CareLine Support Specialist

Department: General Support HR Approval: January 29, 2025

FSLA Status: Full-Time, Exempt Reports to: Director of CareLine

Summary of Position

The Coalition CareLine is a vital resource, connecting foster and adoptive families with essential support

services, resources, and referrals. With just one call, families gain access to a wide range of services,

including educational, mental health, physical health, and advocacy resources. The CareLine Support

Specialist plays a crucial role in bridging the gap between families and community partners such as

child welfare professionals, case managers, court personnel, and service providers. By ensuring seamless

access to resources, the CareLine equips families with the tools and support they need to care for their

children effectively, advocating for their unique needs and providing them with a nurturing

environment.

The specialist's work includes conducting intake assessments, developing personalized support plans,

and facilitating regular follow-ups to ensure families receive timely and relevant referrals. The CareLine’s

comprehensive approach helps stabilize placements and support the holistic care of children impacted

by foster care. These services often include explaining child welfare system policies, facilitating

communication between families and professionals, and providing emotional support, resources, and

referrals.

The primary goal of the Coalition CareLine is to offer immediate support to foster and adoptive families,

connecting them to the resources and services they need. By empowering caregivers with these tools,

the CareLine strives to stabilize placements and foster holistic care for children in the foster care system.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

Knowledge of Child Welfare System

• Function: A deep understanding of foster care and adoption processes, policies, and laws is

essential.

• Responsibility: Ensure foster and adoptive parents are informed about the child welfare system,

including the child’s legal rights, agency procedures, and support programs.

Active Listening & Communication

• Function: Listen empathetically and communicate clearly with foster and adoptive parents.

• Responsibility: Act as a supportive sounding board for parents, providing guidance and

information to address their concerns and needs.

Resource Identification and Referral

• Function: Understand available community resources (mental health, educational, financial, etc.).

• Responsibility: Connect families with services such as counseling, education support, financial

assistance, medical care, and housing.

Advocacy and Empowerment

• Function: Empower parents to advocate for their child(ren)’s needs.

• Responsibility: Advocate for foster and adoptive families in meetings with child welfare

professionals, schools, and other service providers, ensuring the family’s voice is heard and

needs are addressed.

Cultural Competency and Sensitivity

• Function: Sensitivity to the diverse backgrounds and unique needs of foster and adoptive

families, including race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and other factors.

• Responsibility: Build trust with families from diverse backgrounds and navigate cultural

differences effectively, ensuring services are tailored to their unique situations.

Case Management and Follow-Up

• Function: Strong organizational and tracking abilities.

• Responsibility: Maintain detailed records of family interactions, follow up on referrals and

services provided, and track the progress of family goals and needs.

Emotional Support

• Function: Ability to provide emotional support to parents, recognizing the stress and emotional

toll of fostering or adopting children.

• Responsibility: Offer a compassionate presence for parents dealing with emotional challenges,

helping them manage stress and emotional fatigue.

Education and Training

• Function: Educate foster and adoptive parents on topics such as trauma-informed care, child

development, and parenting strategies.

• Responsibility: Lead workshops or one-on-one sessions to teach parents coping strategies, how

to manage challenging behaviors, and how to navigate the complexities of the foster and

adoption systems.

Collaboration and Teamwork

• Function: Work effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including social workers, therapists,

teachers, and legal professionals.

• Responsibility: Collaborate with other professionals involved in the family’s case to ensure

comprehensive care and support for both the child and parents.

Non-Essential Functions:

• Assist with administrative tasks and volunteer responsibilities as needed.

• Support other agency programs to achieve organizational goals.

• Perform other duties as assigned, with or without accommodation.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in social work or related field required.

Experience:

• Experience navigating the foster care system.

• Minimum of two years in child welfare, with direct experience working with foster and adoptive

families.

• Knowledge of services in the St. Louis metropolitan area preferred.

Skills & Competencies:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Salesforce (or similar software).

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

• Ability to build relationships with families and community resources.

• Creative problem-solving skills.

• Excellent organizational and time-management abilities.

• Experience working in multicultural environments and understanding diverse family needs.

• Knowledge of Missouri Children’s Division policies.

Additional Requirements:

• Reliable transportation and ability to travel within the Metro St. Louis area.

• Occasional transportation of children/families.

• Must maintain confidentiality and have a clean criminal history.

• Must fulfill mandated reporting responsibilities in Missouri.

• Demonstrates integrity, accountability, and commitment to high ethical standards.

Agency Accountability:

• Complete daily activity logs and maintain an updated Outlook calendar.

• Adhere to the Coalition’s Shared Values, Employee Code of Conduct, and Social Work Code of

Ethics.

Working Conditions:

• Flexibility required, with evening and weekend hours as needed.

• Work performed in both community and office settings.

• Use of an insured vehicle is required for local travel.

Agency Shared Values

Employees of the Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition agree to hold themselves and colleagues to

the following values:

• Equity: We insist on fairness and respect. We are deliberate in ensuring everyone has

safety, opportunity, access, and support to be heard.

• Family: We are family. We are connected and support one another in meeting the needs of

our own families and the families we serve. We assume the best and are committed to each

other.

• Diversity: We celebrate differences and harness the power that diversity brings. Every

viewpoint is heard and honored. We are stronger because of our differences.

• Innovation & Excellence: We are intentional about knowing better and doing better,

using innovation and solution-focus approaches with courageous passion and excellence.

• Inclusion: We respect, leverage, and engage everyone’s unique strengths and talents so each

individual can contribute to their full potential.

• Integrity: We are an agency built on integrity, maintaining a culture of trust,

respect, transparency, and honesty. We walk in our truth and uphold ethical

standards.

• Courage: We stand up for each other and what is right for our clients and stakeholders

with truth, vulnerability, and accountability.

• Teamwork & Collaboration: We develop and maintain authentic relationships by being

flexible and open-minded and maximizing the strengths of each individual in the team to

accomplish the best outcome for our children and families. Everyone contributes to

leadership.

Job Description Acknowledgment

By signing below, I acknowledge that I have received, reviewed, and fully understand the job description

for this position. I am aware of my responsibilities and the expectations outlined, and I am committed

to fulfilling the essential functions of this role.

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