Kinship Support Specialist

The Kinship Support Specialist acts as an additional layer of support for kinship placements. This position provides support to kinship caregivers by assisting the family with services and support. These services will be made virtually and face to face contact to help ensure the caregiver has the ability to care for the children long-term. The Kinship Support Specialist will assist the family by providing access to community resources, submitting resource requests for items necessary for the caregiver and children, and offering ongoing support to help caregivers maintain a structured and nurturing environment.

Key Expectations/Responsibilities:

• Provide trauma informed services to all clients and families and demonstrate effective application of the Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) through connection, empowering, and correction
• Ensure timely progress from referral to verification
• Provide tailored training and technical assistance to meet the unique needs of kinship caregivers
• Participate in regular supervision and support with the kinship caregiver by scheduling regular home visits based on the family’s availability. Visits must occur no less than once a month
• Facilitate resource development and skills training to support placement stability toward permanency goal
• Conduct ongoing needs assessment and provide referrals to community, county or state resources to meet those needs
• Moderate kinship caregiver support group
• Liaising with multiple professionals in the child welfare arena (such as DFPS/SSCC caseworkers, CASA, and service providers)
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of services provided to kinship caregiver
• Engage in team meetings, supervision, and clinical consultation to ensure effective utilization of clinical skills and to engage in ongoing professional development.
• Develop robust Aftercare Services plan that includes the name and contact information for referrals for benefits, support and continued services in the home and dates for weekly, then twice monthly, follow-up calls and/or meetings for a period of six months following discharge
• Maintain written documentation of all contact or attempted contacts, referrals, and other case management support provided during the Aftercare Services period
• Adjust work hours to meet the needs of kinship families, including possible evening and weekend hours
• Respond to crisis that may arise during assigned after-hours on-call rotation

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in social services, human services, behavioral science, social work or related field preferred.
• Experience working directly with families and/or case management experience preferred.
• Knowledge of child development and family systems
• Strong communication skills; experience communicating through verbal and written formats with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to demonstrate initiative, discretion, maturity, flexibility and independent judgment.
• Ability to work with all groups across age, religion, race, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
• Highly organized and detail oriented.
• Requires ability to use up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force continuously to move objects and/or people.
• Requires ability to walk, stand and sit, sometimes for prolonged periods of time.
• Requires ability to drive assigned vehicle(s) or personal vehicle, with appropriate state license, following all laws applicable; must provide proof of liability insurance. Must be age 21 or older to drive on behalf of CYFS.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $48,125.00 - $58,050.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift

Work Location: In person

Salary : $48,125 - $58,050