Licensed Child Welfare Social Worker
Listed compensation
$85K - $86K
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern, benefits and time off.
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 Licensed 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 Licensed Child Welfare Social Worker will manage cases for children and families in DC foster care, providing assistance to improve social and psychological functioning to achieve timely permanency outcomes. Key duties include conducting safety assessments, monitoring case plans, facilitating visitations, serving as a liaison, 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). Essential qualifications include cultural competence, experience writing detailed court reports and treatment plans, and experience in family or trauma-informed therapy, along with reliable transportation.
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Licensed Child Welfare Social Worker at LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES OF THE NAT a 6.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 35% of all Social Work social worker listings evaluated on our platform.
Social Worker Career Context
Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 64% are remote, 42% have no call, 62% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for District of Columbia is 109.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$86k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $78k in an average-cost state. 64.3% of District of Columbia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $85k–$86k | Social Work median $73k (middle half $63k–$82k)290 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$78k in purchasing power | District of Columbia index 109.9 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Social Work listings in District of Columbia | 24 active | 6,524 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 64% remote · 42% no call · 62% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
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