DoD SkillBridge: Child Protective Investigator - Military Veterans

DoD SkillBridge Internship: Child Protective Investigator

Industry Mentor: Florida Department of Children and Families

SkillBridge Provider: Vets2PM LLC

Location: Multiple locations in Florida

*See below for specific locations

Applicants must be active-duty U.S. Military Members who qualify for the DoD SkillBridge Program.

To Apply:  Apply to this internship posting and if you haven't already go to www.vets2pm.com/skillbridge and complete the SkillBridge interest form (this is a requirement).

About the Florida Department of Children and Families: 

Working in partnership with local communities to protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families, and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

This department is seeking U.S. military veterans to fill critical positions via the DoD SkillBridge program. If you are interested in this internship, in any location in Florida, please apply and we will connect you with the proper people to discuss DoD SkillBridge opportunities. 

Florida Department of Children and Families website: https://www.myflfamilies.com/

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, including utilization of equipment, required for the internship:  

• Knowledge of theories and practice in child protection.
• Knowledge of professional ethics relating to child protection and counseling.
• Knowledge of family-centered interviewing and counseling techniques.
• Knowledge of investigative techniques.
• Knowledge of interviewing and observation techniques.
• Skill in considering child development in guiding placement of children.
• Ability to recognize indicators of abuse and neglect.
• Ability to conduct risk and safety investigations.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments.
• Ability to understand and apply relevant laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to actively listen to others.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to maintain well-executed case files.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to utilize computer systems.
• Ability to write accurate investigative reports.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

This is professional work protecting children, working with families, and conducting investigations of alleged abused, abandoned, neglected, or exploited children.

• Conducts investigations regarding allegations of abuse, neglect, abandonment and/or special conditions for children;
• Collects information through interviews with the children, parents, relatives, neighbors, and other parties associated with the case;
• Engages families, identifies needs, and determines the level of intervention needed to include voluntary services or court-ordered dependency services; provides services linkages to agency and community resources based on needs assessment. Provides recommendations for development of case plan to Case Manager;
• Conducts initial/ongoing child Present and Impending Danger assessments;
• Develops with the family a signed Present Danger Plan and a signed safety plan for any identified threats and interventions;
• Arranges emergency placement for any child that cannot safely remain in the home;
• Notifies state attorney, law enforcement, child protection team, and other required individuals as appropriate;
• Schedules and gathers information for and participates in case staffings;
• Prepares appropriate reports/documentation in coordination with Children’s Legal Services and provides testimony in court;
• Maintains thorough documentation in the client records/appropriate information system(s) and maintains organized client files;
• Reports indication of abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment to the Florida Abuse Hotline;
• Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with organizations and other agencies involved with child protective investigations such as community-based providers, Children’s Legal Services, law enforcement, medical personnel, schools, and other community/agency resources;
• Ensures effective communication with deaf or hard-of-hearing Customers or companions in accordance with the ADA and/or Section 504 and shall manage service records and report this data and any resources and/or training needs to their designated program point of contact.

Licensure/Registration/Certification requirements (if applicable): 

• Incumbents in this job class are required to use a personal vehicle to conduct field investigations, field visitations, or transportation of clients, and must maintain a valid driver's license, vehicle registration, and appropriate automobile insurance.
• Selected candidates will receive a Vehicle Insurance Allowance twice a year. 
• Florida Child Protective Investigator certification must be obtained within 12 months after obtaining provisional certification. 
• A high school diploma or GED equivalent and four years of law enforcement experience or active military service (honorably discharged or status that current service reflects serving honorably);
• or An associate degree or 60+ credit hours from an accredited college or university and two years of professional work experience (see examples below) or two years of law enforcement experience or active military service (honorably discharged or status that current service reflects serving honorably);
• Examples of professional work experience could be, although not limited to:
• Guardian Ad Litem or similar child advocate role
• Family Support Worker
• Group Home Worker
• Teacher's Assistant/Aide
• Daycare Provider/Worker
• Therapeutic Assistant
• Behavioral Health Technician
• Family Intervention Specialist
• Home Health Aide
• Nurse (LPN or RN) or similar profession
• Nursing Facility Assistant
• EMT
• Other welfare, education or medical professional jobs that occur in high-paced, high-stress environments that require critical decision-making to occur.
• or A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

Other job-related requirements for this position:

• Drug Screening
• Background & Fingerprints required

[NOTE: Because this is a SkillBridge Internship, it is understood that no single candidate will have equal expertise in all the areas of responsibility listed. Successful candidates will possess a compelling combination of many of them and the self-awareness and wisdom to leverage existing and/or new resources in the area(s) where they lack personal mastery.]

Current locations for this position: Arcadia, Belle Glade, Bradenton, Chiefland, Daytona Beach, Deland, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Fort Walton Beach, Gainesville, Inverness, Jacksonville, Largo, Live Oak, Miami, Milton, New Port Richey, Ocala, Opa Locka, Orange Park, Orlando, Palatka, Palm Bay, Pensacola, Port Charlotte, Rockledge, Sanford, Sarasota, St. Augustine, Tallahassee, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Wildwood