Foster Care/Adoption Specialist
Supervisor: Foster Care/Adoption Supervisor
Position Function: Provides clinical and technical support to Foster/Adopt parents through intensive case management services, crisis management, home visits, weekly contact, monitoring of standards compliance, documentation, ongoing training and advocacy. The job requires sensitivity to the services population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
Educational Requirements: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required; a Master’s degree in social work or related field is preferred.
Experience Requirements: A minimum of two years of documented full time work experience in a child-placing agency is required with a Bachelor degree.
Functional Requirements: Must have excellent verbal and communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with youth, families, collaborating agencies, community professionals, and ACH Child and Family Services staff.
Working Conditions: Position includes exposure to parents, guardians, and conservators as well as to youth with behavioral problems, including possible physical aggression. A personal vehicle is required for travel.
Exposure to Confidential Information: The foster care/adoption specialist will have access to confidential records including youth files, foster care/adoption records, and foster/adopt parent information. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.
Key Expectations/Responsibilities: A commitment to empowering others to solve their problems. Value a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person. A conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change. The ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence.
Position Description: Foster Care/Adoption Specialist Page 1 of 3 The ability to work collaboratively with other personnel and/or service providers and professional. The capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to meet service goals. The ability to set appropriate limits. Planning: Participate in foster care/adoption program development. Participate in developing training curriculum. Participate in weekly supervision meetings. Participate in meetings with collaborating partners and agencies. Implementation: Participate in Plan of Service meetings and reviews, Collaborative Intake meetings, as well as transfer and discharge meetings. Documentation of meetings, contacts, and case progress by completing paperwork, progress notes, and writing plans of service. Maintain regular communication through phone calls and home visits with foster/adopt parents. Assist in conducting home studies and assessing potential foster/adopt parents to make recommendations for their ability to provide care for children. Attend community meetings, staffing, and other meetings for an assigned case load of children in foster/adopt homes. Lead monthly meetings with foster parents to review youth progress and overall functioning of the foster parents, as well as assist foster parents in designing behavior interventions and responding to youth behavior. Participate in inspections at foster homes to review licensing standards and document non-compliances. Training and Supervision: Attend relevant in-service training offered at ACH to expand knowledge of services and the application of clinical skills. Attend SAMA, first aid, and CPR training. Communicate regularly with supervisor and seek supervision when appropriate. Attend training on trauma informed care and attachment –focused-parenting and demonstrate the ability to implement interventions in the home based on these models of care. Attend continuing education necessary to expand knowledge and maintain certifications or licenses. Establish and adhere to a regular work schedule. Notify supervisor properly when absent. Complete assignments on time. Establish effective working relationships with co-workers. Deal satisfactorily with and acknowledge work-related stress. Maintain appropriate boundaries between professional and personal issues.
Position Description: Foster Care/Adoption Specialist Page 2 of 3 Adhere to all polices and procedures of the agency and its accrediting and standard setting bodies, such as COA, YFT and state licensing. Respect the dignity and worth of clients and foster parents. Maintain client confidentiality per agency standards and all applicable codes of ethics. Use outside professional collaboration and intra-agency teamwork appropriate to the agency. Use a professional development plan to address own strengths and limitations in periodic and annual reviews. Learn, understand, and support the agency mission, purpose and function. Be prepared to address appropriate issues during supervisory conferences and meetings. Accept direction from supervisor and implement supervisor’s suggestions and instructions. Understand your job description in relation to other agency positions. Continue to work to improve skills needed for position held. Consider the environmental, cultural, safety, diversity issues and needs for the foster parent and client. Identify and understand the strengths, abilities and competencies of the foster parent/adopt and client. Complete other duties as assigned by supervisor.
The above noted job description is not intended to describe, in detail, the multitude of tasks that may be assigned but rather to give the employee a general sense of the responsibilities and expectations of his/her position. As the nature of business demands change so, too, may the essential functions of this position
______Employee’s Signature Date
______H.R. Signature Date
Date Received by HR: Dates Reviewed/Updated: 7/2010, 03/2012
Position Description: Foster Care/Adoption Specialist Page 3 of 3