Do you enjoy helping others? Would you like a career that provides you an opportunity to help families and to make a difference in the lives of children? Join us in creating a brighter future for children and their families.
At Kids Central we believe every child deserves to grow up in a safe and loving home that provides a path to a bright future. However sometimes children, and their families, need additional support to ensure their safety and well-being. That is where we step in.
This position is responsible for continuity of care, with the goal of permanent adoptive placement for children through a case management model that includes developing, expanding, accessing and linking resources in the community to meet the needs of the child(ren) throughout the child’s experience in the system, while documenting progress. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty listed below satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Essential Functions

• Provides on-going case management services until the adoption process is completed.
• Provide a variety of adoption related services for all children awaiting adoption.
• Coordinates child-specific recruitment plans with Adoption Supervisor and Case Manager.
• Arranges match meetings involving potential adoptive families and other parties involved in the care of the child.
• Completes adoptive home studies and home study updates for prospective adoptive families.
• Provides case management services for children waiting for adoptive placement, consulting with the Adoption Supervisor I/II as to specific requirements, reporting and timelines.
• Authors child studies and, as directed, home studies.
• Completes adoption-related paperwork for review by Adoption Supervisor in a timely manner.
• Presents in court as appropriate and required. Ensures all legal/judicial work is prepared timely and in accordance with Florida Statue.
• Ensures and monitors the Case Management Services that are in place at the time of transfer to adoptions, including assessment, planning, linking, monitoring, and advocacy, to assigned children and prospective adoptive families until adoption is complete. Available to answer questions and assist linking families to community resources after the adoption becomes final.
• Completes documentation to initiate and process adoptive placement – included but not limited to completion of child and home studies, as outlined by Florida Statute, adoption agreements, memoranda, subsidy documents, consent and case closure documents.
• Completes measurable objectives related to adoption goal and specific task assignments with timelines and meets all legal requirements under Chapter 39.
• Ensures case is staffed with adoption or multidisciplinary Family Service Team as needed or as is appropriate.
• Reviews and update service/case plans, at least monthly to ensure progress is being made towards permanency or modifications are being made in a timely manner. Completes monthly progress reports and makes available to every stakeholder, including parents.
• Updates service/case plans whenever goals, interventions, or timelines need to be changed.
• Maintain face to face contact with all children on assigned caseload in their residence in accordance with Florida Administrative Code and Statue.
• Maintain educational records in the case file i.e. report cards, IEP, 504 Plan, disciplinary issues. Update the education tab in FSFN on all school aged children at the beginning and end of the school year and as needed throughout the school year. Submit ESSA Placement form as required within 48 hours of the placement change. Make appropriate notifications for the ESSA staffing and participate in the ESSA Staffing.
• Provides families with education information to enhance their awareness of child abuse and neglect, promotes family stability and a healthy family system.
• Maintains electronic and paper records of each case, e nter and maintain required FSFN screens and modules with current information to include but not limited to case notes, medical and education modules, results of court hearing, change of placement. All data must be updated within 48 hours of occurrence.
• Identifies and monitors children and families at risk, advises Case Manager Supervisors of their status.
• Refers children and families to appropriate community services and otherwise assure continuity of care for children and families within 5 days of identified need.
• Prepare complete and thorough packets for out of county service (OCS) and interstate compact (ICPC) for the placement of children with all required attachments within 30 days of identified need.
• Refer children to medical, dental, vision, and therapeutic services and ensure follow up with recommended treatment.
• Complete and submit incident reports within one business day of notice or sooner on critical incidents.
• Complete all runaway reports timely.
• Complete exit interviews within 5 days of child’s movement in licensed care
• Complete all requirements for children on psychotropic medications
• Facilitate parent and sibling visit in compliance with court orders taking into account the need to facilitate the parent/child bond.
• Participate with supervisor reviews/consults of all case records as required by the agency.
• Complete follow up items from supervisor reviews/consults, permanency staffing and court hearings within 30 days
• For all children placed out of state, monthly contact will be maintained with the child/caregiver/placement resource and the local worker.
• Participate in agency's internal peer reviews
• Submit completed client satisfaction surveys monthly.
• Attend monthly All Staff meetings
• Unmatched children available for adoption will be added to the Adoption Exchange and recruitment sites such as Adopt US Kids, Family Match, etc. within 30 days of TPR being affirmed.
• Coordinate and/or participate in Match staffing every 60 days for children that are not in a matched placement.
• Complete Subsidy, Enhanced and AARC packet/request for approval within 30 days of need identified.
• Treats all children and families with the utmost respect and common courtesy.
• Participates in staff development programs and opportunities. Participate in team meetings, client care and utilization reviews, and staff meeting.
• Completes other tasks or special projects as assigned by Program Director or Assistant Program Director.

This list of functions is not intended to be exhaustive. Kids Central reserves the right to revise this job description as needed to comply with actual job requirements.
Qualifications

• Education/Experience
• Master’s degree preferred. Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or related field. If degree is in an unrelated field, must be eligible for a waiver. Eligible college or university degrees must be awarded by an institution accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the Federal Department of Education and/or Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The college or university must have been accredited at the time the degree was awarded.
• One year of relevant social service experience with children and families for ACM I.
• Two years of relevant social service experience in current program, DCF or YFA transfer to be considered eligible for ACM II.
• Four years of relevant social service experience in current program, DCF or YFA transfer to be considered eligible for ACM III.
• Licensure/Certifications
• Child Welfare Certification preferred but not required at time of hire. Must obtain and maintain certification in good standings within one year of employment.
• Must maintain a clear criminal background and driving record.
• Must maintain and show proof of the appropriate automobile insurance limits ($100,000/$300,000) per Florida Statutes.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to work in a highly visible position and use effective interpersonal communication skills to respond to children and their families, and legal entities (i.e. judges, law enforcement, CLS etc.).
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to document timely in a clear, concise manner.
• Must be able to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions and deal with abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
• General office equipment such as phone, copier, computer, etc.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Indoor, temperature controlled, smoke-free environment. Outdoor exposure.
• Moderate noise level.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Good visual acuity and ability to communicate.
• Ability to lift, lower, push, pull and retrieve objects weighing a minimum of 20 pounds. Reasonable assistance may be requested when lifting, pushing and/or pulling which exceeds the minimum requirements.
• Ability to withstand prolong standing and walking. Also able to sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach, stoop, bend, and/or kneel during an 8-12 hour day.