Job Summary

• Works under regular direction planning and providing home studies and monitoring placements for children who are wards of the court and placed in Maricopa County. Provides parenting and home management education, and facilitating access to health and social services for assigned children and families. Children are referred by Department of Child Safety (DCS) in Arizona or via the Interstate Compact for the Placement of Children (ICPC). Services are provided according to the agency mission and philosophy and department goals.

 

Responsibilities and Duties​

• Provides program services that meet the requirements and philosophy of the department.

• Performs duties in an organized, efficient and timely manner.

• Uses independent judgment and discretion in setting daily priorities to complete tasks.

• Demonstrates sensitivity to linguistic, cultural, social, economic, individual and role differences among persons and families served.

• Consults with participating families and referring case managers to assess and prioritize strengths, needs, establish goals, and develop specific plans for implementation.

• Communicates respect for the values, ideas, suggestions, and priorities of the family.

• Conducts home studies for referred families using a family-centered approach and makes written recommendations regarding the placement of children into the home.

• Takes into consideration the priority of each outcome desired, coaches and mentors care givers in the development of reasonable steps within the context of their strengths and needs to realize their goals. Facilitates family decision-making concerning the needs of the child without imposing personal biases or supplanting family authority.

• Recognizes and identifies crisis and works with care givers and other service providers to reduce or alleviate the severity of the situation. Builds upon the positive coping strategies the family can demonstrate during acute crises.

• Clarifies the roles and responsibilities of the family and Family Support Specialist during program participation.

• Evaluates situations and determines when support from supervisor or other professionals would be beneficial to support families or to obtain services.

• Supports care givers in fully utilizing all available community, agency/department, and school district resources; makes referrals for community services such as education, family planning, food stamps, employment, health services, assessment of children, vocational rehabilitation, psychological services, etc., as needed to achieve their established goals.

• Considers at all times the well being of the target child(ren).

• Makes appropriate and timely referrals for services and follows-up to assure families receive necessary services.

• Educates families on the health delivery process and their options, and encourages preventative utilization of these services. Works in collaboration with the family to ensure follow-up treatment is received.

• Advocates on behalf of families for social and health services and notifies appropriate individuals of crisis situations and on-going problems in a timely manner.

• Maintains contact with the family, primarily through home visits, according to the prescribed standards to foster trust and participation in the program, communicate needs and opportunities and provide guidance towards meeting the family's goals.

• Works with family members in a compassionate yet objective manner, with both empathy and professionalism.

• Demonstrates flexibility in providing services.

• Assists care givers in developing and fostering a healthy self-concept for themselves and their child(ren) by reinforcing the concept that they are their child's best teacher.

• Encourages and models appropriate early childhood practices in all family contacts.

• Plans, implements and documents weekly home visits which may include but are not limited to:presentation of educational information, both oral and written, concerning the effects of good nutrition, home safety, child care, budgeting, maternal and child health, and substance abuse;structured time where activities are demonstrated and the parents can practice techniques; review and discussion with parents about their child's development based on, observations, anecdotal accounts, and the planning and implementation of complementary developmentally appropriate activities; family home task identification/practice;review and discussion with the parent about the outcomes, problems and successes related to the home tasks implemented since the last visit.

• Provides a variety of child development activities designed to share information with the family regarding: importance of infant/care giver relationships; emotional development/role of infant or child mental health; variability of typical child development; sequences of development and the interrelationship among developmental areas; sensory and motor development and their influence on later cognitive, perceptual and language skills; development of age-appropriate skills in the areas of social-emotional, language, motor, cognitive and self-help;  importance of development of motivation and initiation; physical maturation of the young child; changing environmental needs of the developing child.

• Is accessible to families (e.g. via answering service) for emergency situations occurring after regularly scheduled hours or on an as needed basis.

• Reports and accurately documents suspected child abuse and neglect according to the program's prescribed standards.

• Accommodates families and coworkers in unexpected or emergency situations by substituting or assisting a co-worker in service delivery.

• Confers with representatives of the courts and court services. Attends court hearings and testifies when required.

• Functions as an effective team member with co-workers and the community to build productive, collaborative relationships and to achieve program goals and objectives.

• Maintains established work schedule, is punctual, keeps appointments, willing to adapt schedule to meet unexpected needs and changes, utilizes time effectively.

