (parents, foster parents, relatives, kin or facility staff).
- Ability to evaluate, analyze, and assess risk and safety in all cases and implement appropriate procedures using the agency-preferred risk and safety assessment tools.
- Demonstrated knowledge of FAMLINK system for documentation.
Worker Core Training (WCT):As a Social Service Specialist, you are required to successfully complete a mandatory 9.5-week Worker Core Training (WCT). This training provides the foundational knowledge and skills needed to perform core job functions, including assessing risk and safety, supporting child well-being, gathering information, and conducting case and permanency planning. During the training, you will have opportunities to practice these skills through classroom activities, simulation exercises, and debriefs. Upon hire, you will be assigned to the nearest available training cohort. The training includes four (4) weeks at our Seattle training site (scheduled for Weeks 2, 4, 6, and 8). For those eligible for travel from their assigned duty location, DCYF covers hotel accommodations and per diem costs.
The WCT curriculum is designed to prepare Social Service Specialists for the responsibilities of the role, including:
- Understanding the child welfare system
- Familiarity with the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) related to child welfare
- Policies, procedures, and best practices
- Assessing child safety through environmental observation, interviews with children and caregivers, and collateral contacts
- Collecting records and collaborating with community partners, including medical providers, law enforcement, and chemical dependency services
- Completing assessments and documenting case notes
- Writing dependency petitions and court reports
- Preparing for and testifying in court
How do I apply?Complete your applicant profile and attach the following:
- Transcripts (Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for application submission)
- Cover Letter
- Current resume detailing experience and education.
