Kinship Specialist - Social Worker

Families First is looking for an individual to join our team as a Kinship Specialist!

This position will serve the city of Burlington in Des Moines County and surrounding areas in Iowa; regular travel is required.

Job Responsibilities

· Deliver and coordinate all Kinship Navigator Services provided for the case, preparing, and submitting required reports on the Case throughout the service delivery period

· Engage and support the Kinship Caregivers

· Initiate phone contact with Kinship Caregivers within two (2) business days of the agency referral

· Once Kinship Caregiver(s) accept service, initiate in person contact with the Kinship Caregivers within five (5) business days of the agency referral.

· If Kinship Caregiver expresses interest but declines service at initial phone contact, follow up with the Kinship Caregiver within thirty (30) calendar days to offer services. If services is accepted at this later date, make in person contact with the Kinship Caregivers within five (5) business days of their acceptance of service

· Provide at minimum, two (2) hours of services and/or supports to Kinship Caregivers per month

· Make at least two (2) in person contacts during the month that are thirty 930) minutes in length with these contacts counting toward the minimum two (2) hours of contact required per month

· Complete an Eco Map on each Kinship Caregiver family within the first thirty (30) calendar days of the agency referral. If the Kinship Caregiver initially declines but later accepts services, the Eco Map shall be completed within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the Kinship Caregiver accepts service

· Assess Kinship Caregivers needs and develop an individualized Kinship Care Plan to include information relevant to family needs, strengths, demographics, goals, objectives, and required resources to ensure the safety and stability of the child(ren) in their care and avoidance of disruption of placement.

· Work directly with Kinship Caregivers to identify other family members, neighbors, friends, or persons known to the Kinship Caregivers who may serve as potential supports during placement of the child(ren)

· Provide quality service activities that focus on addressing the Kinship Caregiver needs and issues identified in the Kinship Care Plan

· Connect Kinship Caregivers to a wide range of community resources and services that are responsive to their presenting needs at the time of referral

· Inform and explain Kinship Caregiver payment to all Kinship Caregivers

· Discuss benefits of becoming licensed with all Kinship Caregivers within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of agency referral

· Complete required documentation prior to service initiation

· Patient Bill of Rights

· Client Grievance and Appeals Procedure

· Informed Consent

· Release of Information

· Administer the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale? We are looking at changing this to another assessment so maybe just put Administer an Assessment?

· Attend Solution Focused Meetings and youth transition decision making meetings if necessary

· Align the specific range of delivering services and supports with needs identified within the Kinship Care Plan.

· Identify and address any safety concerns concerning cases during service delivery and promptly report any safety concerns to the Department worker or their supervisor by telephone, e-mail, or other means

· On an ongoing basis throughout service delivery, assess the educational, physical and mental health conditions, strengths and needs of all children and kin in cases open for services; and, in consultation with the Department worker and assigned FSRP Care Coordinator

· Coordinate service planning, including planning for parent/child and sibling interactions, with Kinship Caregivers

· Coordinate the contractor’s services with services and supports children and families may be receiving from other sources, including both public and private organizations and informal community networks

· Implement plans to connect children and families to other community resources and informal supports, such as local community centers, mentors, or community support groups

· Adhere to all requirements and expectations of completing a high quality of documentation using forms developed for the Kinship Navigator Program

· Complete Mandatory Child and Dependent Adult Abuse Training and be familiar with and follow all aspects of mandatory child abuse training

· Provide agency endorsed evidenced based curriculum and interventions to the kinship caregivers to decrease threat of maltreatment

Qualifications

· Education requirements:

· Associate degree from an accredited college/university recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in Human Services related field and 2 years of full-time experience in human services or a related field; or

· A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college/university recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA); or

· A Master’s Degree from an accredited college/university recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

· Required licenses, registrations and certifications: Possession of a valid Driver’s license with the State of Residence.

About Families First

Families First is one of the leading providers of family based, in-home and in-office services in the State of Iowa. Our employees assist children and families with daily stressors, enabling them to balance a family, work, and school.

· We are accredited by the Council on Accreditation.

· We serve approximately 3,000 individuals through our various programs in forty-seven counties within the State.

· We employ approximately 230 employees.

Join our Team – Apply Today!

Families First is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Pre-employment background check required.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $36,000.00 - $40,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Associate (Required)

Experience:

• Human Services: 1 year (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Work Location: On the road

Salary : $36,000 - $40,000