• Shares pertinent information with supervisor and team members regarding work progress, successes, barriers, concerns and other areas that may have an impact on the department's services or image.

• Develops positive and constructive working relationships with supervisor, team members, community and participants that results in two-way communication and partnering toward the achievement of department and family goals and objectives.

• Supports the decisions of the director and members of the management team to staff, participants and the community.

• Maintains regular and frequent contact with and provides appropriate, correct and complete information to supervisor, team members and participants.

• Provides to team members and other providers insight and information on progress towards each child and family’s goals, discusses and recommends changes to plan and requests intervention from other team members to improve the likelihood of success for each focus child and family.

• Participates in team, staff, Foster Care Review Board court hearings, and other meetings, offering value through insights and observations and problem-solves and facilitates progress toward solutions.

• Keeps appropriate team members informed about the family and child's status and works in collaboration with them to support the family's established goals.

• Notifies families and/or supervisor of unexpected, emergency, or significant changes in schedule.

• Communicates through verbal/nonverbal means, accurately, clearly and professionally.

• Communicates in a positive, respectful and courteous manner.

• Interacts with co-workers and the community to build productive, collaborative relationships to support the achievement of service goals.

• Enhances two-way communication between director, supervisor, team members, staff and participants.

• Understands and maintains private and sensitive information within the confines of need-to know parameters.

• Demonstrates good presentation and public speaking skills and techniques.

• Translates and clarifies information to families in understandable language.

• Communicates openly and objectively with case managers and families regarding barriers/concerns/successes in the home study and monitoring processes.

• Communicates in writing accurately, clearly and professionally.

• Composes letters, memos, contact logs, home studies and reports, using various writing styles and formats to produce a document that effectively communicates the purpose and intent.

• Submits accurate and complete reports, forms and other written information, as required, in accordance with department standard and schedule.

• Proofs and revises work for correct grammar, spelling and format.

• Communicates in writing to the sending case managers and families via home study reports in an objective, non-judgmental manner.

• Utilizes supervision effectively, takes initiative to secure professional development opportunities, and applies relevant information in the work setting.

• Recognizes the personal limits of competencies and expertise and seeks supervision and guidance accordingly.

• Incorporates constructive direction from supervisor to improve job performance.

• Accepts responsibility for the quality of job performance and learns from mistakes.

• Maintains awareness of current professional information in the fields of activity, undertakes regular and ongoing efforts to maintain competencies in the skills used and incorporates and demonstrates new knowledge and skills on the job.

• Attends and participates in required department, program and staff meetings on a regular basis.

• Participates in supervision that is regular, reflective and collaborative in nature.

 

Qualifications and Skills

• Must be able to obtain Level 1 Fingerprint Clearance Card.

• Associate’s in Human Services or directly related degree.

• Must have a reliable vehicle and be able to provide own transportation to and from clients’ homes and/or other relevant organizations/agencies.

• A valid Arizona driver’s license, Valid AZ Registration. Insurance

• Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug screen.

• Must be computer literate with knowledge of Outlook and Microsoft Office programs (i.e. Word, Excel).

• Must have flexible schedule and able to work weekends and/or evenings based upon client needs.

• Bilingual is a PLUS, but not required.

• Bachelor’s degree in social services, child development, or health/nursing field plus two years of experience working with child welfare and in service coordination, with families where there is risk for abuse or neglect.

• Knowledge of ICPC regulations preferred.

• Certification in infant/toddler CPR and first aid.

• Functional knowledge of AIDS/STDs and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and procedures.

• Knowledge of Child Protective Services

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Strength And Mobility

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• Ability to lift 35 – 50 pounds

• Ability to stoop, bend and squat to child’s eye level for appropriate periods of time

• Ability to sit for periods of time on the floor with children

• Ability to get up and down from floor without assistance

• Ability to run after a child if necessary

• Ability to climb flights of stairs

• Ability to play with children, skip, run and hop.

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Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Contract

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Benefits

• Benefits available for full-time, non-contracted employees after 90 days of employment.

• Job Type: Full-time

• Salary: $14.70 to $17.85 /hour

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CONTACT:

Email your  resume to:

Jackie Phillips

Jackie@onwardhope.org

520-329-4917