Foster Care Specialist

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION

Employee is responsible to complete and oversee a variety of professional assignments to children and families in the State of Michigan Foster Care System.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Acts as a representative for child welfare services in the community.
• Participates in community and professional coalition efforts to advocate child welfare services.
• Mandated Reporter: report any suspected unsafe living conditions for children.
• Informs Child Welfare Director or designee of any clients and/or families who are experiencing child abuse, neglect, and suicidal or homicidal symptoms.
• Assists in coordination of foster care placements.
• Assures medical, social, and psychological care is provided to foster children.
• Attends all court hearings and meetings associated with assigned cases.
• Testifies in court on progress and services rendered to children and families.
• Prepare legal documents, petitions and forms.
• Presents assessment, service plans at pre-dispositional and dispositional hearings.
• Must write accurate and timely case service plans: Initial Service Plan and quarterly Updated Service Plans.
• Develops plans and find resources to address clients’ and families’ problems in housing, counseling, and other areas and monitors services provided.
• Required to visit foster child monthly.
• Required to visit biological parents quarterly.
• Facilitate parenting time of child and parent.
• Assists foster parents, biological parents in providing appropriate care to children.
• Attends and completes annual in-service trainings as required.
• Participates in rotational child welfare staff on-call.
• Review all cases and prepares them for Audit.
• Organizes daily work and outlines priorities based on department needs and deadlines.
• Participates in creating and documenting workflows and processes.
• Receives cross-training on various child welfare job assignments and substitutes for other child welfare employees as required.
• Attends staff meetings and training sessions as required.
• Performs job related duties as required for department/program operations.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an individual in this position. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties that may be performed.

All duties and responsibilities are judged to be essential functions in the terms of the Americans With Disabilities Act or ADA.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Bachelor degree in Social Work, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Psychology or related Human Service field from an accredited college or university; or in another major where 25% of the course credits earned toward the degree are in human behavioral science.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

• Strong computer skills, working with Microsoft Office with proficiency in Excel, Word and Outlook, and ability to learn new software MiSACWIS.
• Strong typing skills.
• Ability to prepare and manage clients’ records; collect and evaluate client data.
• Ability to work with community organizations and use community resources to meet client needs.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with employees, courts, MDHHS, and other agencies.
• Ability to organize and facilitate meetings.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in accordance with laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of types of discrimination and mistreatment to which clients may be subjected.
• Knowledge of community resources providing assistance to children and families.
• Ability to observe and assess client conditions and environments.
• Ability to maintain favorable public relationships.
• Good organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to meet all mandated timeframes.
• Good time management skills.
• Ability to use search engines and multiple websites.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with employees and other agencies.
• Ability to deal with sensitivity to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Ability to relate to diverse populations and cultures while communicating with clients and the public in a courteous and effective manner.
• Ability to work independently and as a team and exercise good judgment.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and prioritize.
• Ability to thoroughly follow through on assignments and meet deadlines.
• Ability and willingness to work in an ever changing environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to talk and hear to effectively communicate with clients, staff, and payers, and communicate with supervisor in a timely manner.
• Must be able to walk low-moderate distances; sit for prolonged periods of time; use hands and fingers to handle, touch, and feel; reach with hands and arms.
• Must be able to lift/move up to 35 pounds.
• Must be able to work in an environment with multiple staff, and in an environment that has a moderate noise level, and may experience moderate interruptions throughout the day while in the office.

EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

Staff must abide by all policies and procedures of Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties, which includes the Agency’s stance on abortion, and the Agency’s Mission and Vision, and the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy outlined by the Catholic Church and Code of Ethics.

Must pass all background and clearance checks including, but not limited to a criminal background check, DHHS central registry clearance check, and others as deemed applicable, and must have a valid drivers license and carry auto insurance.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $43,000.00 - $56,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 403(b)
• 403(b) matching
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person

Salary : $43,000 - $56,000