Foster Care Social Worker III – Hourly

Catawba County

place Hickory, 28601

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Hybrid (Remote and Onsite), Flexible (Remote or Onsite)

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Counseling, Social Work, Other Behavioral, Mental, or Healthcare Field

local_atm $26.43 - $33.04 an hour

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Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance, Retirement Plan, Flexible Spending Account, Other Benefits

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English, Spanish

New as of 01/01/2026:

Your well-being matters from the start — benefited new hires are eligible for up to 40 hours of advanced annual leave and 40 hours of advanced sick leave.

Position Description

Catawba County Social Services is committed to improving lives by serving children and families with multiple and complex needs. We are currently recruiting for a part-time, hourly Foster Care Social Worker III. The primary purpose of this position is to provide services to children and families when children are in the legal and physical custody of Social Services due to abuse, neglect, and/or dependency.

Social Workers in this role focus on ensuring each child's well-being while collaborating with parents and caretakers toward reunification. This includes conducting home visits, assessments, and case planning, making referrals, and evaluating ongoing progress. When reunification is not possible, the Social Worker will work toward an alternative permanency plan for the child. This position also works closely with the court system by attending hearings, testifying when necessary, and preparing court reports with permanency recommendations.

This position is hourly part-time, working no more than 20 hours per week, and is not eligible for benefits. We are seeking candidates with some evening and weekend availability.

Responsibilities

Work with children, their biological families, and others, including extended family, therapists; school and court personnel, foster families, and others involved with the child to help a child achieve their permanent plan
Develop case plans and interventions that promote safety, permanency, and well-being to support children and families while a child is experiencing foster care
A full range of case management tasks
Preparing information for the court
Timely and thorough documentation
Conduct home visits with birth parents, resource parents, and children

Qualifications

Master’s degree from an accredited school of social work; OR
Master's degree in counseling or human services field and 1 year of social work experience; OR
Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work and 1 year of social work experience; OR
Bachelor’s degree in a human services field and 2 years of social work experience; OR
Bachelor’s degree in a non-human services field and 3 years of social work experience
If the Social Worker position is a child welfare position: Possession of a BSW with the Child Welfare Collaborative Scholarship/Waiver will replace one year of social work experience required.

Additional Requirements

Valid Driver’s license with a safe driving record (Driving is an essential function of this position)
This position collaborates with other mandated positions in Child Welfare Services, so good teamwork skills and flexibility in working across disciplines are essential.
Ability to work with a variety of people, public agencies, and professionals
Strong verbal and writing skills
Effective knowledge of child welfare and social work philosophy and policy
This position requires lifting up to 40 pounds to carry children and belongings.

Preferences:

Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Social Work
Strong experience in using clinical and trauma-focused skills
Experience working with and/or in the mental health system
Direct social work experience in child welfare services or similar experiences
Persons with bilingual ability (English/Spanish) are encouraged to apply.

As of 7/1/2025:
You will find that Catawba County has one of the best benefits packages around. Our Human Resources staff are dedicated to keeping in touch with trends in benefits on both a local and national level, listening to employees' suggestions regarding benefits, and continually reviewing to ensure our benefits package is of good quality and meets the needs of both our employees and our organization.
Available benefits include:

Health Care

Health: For a small bi-weekly premium, employees may choose between a traditional (co-pay) health plan and a high deductible health plan coupled with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Coverage may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), or family.
Dental Insurance: At no cost to full-time employees, the County covers preventive, routine, and non-routine care. Coverage for the same benefits may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), and family. In addition, a $2,000 benefit toward orthodontia coverage is provided for children up to age 19.
Vision Care: Coverage is available, at group rates, for employee and dependents,with 2 plan options to choose from.
Supplemental critical care and accident insurance plans: These optional coverage plans are available at a nominal cost.
Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax accounts that can be used to pay for qualified out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses.

Employee Wellness

Employee Health Clinic (EHC): An employee medical clinic, available to all County employees, which operates 40 hours a week. Services provided include acute care, first aid, evaluation and care for workers' compensation injuries, pre-employment screenings, health education, and behavioral health referrals. Services are offered both in person and through telehealth. Acute care is available to employee’s children ages 3-17, regardless of health insurance coverage, and for employee’s adult children (ages 18-26) or employee’s spouse if covered on the county’s health insurance.
Wellness: The County recognizes the importance of our health and well-being. We maintain a very proactive and effective Wellness Program, including reimbursement and discounts for gym membership, incentives for physical activity, on-site nutrition counseling, free exercise opportunities, wellness education, and more.
Employee Assistance Program: Counseling services are available to all County employees and immediate family members in the home. Services are provided in a private and confidential setting (in-person or virtually). The County provides coverage for the first six visits.

Work Life Balance

Annual Leave:Full-time employees earn from 10-24 days annually based on years of service. Service credit from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
- To help new employees settle in, up to 40 hours of annual leave is advanced upon hire, with first-year accruals adjusted to align with established annual limits.
Sick Leave:Full-time employees earn one day (8 hours) of sick leave per month. Sick leave from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
- New hires are advanced up to 40 hours of sick leave, with first-year accruals adjusted to align with established annual limits.
Holiday Leave: Throughout the year, 11 days of paid leave are provided in recognition of holidays.
Flexible work schedules.
Time off for activities that support our local schools.
Continuing educational assistance.
Discount tickets to recreational venues.
Employee appreciation days/activities.
Tax-free flexible spending account to pay for dependent care.

Financial Security

Local Governmental Employees Retirement System: For employees assigned to work 20 hours per week or more in a benefitted position, participation in this program is automatic. Employees contribute 6% of their salary, which is tax-deferred. After (5) years of creditable service, you become fully vested in the retirement system. Employees may also take advantage of individual and group retirement counseling through the Human Resources department.
401K: The County provides a 2% contribution plus an additional 1% match (up to 3% total contribution by the County). Our sworn law enforcement officers receive a flat 5% contribution to their 401k.
Other Tax Deferred Programs: Other tax-sheltering programs are available through IRS Code 125 (Cafeteria Plan), and a 457 supplemental retirement plan (Deferred Compensation).
Longevity Pay: After 5 years of creditable service, employees receive an annual longevity payment that is paid every year thereafter. This lump sum payment rewards employees for their length of service to Catawba County. The amount is based on years of service.
Life Insurance: Death benefit equal to one times the employee’s annual salary, with a minimum coverage amount of $25,000. Optional supplemental life insurance coverage is also available for both employee and dependents through payroll deduction at group rates.
Short Term Disability: Available at no cost to employees, benefits are available after a 55-day waiting period.
Long Term Disability: Available through payroll deduction at group rates.
Eligibility for membership and financial services at State Employees Credit Union (SECU)/Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU).