What are the responsibilities and job description for the Relative Engagement Specialist position at D. A. Blodgett - St John's?
About DABSJ:
D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s is a private non-sectarian agency that serves vulnerable children and families from the entire community. Our core objectives are to strengthen families, help children heal from abuse and neglect, provide homes and help kids thrive.
About this Opportunity:
The Relative Engagement Specialist’s role is to engage and support relatives, and those with a strong positive emotional tie or role in a foster child’s life, with the goal of relative placement. The Relative Engagement Specialist provides consistent and regular support for relatives who are seeking placement and/or want to remain active in the child (ren)’s lives. Duties include but are not limited to actively searching for, engaging and supporting relatives for both placement and on-going contact and connection with the children. Ongoing relative engagement continues until the child is placed in a relative’s home and there is at least one additional relative who is engaged, appropriate, and willing to take placement if the current placement breaks. This position is grant funded through the West Michigan Partnership for Children.
Would you like to help us accomplish our mission as a Relative Engagement Specialist?
Our ideal candidate will have minimum education requirement of a bachelor's degree in social work or a closely related Human Services field, DCWL certification training is preferred. Two years experience in foster care, adoption and/or foster home licensing preferred. Must be able to work evenings and weekends with a valid driver's license, good driving record and adequate insurance with a reliable vehicle. This candidate must have assertiveness, self-direction and a high frustration tolerance level.
Offered benefits and more:
- Medical, Dental, Vision. Life Insurance.
- Paid Holidays Off, Paid Time Off.
- 403B Retirement Opportunity.
- Flexible Scheduling.
- Opportunity to learn and grow from working with a diverse population of children and families.
- Access to a robust training system.
- DABSJ is able to provide CEUs for onsite trainings.
- Reimbursement for trainings.
- Support from our robust EAP (emotional, organizational skills, financial planning, etc).
- Work within an environment of creative problem solvers.
- Regular supervision.
- Working within a collaborative division with a wide variety of experience and knowledge.
- Work within a trauma informed environment supported by the Sanctuary Model (trauma informed organizational change model).
- Careers at DABSJ take place at our new Dean Lake campus featuring modern workspaces filled with natural light, intentionally designed for DABSJ services, dedicated spaces for collaboration as well as independent work, a variety of meeting rooms equipped with interactive technology, amenities including kitchens, wellness rooms and den, fitness area, and locker room.
DABSJ strives to be a fully inclusive organization as we support a diverse group of children and families. We are building a diverse team that represents our customers and our community, and recognize that each of us brings a unique perspective to the organization. We welcome differing thoughts, faiths, beliefs, groups, and lived experiences. The diversity and differences of each team member, foster parent, adoptive parent, child, and family make us #DABSJstrongertogether for children and families.
DABSJ is an equal opportunity, at-will employer, and will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment. DABSJ does not discriminate on the basis of race, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks and twists; culture, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, height, weight, marital status, veteran status, socio-economic status, disability, or other legally-protected characteristics as required by law.
Applicants being considered for hire must pass a central registry clearance check and criminal background check to be eligible for employment.
