Social Worker for a Community-Based Child Protection Project in Beirut

We are looking for a compassionate Social Worker to help serve children and families that are affected by issues such as post-traumatic stress, neglect, child abuse, domestic violence, mental health, and parental abuse. You will be in charge of community outreach, PSS sessions, assessing children and families and gathering relevant information about their cases, providing crisis intervention, and contacting and making referrals to other agencies and services. The project will be implemented in a public school in Beirut - daily physical presence on the field is required.  

Duties/Assignments:

Provide social services and assistance to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families and to maximize the family well-being and the academic functioning of children.

The Social Worker will:

1) Interview children individually, in families, or in groups, assessing their situations, capabilities, and problems, to determine what services are required to meet their needs.

2) Establish and deliver structured recreational activities, engaged community volunteers when possible, and coordinate these with education activities. Sessions selected will be adapted to fit the focus of each session including: emotional processing, the accumulation of stressors, coping mechanisms, as well as sessions tackling other CP concerns.

3) Counsel individuals, groups, families, or communities regarding issues including mental health, poverty, unemployment, substance abuse, physical abuse, rehabilitation, social adjustment, child care, and/or medical care.

4) Maintain case history records and prepare reports.

5) Counsel children whose behavior, school progress, or mental or physical impairment indicate a need for assistance, diagnosing children' problems and arranging for needed services.

6) Consult with parents, and caregivers to determine causes of problems such as truancy and misbehavior, and to implement solutions.

7) Find, refer, or arrange for support services, such as child care, homemaker service, prenatal care, substance abuse treatment, or counseling, to prevent more serious problems from developing.

8) Refer children and families to community resources for services such as legal aid, housing, or medical treatment, and provide concrete information, such as where to go and how to apply.

9) Maintains client confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.

10) Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.

Social Worker Requirements:

- Bachelor degree in psychology, social work or related field.
- Experience working with children that are affected by issues including post traumatic stress, neglect, child abuse, domestic violence, mental health and parental substance abuse. (3 years minimum).
- Ability to give full attention to what children and families are saying, understand the points being made, ask questions and not interrupt inappropriately.
- Awareness of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Ability to judge the relative costs and benefits of potential social service and health care actions and choose the most appropriate one.
- Comfortable using a computer for various tasks.
- Proficient in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Ability to stay calm and empathize with clients when they are upset.
- Knowledge of crisis intervention.
- You must have the passion of serving people and the cause you will be working for.