Youth Caregiver

JOB SUMMARY: Youth Caregiver to assists in providing for the daily care, safety and welfare for a shelter program of up to 12 youth, this includes working with children with a history of trauma, and providing support and guidance with daily living skills, hygiene and self-care in a therapeutic residential setting.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Works within the framework of the philosophy, function and personnel practices of The Children’s Home Network.  
2. Follow all established protocol for housekeeping, chores, routines, cleaning and home maintenance in order to ensure cottage quality standards are met.  
3. Provide coaching or mentoring for youth that teaches proper cleaning and upkeep of their rooms and common areas.  Participate in daily cottage assessment of overall cleanliness and up keep.     
4. Provides or arranges program required services in a manner that is sensitive to age, culture, religion, dietary needs, native language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other important individual needs of each child/youth. 
5. Youth Caregivers plan and implement recreational activities on a daily basis that are developmentally and culturally appropriate for children up to 17 years of age.
6. Provides milieu services to teach youth life skills, to include but not limited to: goal setting, problem resolution, educational activities, daily routines, social skills development, employability skills, anger management, crisis management, hygiene skills, cleanliness, housekeeping, cooking, meal routines, and bedtime routines.
7. Works collaboratively with the treatment team to facilitate therapeutic relationships for the 
8. Provides Trauma informed care and utilizes de-escalation techniques when working with youth in order to prevent potential problem behavior, promote positive behavior and de-escalate incidents.
9. Provides interactive supervision and monitoring of youth at all times to ensure the best care, welfare, safety, health, and security for youth. 
10. Works collaboratively with the campus team, youth and family, assisting in mentoring and working with families that are in transition to adaptive, foster and/ or reunification placements. 
11. Perform and document environmental rounds at least every 15 minutes or more frequently as needed. Report and document all abnormal or suspicious situations via the information report. Maintains documentation within guidelines for MyEvolve reports, shift accountability, medical administration records, log books, as applicable.
12. Attends and actively participates in treatment plan reviews as needed.  Assist in guiding youth in having success with their cottage goals and related plans.  
13. Follows CHN and professional standards regarding mandated reporting laws.  Follows CHN policy and procedures for reporting critical incidents and runaways.
14. Dispense and document all medications given to youth, and medication deficiencies in accord with established agency procedures.        Coordinate with medical personnel to ensure the physical/ health needs of the child.
15. Foster and maintain a positive and productive relationship with all youth and the cottage team. Maintains an effective working relationship with team members, school personnel and clinicians. Acts as liaison between program and sponsor/auxiliary/volunteer groups as assigned.  Works collaboratively with school personnel, sponsor groups, volunteers and families that are in transition to adaptive, foster and/ or reunification placements.
16. Adhere to agency policy and procedures around confidentiality and use of office space and equipment; adhere to strategic cottage plan for maintaining security and confidentiality of all office space, equipment and documentation.
17. Provides transportation in agency vehicles in accordance with agency policy and procedure. Abides by all Florida state highway and local traffic laws.  Demonstrate consistency and proficiency in the regular utilization of agency vehicle log as required by policy and procedures for youth, to and from activities.
18. As directed may respond to campus or other designation for emergencies up to including natural disasters.
19. Performs other duties as assigned.

***THESE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS ARE NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMPLETE STATEMENT OF ALL DUTIES PERFORMED.  EMPLOYEES WILL BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM OTHER JOB RELATED MARGINAL DUTIES AS REQUIRED***

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education & Experience:

• High School diploma or GED and a minimum of six (6) months experience working with children or working with individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, and/or severe persistent mental illness, . 
• Preferred - Associates Degree in social work, psychology, ABA, special education, or related field with one (1) year experience in residential setting or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience that would reasonably be expected to provide the job-specific competencies listed in job duties.
• Must be at least 21 years of age.

Licenses & Certifications: 

• First Aid and CPR Certified or ability to obtain within 30 days of new hire date (classes available onsite). 
• Must possess and maintain a valid Florida driver’s license with no record of criminal driving offense of license suspension. Must be insurable under CHN’s current auto insurance policy. 
• Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends. 
• Must successfully complete and maintain FDLE clearance, Federal background and state criminal background check and sexual predator screening. 

COMPETENCIES & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

Annual Training Requirements: The following training topics are required annually: Sexual Harassment, Blood-borne Pathogens, Workplace Accident Prevention and Reporting, Confidentiality and Privacy Practices, Diversity/Cultural Competency, Child Abuse and Neglect Mandated Reporter Statutes and Methods, Prevention of Violence in the Workplace, OSHA–related training, Crisis Prevention, and Program Goals.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of Department of Children and Families rules and regulations regarding the care of children and the specific regulations around foster care and placement. 
• Knowledge of childhood development and related mental health processes. 
• Knowledge of child abuse or neglect reporting procedures and methods. 
• Knowledge of agency's organizational structure, standard operating procedures, and policies. 
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, supervisors and other individuals in a diverse arena.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally, verbally and in writing. 
• Skilled in de-escalation techniques and managing stressful situations.   
• Computer skills to include knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, FSFN and other identified programs.

 ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL SKILLS:

• Visual: ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, read printed materials, and makes observations of physical facilities. 
• Hearing: ability to understand and comprehend spoken dialogue in individual and group settings. 
• Frequent use of hands. 
• Ability to speak clearly and effectively. 
• Reasonable accommodation will be made for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

• Treatment Center Environment. 
• Possible exposure to verbal abuse and physical behavior. 
• Possible exposure to clients with communicable disease. 
• Works both indoors and outdoors on a routine basis. 
• High interaction with children. 
• Moderately high level of potential for exposure to blood borne pathogens.