Parenting Center Supervisor

Overview
A crucial and integral component of YWCA Helena’s work includes the Parenting Center. This program was established to address parenting issues for women working on their recovery and self-sufficiency. It became evident that about 85% of the women YWCA served either had children who were in their custody or had children with which they wished to reunite. The Parenting Center now serves as the support for women and their children, provides supervised visits for non-custodial parents, facilitates safe exchanges, parenting coaching and classes. This position will supervise one Parenting Assistant and provide programming to help reunify children with parents, access services, and build positive relationships.

This position will be responsible for participating in the Strengthen Families Training and delivering the curriculum to children and their parents. Issues of neglect and abuse will be addressed and appropriate community referrals will be made to assist the children with abuse issues.

This position will be tasked with scheduling and facilitating safe, supervised visits between children and their non-custodial parents to maintain relationships and strengthen connections. This person is also tasked with supervising or participating in providing a safe place for parents/guardians to drop off and pick up their children for custodial exchanges, without having to cross paths or interact.

The Supervisor, along with the Parenting Assistance will work with community-based parents as they navigate the justice and child welfare system, be the main contact between YWCA Helena’s programming team and CPS, Family Treatment Court, and other social service agencies, and other tasks related to the reunification process. Should have a clear and demonstrable understanding of child welfare law, parental rights and legal proceedings, and basic knowledge of Indian Child Welfare Act guidelines. The successful candidate will assist parents in gaining community and in-home supports that can prevent removal and support reunification efforts.

Finally, this position will be an instrumental team member to a multidisciplinary and holistic team at the YWCA. The Parenting Center Director will facilitate an ongoing approach to both align YWCA Helena’s effort to prioritize child(ren) and parent(s) reunification.

Responsibilities

• Family Services:

• Oversee the Parenting Center to provide services such as supervised parenting and safe exchange by coordinating visitation specialists, scheduling families, and providing parenting coaching and education.

• Provide support to parents for personal goal setting, advocacy, linkage to appropriate resources and services, and monitor progress towards those goals.

• Develop, monitor, support, and document family goals, interests, and needs.

• In coordination with treatment team(s), support parents to be seen as full participants, decision-makers, and partners in their child(ren)’s life and care.

• Guide and empower parents in understanding what is expected of them from the systems they are involved in such as the criminal justice system and CPS.

• Empower parents to be self-advocates and advocates for their children.

• Working parents, administer developmental assessments for all children utilizing the parenting center. Together, with parents, develop and monitor child development goals.

• Assist parents in gaining a service or treatment plan that accommodates and reflects clear, fair, and reasonable expectations. Ensure mutual understanding and written documentation of parenting and/or treatment plans are updated and communicated with treatment team(s) and CPS, and filed with appropriate services and documented in appropriate YWCA Helena agency files and databases

• Encourage parents to communicate regularly with their social worker(s) and children outside of visits and advocate for and support parents having more healthy and positive parenting time.

• Collaborate with other team members to provide family-focused parenting classes for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers in the community as requested by caregivers and/or mandated by court.

• Be a liaison and ambassador to partner agencies on behalf of YWCA Helena to create a collaborative and healthy working partnership.

• Maintain records and complete required documentation and reporting, keeping a detailed record of cases, referrals, waitlists, and contacts.

• Respect and maintain confidentiality and adhere to strict boundaries and professional ethics

• Communicates assessments and treatment plan to the parent’s treatment team both within YWCA Helena and in the outside community.

Teams:

• Works as a partner in a multidisciplinary program/therapeutic team.

• Supervise staff, volunteers, and interns as assigned to the Parenting Center.

• Create and implement a Parenting Center annual plan that integrates into YWCA Helena strategic goals.

• Works closely with the WINGS program.

• Attends YWCA Helena team meetings and others as assigned by the Executive Director.

• Provide Circle of Security and other parenting education and best practices to all WINGS residents and YWCA Helena staff.

• Participates in discipline specific, as well as interdisciplinary staff meetings and functions.

• Serves as a professional resource for in-service presentations for staff.

• Acts as an advocate representing perspectives relative to the parent-child relationship.

• Adhere to YWCA Helena ethics and values.

Other:

• Maintain good standing and membership with the Supervised Visitation Network.

• Attends All-Staff Meetings, Program Staff Meetings, Program Committee Meetings, and weekly One-on-One Meetings with direct supervisor, as assigned.

• Maintain excellent records.

• Ensure data and reporting for grants funding the Parenting Center accurately reflect the work of YWCA Helena and are completed on time.

• Other Duties as assigned.

Requirements

• A belief in the mission of YWCA Helena and positive attitude toward YWCA Clients will be the most important key to success. Attitudes, unlike skill sets, generally can’t be taught. Must believe in the shared humanity of all people, go the extra mile for someone in need, be willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt, treat each person as an individual and foster a return to independence, not greater dependence.

Minimum of a Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Child Development, or related field from an accredited university is required or 5 years of related experience. Former Child Protective Specialists are encouraged to apply. A minimum of two (2) years experience in social work, case management, legal advocacy, or similar field is required.

In addition to the above characteristics ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Knowledge of Child Welfare Act, knowledge of Indian Child Welfare Act preferred.

• Ability to utilize an electronic health record as means of documentation. Must be able to train on multiple platforms for information sharing with multiple stakeholders involved with the client(s)’s care.

• Ability to identify problems, research to develop and implement solutions.

• Keen understanding of poverty along with an understanding of trauma and how trauma presents in choices and interactions.

• Experience working with those who are unhoused or have experiences homelessness.

• Proficiency in Microsoft suite, including but not limited to Word, Excel, and Outlook.

• Must be insurable and provide own transportation, work-related passenger vehicle operation may be necessary.

• Ability to work both independently with minimal supervision as well as cooperatively and part of the YWCA team.

• Ability to organize and prioritize workload.

• Ability to intervene and respond quickly in crisis situations and have proven conflict resolution and de-escalation skills.

• Excellent interpersonal, written, verbal, and communication skills.

• Demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and ethical behavior regarding confidentiality as well as in matters concerning coworkers.

• Ability to thoroughly document conversations and actions.

• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as law enforcement reports, government or agency regulations and legal interpretations.

• Ability to write reports and business correspondence.

• A commitment to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.

• Must allow for some flexible hours in order to meet with parents before or after work hours.

A background check is required for all staff at YWCA Helena. Please submit cover letter, resume, and three professional references to Denise@ywcahelena.org. This position is open until filled.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $47,840.00 - $56,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• 403(b)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Evening shift
• Monday to Friday
• On call

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Helena, MT (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Helena, MT: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $47,840 - $56,000