Child Welfare Specialist - Foster Care

Child Welfare Specialist -Foster Care Job Description

Job Title:

Child Welfare Specialist – Foster Care

Department:

Child Welfare

Reports to:

Supervisor-Child Welfare Services

FLSA:

Exempt

Division

Child Welfare Services

Location

Hybrid

Business Unit

Child Welfare

Grade level

7

This position offers a starting salary range of $42,675 - $51,210 per year, depending on experience and qualifications.

Children’s Center of Wayne County (TCC) The Children’s Center, founded in 1929, provides evidence-based clinical therapy to children who deal with mental, behavioral, emotional, intellectual, and developmental health and educational challenges or may have experienced trauma.

School + Community-Based Partnerships: We partner with K-12 schools and community organizations that serve children to provide clinical therapy, counseling, psychological services, and psychiatric evaluations, treatment & interventions.

Child Welfare: In addition to the clinical therapy programs offered, The Children’s Center places children in licensed foster homes, and supports them throughout their time in the child welfare system.

Child Well-being + Family Success: We operate an onsite family success center that promotes child-wellbeing and offers children and youth from all walks of life to access relevant mental health crisis prevention and child abuse and neglect prevention services.

Advocacy: We champion child and youth well-being for those experiencing poverty-related issues, those within the child welfare system, and those in need of evidence-based, clinical therapy.

TCC’s mission is to help children and families shape their own futures. If as many children as possible, and their families can easily access comprehensive, evidence-based, clinical therapy that is integrated into and supports their everyday lives then, children will experience an improved quality of life where they have a true sense of agency and empowerment in their lives.

We embrace and demonstrate a set of Core Values as the foundation of our culture. They define how we do what we do, and what we value in our work with each other and our community. Daily demonstration of these values, in mindset and behavior, is required to be successful as a TCC team member.

• Dedicated-We are devoted, dedicated and always willing to pitch to accomplish our mission.
• Passionate-We are passionate about what we do and helping the people we serve.
• Accountable-We do what we say and accomplish all aspects of our responsibilities.
• Can Do Attitude- We approach our responsibilities with a positive attitude.
• Respectful- We always treat co-workers, donors, children and families with the utmost respect, courtesy, and patience.

Job Summary

The Foster Care Specialist is responsible for working with the family to achieve a permanency goal of reunification, or another plan as deemed appropriate by the Courts for the child as well as ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children. This position requires the specialist to work with the children and their families, foster parents and other necessary individuals to progress each child to permanency. The specialist will be required to work with various entities including but not limited to the MDHHS and the Courts.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in one of the following fields required: Behavioral Science, Community Services, Counseling (Psychology), Criminal Justice (Administration), Early Childhood Studies, Family Ecology, Family Life Education, Family Studies, Family and/or Child Development, Guidance/School Counseling, Human Development and Family Studies, Human Services, Psychology, Social Work or Sociology.
• Must have an ability to coordinate and perform multiple tasks as it relates to providing client services.
• At minimum one (1) year of experience in foster care or related child welfare position preferred.
• PSI (CWTI) training preferred. If PSI is not completed, it is required as a nine-week training that may be virtual, hybrid or in person.
• Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver's license, automobile insurance and be willing to go into the community.
• Knowledge experience in working with the agency's target population and knowledge of social problems and concerns common to the target group.
• Must have the ability to properly assess homes, individuals, and families for appropriateness.
• Must have an ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, their families, foster care parents, DHHS personnel and department team members.
• Ability to demonstrate basic computer skills related to windows navigation, Microsoft Office, and general office equipment.
• Ability to navigate or to learn to navigate various databases including but not limited to MISACWIS, CCWIS and ENOBLE efficiently.
• High level organizational skills to ensure documentation is managed appropriately and timely.
• Must be able to provide clearance that there is no record and/or convictions as a perpetrator of child abuse and/or neglect in the State of Michigan Child Abuse/Neglect Central Registry and other states of residency over the past 5 years.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and with an interdisciplinary team.
• Ability to effectively manage time, information, and meet deadlines.

Essential Functions

• Maintain current and accurate client information, and other required documentation.
• Must be comfortable entering in family homes and in the community to ensure all home
• Manage a caseload of 13.
• Ensure visits are completed in a timely manner to verify child safety.
• Maintain regular visits and communication with biological parents and caregivers.
• Effectively meet all KPI (Key Performance Indicators) measures as specified per policy.
• Comply with service delivery requirements as identified for the program. Additionally ensure that all policy requirements are always followed.
• Travel to home visits in the child’s/youth’s placement as well as potential travel to other locations such as court, training, or birth parent homes.
• Comfortable going into homes of clients, both foster parents and biological parents.
• Complete all case documentation timely including quarterly assessments.
• Must be available for on-call rotations and have the ability to respond to after-hours calls/emergencies.
• Develop Performance Goals and Expectations with immediate supervisor annually.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Supervisor.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

• Ensure that all MDHHS KPI metrics are met per policy and contract.
• Ensure that all case management duties are completed.
• Assist with placement preservation.
• Build and maintain healthy working relationships with MDHHS and all other referral sources.
• Build and maintain healthy working relationships with foster parents.
• Ability to work with biological parents.
• Maintain a customer satisfaction rate of at least 90% and have fewer than 4 documented complaints from any source in a 12-month period.
• 95% for all case documentation including but not limited to service plans, face to face contacts, social work contacts, medical and dentals, and other case documentation required.
• Responsive during on-call emergency situations.
• All other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to traverse stairs and other uneven terrain to gain access to and to maneuver throughout offsite locations including office buildings and special event locations.
• Ability to prepare and inspect documents in hard copy or electronic format. Ability to tolerate exposure to computer screen and operate computer/keyboard and other office equipment on a frequent and/or continuous basis.
• Ability to receive and exchange information and accurately and effectively communicate and converse with others.
• Ability to lift up to 10 Lbs.
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to drive long distances, must have reliable transportation.
• Must be available for traditional and non-traditional work hours at times to manage crisis if needed.

Other

• Ability to maintain office hours as needed and as directed by the assigned supervisor.
• Active participation in supervision, no less than on a bi-weekly basis, or consistent with regulatory standards.
• Attend a minimum of 32 hours of training related to Child Welfare. The hours must include all required training by the agency and our partners.

Robust Health Care and Benefit Package including:

• Medical
• Vision and Dental Plan sponsored 100% by The Children’s Center
• Matching 3% 403(b) retirement plan after one year, fully vested after two years of employment
• 80 hours of paid time off after 90 days, 120 hours of paid time off your first year, 160 hours your 2nd, 3rd and 4th year, 200 hours every year beginning your 5th year
• Accrued Paid Sick Time
• 11 paid holidays
• Life Insurance (Employer-Provided)
• Long Term Disability sponsored 100% by The Children’s Center
• Longevity Pay
• Health Savings Account
• Dependent Care Account
• Tuition reimbursement
• Employee Assistance

Voluntary Benefits

• Critical Illness
• Accident
• Voluntary Life, voluntary spouse and dependent life
• Pet Insurance
• Legal Shield (prepaid legal services)

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.