Lutheran Social Services of the NAT logo
Lutheran Social Services of the NAT
Washington, District of Columbia

Bilingual Child Welfare Social Worker

Social WorkerIncludes callNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$85k-$86k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, benefits and time off.

Posted 7mo ago

Job Description

  • Level: Experienced
  • Job Location: Home Office (Headquarters) - DC - Washington, DC 20036
  • Position Type: Full Time
  • Education Level: Master's of Social Work Required
  • Salary Range: $85,000.00 - $86,000.00 Salary
  • Travel Percentage: 10 - 20%Job
  • Shift: Day
  • Job Category: Nonprofit - Social Services

The Bilingual Child Welfare Social Worker will provide case management for children, and their families that have been placed in foster care in the District of Columbia. Incumbent will provide assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families to facilitate timely permanency outcomes. Essential Functions

  • Meeting with children and families face to face to conduct safety assessments, determine service needs, and monitor progress toward case plan goals.
  • Work with children/youth, foster parents, and other professional partners to assess capabilities and concerns, and to determine what services are required to meet their needs.
  • Facilitate and supervise family visitation.
  • Serve as liaison/advocate between families and foster parents, health specialists, school staff, DC Family Court, and other service providers.
  • Maintain case records and prepare reports (ie: court reports, treatment plans, contact notes, and monthly reports).
  • Refer children and/or families to community resources for services such as educational support, employment training, financial literacy, legal aid, housing, and medical treatment, and assist families with getting services as well as provide thorough information about where to go and how to apply.
  • Work in a team environment to include attorneys, service providers, community partners, and government entities.
  • Develop and review case plans in consultation with families and perform follow-ups assessing the quantity and quality of services provided.
  • Arrange for medical, psychiatric, and other tests that may disclose causes of difficulties and indicate remedial measures.
  • Coordinate medical and behavioral health appointments.
  • Assist with placing children/youth in foster homes, institutions, or medical treatment centers if/and when needed.
  • Prepare children and families for successful permanency outcomes
  • Maintain comprehensive and timely documentation of all contact with children/youth, families of origin, foster parents, attorneys, and any other member of the team.
  • Participate in an after hours on-call rotation. Qualifications
  • DC LGSW or LMSW: Knowledge or understanding of child welfare systems and guidance
  • Master’s degree (MSW) from an accredited college or university; licensed to practice social work in DC & MD
  • Culturally competent: experience with different cultures, religions, and nationalities.
  • Experience in writing cohesive and coherent court reports, treatment plans, contact notes, and monthly reports.
  • Experience in family therapy and/or trauma informed therapy.
  • Must have reliable and accessible transportation
  • Valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance.
  • Required to pass to child protection clearances, federal and state criminal histories.
  • Required to pass background and drug screen, and TB test Preferred Skills
  • 2 plus years of experience in child welfare
  • 2 plus years of experience in the foster care system
  • Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel)
  • Experienced in data collection systems
  • Ability to manage time well.
  • Ability to work independently and in a group.

Key Responsibilities

The Bilingual Child Welfare Social Worker will provide case management for children and families in foster care in the District of Columbia, focusing on improving social and psychological functioning to achieve timely permanency outcomes. Essential functions include conducting safety assessments, facilitating family visitation, serving as a liaison between various partners, and maintaining comprehensive case records and reports.

Requirements

Candidates must possess a Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) and be licensed to practice social work in both DC and MD (DC LGSW or LMSW required). Additional requirements include cultural competence, experience writing detailed reports, experience in family or trauma-informed therapy, reliable transportation, and the ability to pass required background checks and screenings.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

AdvocacyRecord KeepingReport WritingCommunity Resources ReferralTeamworkCase Plan DevelopmentMedical CoordinationBehavioral Health CoordinationFoster Care Placement

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Bilingual Child Welfare Social Worker at Lutheran Social Services of the NAT a 6.1 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Social Work — ranked against 6,518 active Social Work listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.

Social Worker Career Context

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 68% are remote, 38% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Washington is 107.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$86k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $80k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Washington clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Social Work by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score6.1 / 10 · above average in social workranked against 6,518 Social Work listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$80k in purchasing powerWashington index 107.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Social Work listings in Washington131 active6,601 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 68% remote · 38% no call · 68% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (6,518 Social Work listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Location & Logistics

Washington has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$86k midpoint, that is roughly $3k–$6k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.

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Salary Distribution

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Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

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401k / retirement match
100%
Sign-on bonus
59%
CME allowance
18%

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 6.1
Better work-life than 50% of Social Work listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 6,518 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • Includes call
Lutheran Social Services of the NAT logo

About Lutheran Social Services of the NAT

Health and Human Services
Washington, District of Columbia
51-200 employees