Child Support Specialist

Improving the Lives of Solano County Children

The mission of the Department of Child Support Services is to promote the well-being of children and the self-sufficiency of families by assisting both parents to meet the financial and medical needs of their children through the delivery of quality child support establishment, collection and distribution services.

California's child support program works with parents and guardians to ensure children and families receive court-ordered financial and medical support. Child support services are available to the general public through a network of 51 county and regional child support agencies. Solano County Department of Child Support Services serves approximately 17,000 families. Some of the services provided include: locating a parent; establishing paternity; establishing, modifying and enforcing court order for child support; and establishing, modifying and enforcing an order for health coverage. 

To learn more about the Department of Child Support Services please visit our website: http://www.solanocounty.com/depts/dcss  

This is the journey level within the Child Support Specialist series.  The incumbents perform the full range of activities to enforce child support laws.  Incumbents in this class are expected to be fully proficient in the specific laws, policies, civil and criminal procedures and processes required to establish and enforce child support cases.  Work is performed in accordance with established policies and procedures but also requires the ability to use independent judgment and discretion. 

Child Support Specialists are expected to handle a high volume of work which is deadline driven. Applicants must be able to prioritize, plan, and project their work, but at the same time be flexible to changes at any moment, such as unscheduled visits from clients. They work in a high stress environment. It is important to understand that the actions a Child Support Specialist takes impacts the lives of clients and their families, both emotionally and financially.

The Department of Child Support Services is recruiting for a regular, full-time position.

The eligible list established from this recruitment will be used to fill part-time and full-time regular, limited-term or extra-help positions as vacancies occur or the need arises. In addition, this list may be used to fill bilingual positions as some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish.  

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Education: Completion of 15 semester or 22.5 quarter units from an accredited college or university preferably in Sociology, Social Work, Business, Public Administration, Liberal Arts, Paralegal, Criminal Justice or other related courses.

AND

Experience: One year of experience as a Child Support Specialist (Entry) in Solano County or similar class in another agency OR two years of experience as a Child Support Assistant or comparable class in another agency.  

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants may be required to possess a valid California Driver’s License, Class C. Note: All licenses, certificates and registrations must be kept current while employed in this class.
• Independent travel may be required.  
• Positions allocated to this class may require bilingual skills.  
• Candidates for positions in this class will be required to pass a background investigation in accordance with applicable law, regulation and/or policy.  
• Pursuant to the California State DCSS Information Security Manual, upon selection or hire, you will be restricted from accessing child support cases where you are a participant, and/or a person on the case is known to you (e.g., relatives, friends, or business relationships).

To review the job description for this position, please visit:
http://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=15593

10/25/2017 – Deadline to submit application and required documents.

11/15/2017 – Tentative date for written exam.

Based on the information provided in the application documents, the qualified applicants may be invited for further examination and will either be pre-scheduled by the Department of Human Resources or be invited to self-schedule. All applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. Depending upon the number of applications received, the selection process may consist of an initial application screening, a mandatory information meeting, a supplemental questionnaire assessment, a written and/or practical exam, an oral board exam, or any combination listed. Responses to supplemental questions may be used as screening and testing mechanisms and will be used to assess an applicant’s ability to advance in the process; as such, responses to supplemental questions should be treated as test examination responses. Information contained herein does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

A minimum score of 70% is required to continue in the selection process, unless otherwise announced.

All potential new hires and employees considered for promotion to management, confidential positions or unrepresented positions will be subject to a background and reference check after contingent job offer is accepted.  These provisions are subject to change.

RETIREES - Solano County invites all qualified candidates to apply for positions; however pursuant to Government Code Section 21221(h) and 21224, hiring restrictions may apply to California Public Sector Pension Plan Retirees.

The position requires educational units. All candidates must submit a copy of their official/unofficial transcripts (to include name of student, name of college, and verifying courses and units completed) by the final filing date.  Candidates who fail to submit their diploma or transcripts by the final filing date will be disqualified from the recruitment. 

PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:  Candidates who attended a college or university that is accredited by a foreign or non-U.S. accrediting agency must have their educational units evaluated by an educational evaluation service.  The result must be submitted to the Human Resources Department no later than the close of the recruitment.  Please contact the local college or university to learn where this service can be obtained.

How to Submit Your Documents

In addition to uploading attachments when applying online, candidates may submit documents in-person or by mail at Solano County Department of Human Resources 675 Texas Street, Suite 1800, Fairfield CA  94533, by fax to (707) 784-3424, or by email to recruitment@solanocounty.com.  When submitting documents in-person, by mail or by fax, include the recruitment title (Child Support Specialist) and the recruitment number (17-413060-01).  If submitting documents by email include the recruitment title and recruitment number in the subject field.

To be eligible, applicant must have served at least 181 consecutive days of active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States and have received either an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions.  A COPY OF THE DD 214, SHOWING DISCHARGE TYPE (GENERALLY COPY 4), MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT BY THE FINAL FILING DATE.  Applicants who have a service connected disability must also submit a recent award letter from the VA stating they are receiving disability benefits for service connected reasons. 

Veteran applicants for initial County employment with an honorable or general under conditions discharge shall receive five (5) points added to their combined score.  Disabled veterans rated at not less than 30% disability shall have ten (10) points added to their combined score.  Veteran’s preference points will only be added to passing scores in competitive open examinations.

It is the policy of Solano County that all employment decisions and personnel policies will be applied equally to all County employees and applicants and be based upon the needs of County service, job related merit, and ability to perform the job.

APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES:  Qualified individuals with a disability, who are able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, and need an accommodation during any phase of the recruitment/testing/examination process (as detailed in the “Selection Process”), must complete the following Request for Testing Accommodation by Applicants with Disabilities Form: http://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=23215.

This form must be received in the Human Resources Department by the final filing date of the recruitment.  Applicants will be contacted to discuss the specifics of the request.

 Click here to take a video tour of Solano County.

The County of Solano offers a blend of agriculture, corporate business, cultural venues, festivals and events, and provides residents with many recreation and entertainment choices. The County is also home to Travis Air Force Base.

Solano County is centrally located and serves as a gateway to all that Northern California has to offer. The Napa Valley is less than 20 miles away, two world-class public universities (UC Berkeley and UC Davis) are 20 miles away, and both San Francisco and Sacramento are less than 40 minutes away. Day trips can also be made to South Lake Tahoe and Monterey.

With its strategic location, affordable housing, natural resources, responsible land use planning, and attractive quality of life, Solano County is a great place to live, learn, work and play.

County Population (January 2016): 431,498

The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice.  

SOLANO COUNTY IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER