Foster Care Specialist

Company: NOVA Treatment Community, Inc.
Location: Omaha
Posted on: November 22, 2021

Job Description:

The Foster Care Specialist provides direct services to Foster Parents and Foster Care children. This includes assisting in the training of Foster Parents; assessing potential children and adolescents for placement; case management, advocacy and crisis intervention; providing transportation as necessary; and providing support and information to the foster children, foster families and biological families. Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work or related field.
• Two years experience in Social Work or related field.
• Ability to manage crisis situations.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and written.
• Ability to work with minimal direct supervision.
• Good time management, time oriented and able to multi task.
• Valid driver's license, less than six points off driver's license and a driving record that meets agency insurance standards.
• Acquire and maintain certification in Infant/Child/Adult First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
• Ability to keep complete and maintain accurate records. Major Responsibilities
  • Assist in the recruitment and training of new and on-going foster parents.
  • Supervise a small caseload of foster care youth as assigned, including offering on-going support, community resources and consultation to the foster parents.
  • Meet with foster children one to two times a month face to face, depending on their level of care; at least one of those times being in the home with the foster parent(s).
  • Advocate for foster child's best interest.
  • Maintain weekly phone contact with the foster parent.
  • Maintain monthly contact with other professionals related to child's case (therapist, Child and Family Services Specialist, Family Permanency Specialist, etc.).
  • Assist foster children who are 12 years of age and older with independent living skills training.
  • Complete and maintain a clinical record on each foster youth that includes a service/care plan, treatment plan, and on-going documentation, in accordance with Federal Confidentiality Regulations and HIPAA.
  • Provide case management activities to maintain continuity of care including meeting with professionals, biological parents and others involved, brokering of services and advocating for foster youth/parent.
  • Provide Family Centered driven service to children and their biological families by the active inclusion of the youth's parents to include inclusion of them in team meetings and decisions affecting their child. Also active facilitation of the relationship between the foster parent and the biological parent is important.
  • Provide crisis intervention by being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Assist with compliance of all federal, state, local and agency regulatory laws, standards, and policy and procedures.
  • Occasionally supervise visits with biological parents and provide transportation for foster children when either a Supervised Visitation Specialist or Foster Parent is not available.
  • Occasionally provide transportation to court, doctor appointments, and therapy appointments, etc. for foster children when the foster parents are not available.
  • Participate in on-going in-service training and employee meetings as scheduled by the Child Welfare Services Director.
  • Assist in conducting assessments when the agency is required to follow up on concerns regarding foster homes.
  • Review referrals for possible placements.
  • Attend court with or without foster children, as determined by DHHS Child and Family Services Specialist.
  • Attend related external conferences and in-services related to families and children we work with.
  • Attend TIPS MAPP foster parent training.

Keywords: NOVA Treatment Community, Inc., Omaha , Foster Care Specialist, Other , Omaha, Nebraska