Case Worker - Foster Care

Description

$42,828

Buffalo Urban League Foster Care & Adoption

Buffalo Urban League Foster Care and Adoption programs have been providing services to the community for over 35 years. Throughout the years, the Urban League has demonstrated a longstanding tradition of helping vulnerable citizens in our communities because of its commitment to family preservation. It is the Urban League's belief that all children deserve the right to a loving family that can and will provide a stable, healthy, and safe home environment.

When foster care becomes necessary due to a variety of unfortunate circumstances, our primary goal is to implement strategies that result in children being reunited with their families. Foster Care staff work diligently with the children's parents to assist them in successfully completing their Family Court reunification requirements. When reunification efforts are no longer feasible, adoption is pursued to ensure foster children can be placed permanently in adoptive homes where they can maximize their full potential.

Over the years the Urban League has been instrumental in recruiting families who are willing to make a difference in the lives of many children through adoption. Matching children with families is a very important part of our service delivery. The Buffalo Urban League believes that adopting a child is a lifetime commitment, especially considering the traumatic experiences most of the children have endured. Our agency therefore recognizes that it is in the children's best interest to be adoptively placed with families that provide a positive and loving environment and effectively address their needs. As demonstrated by so many of our adoptive families, adoption has brought so much joy to those families who have opened their hearts and homes to children in need of permanency.

Responsibilities:  Case Worker provides intensive case management/planning and social services to children, foster care families and to birth families.

Provide case management, coordination and supervision of foster children, foster families, and birth families to ensure that their needs are met through:

• counseling on an individual and/or group basis as needed.
• monthly face to face contacts with foster children and foster families in the foster homes.
• other contacts with children and families in their homes, office and/or at recreation sites, on a weekly, bi-weekly or regular basis as warranted.

Supervise foster care visits between birth parents and children.

Coordinate Service Plan Reviews.

Maintain appropriate confidential files/case records required to ensure effective program operation, such as:

• record/update accurate progress notes within the stipulated time frame.
• case planning for foster children, foster families and birth parents
• complete program reports.

Provide immediate support services to children returning home from foster care by linking them with Preventive Services and other service providers as needed.

Provide crisis intervention i.e. Respite Services to foster parents and/or foster children.

Attend all court appearances and prepare the necessary court paperwork and summaries by the stipulated deadlines.

            Interface with other human services providers such as Foster Care and Adoption agencies, Child Protective Services, Probation, Mental Health Services, schools, community agencies etc.; provide interventive and referral services to children and families and advocate on their behalf as needed; participate in intra and inter agency conferences for effective program operation; attend meetings, workshops and training; assist in coordinating Parent Support Group Meetings and all their activities; perform other programmatic duties as needed.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Human Services or related Social Science.  Master’s Degree (preferred) or .
• At least two (2) years of experience in Foster Care or related Child Welfare preferred.
• Must be customer oriented with ability to work with families from a diverse population.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Good interpersonal communication skills and team player with a positive attitude.
• Computer skills.
• Good time management skills.
• The ability to be on call to meet the to address/meet the needs of clients and programmatic needs.
• Valid New York State Driver’s License and access to a vehicle.

COMPETENCIES:

• Technical Proficiency - Maintain technical expertise by keeping abreast of foster care and adoption related trends through training; membership to professional organizations; networking with other professionals in the field; subscription to magazines, periodicals, etc.
• Client - Focused - Ability to work with a diverse clientele from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds; understand and be sensitive to their needs.
• Teamwork - Support teamwork and information sharing among staff for effective service delivery.

Salary : $42,828