Caseworker III – Independent Living Coordinator

Montgomery County•Norristown, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Caseworker III/Independent Living Coordinator is responsible for the provision of front-line or specialized casework services to children and families whose needs are complex and multi-faceted. This includes, but is not limited to, intake, truancy, adolescent services, ongoing, intensive services, independent living, family engagement, and/or permanency services. The role monitors service provisions for youth eligible for independent living and provides direct services to transition-aged youth aged 18 to 21 years old. The position requires functioning as an essential member of a working team to assure effective functioning of the work unit, division, and agency, emphasizing punctuality, dependability, and professional presentation. This obligation includes assuming new and unfamiliar responsibilities essential to effective services. Cooperation with staff at all levels and fostering teamwork by offering support and assistance to co-workers are key aspects of the role. Participation on agency committees and in special events in a job-related capacity is also expected, as is seeking to improve personal knowledge, skills, and abilities through career development, attending trainings, meetings, and staffings. Representing the agency professionally to promote effective agency operations and maintaining a professional demeanor in contact with clients, professionals, and the general public, promoting respect for and understanding of cultural diversity among clients, are also integral.

Requirements

Basic knowledge of Child Welfare systems, related laws, regulations, and policies.
Communication skills and the ability to clearly present information both orally and in writing.
Ability to develop and maintain close professional relationships with agency staff, human service personnel, foster parents, and the community.
Ability to exercise judgment and discretion with families of a variety of ethnic and cultural heritage.
Interviewing and assessment techniques; ability to prepare and clearly present information to children of all ages and their family members.
Knowledge of child welfare, social work, and counseling theory and practice.
Ability to identify key interpersonal dynamics and behaviors, to evaluate the effectiveness of childcare techniques, and to discretely communicate concerns and propose solutions to support effective techniques.
Ability to gather, assemble, analyze information, and prepare summarized documentation of findings.
Interviewing, information gathering, and investigation skills needed to evaluate and document personal, familial, social, and professional values and lifestyle.
Knowledge of basic principles and practices of supervision and administration.
Ability to facilitate and negotiate between judicial, legal, and human service systems.
Ability to analyze and evaluate program plans, operations, goals, and objectives.
Ability to function independently and decisively.
Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of others.
Experience as a Caseworker; OR a bachelor's degree in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social degree and 3 years of professional social casework experience in a public or private social services agency; OR an equivalent combination of experience and training which includes 12 college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related degree.
Appropriate experience may substitute for required education, except for the 12 college-level credits in the specified areas or appropriate education for the experience.
Unrelated experience or education will not be accepted.
Must have automobile in good working condition with Pennsylvania driver’s license and adequate insurance coverage.

Nice To Haves

Pennsylvania residency is not a requirement for this position.

Responsibilities

Provides screening, assessment, or investigation of newly received reports of child abuse, neglect, or abandonment, assuring child safety and/or maintaining a specialty caseload of difficult/challenging cases that supports distribution of division workload.
Provides a full range of child welfare services to dependent children and families.
Assures child safety in the family home or placement setting by visiting the child in the setting according to state and agency requirements; through ongoing monitoring interventions; and implementation of therapeutic interventions to promote family stability.
Conducts in-person family contacts and home visits, provides supportive counseling, assists families in locating and utilizing available community and family resources, supervises family visits, and provides other therapeutic and/or rehabilitative services as needed in support of overall child safety, permanency, and well-being.
Prepares written reports for the Court and for preparation of oral testimony regarding the facts of each case.
Prepares for and participates in proceedings in Juvenile Court, hearings before the Master in Permanency Review, Family and Criminal Court, and Permanency proceedings.
Implements court orders and assures compliance in all cases brought before the Court via documentation of casework and direct service provisions.
Consults with agency solicitor and child advocates to coordinate services received by client families.
Meets regularly with client families to identify needs and difficulties, evaluate parenting, and communicate concerns and proposed solutions affecting the health and well-being of children.
Documents casework activity and records all contact in client case records and database.
Maintains timely case records for both family and individual children receiving child welfare services, ensuring documents are included in the case record in accordance with legal and regulatory mandates and established agency policy and procedure.
Completes and updates case records with identifying case and family information, case dictation notes, copies of documents resulting from juvenile and other court-related proceedings, records of child protective service investigations, placement and family service treatment plans, and other documents related to the provision of services to client families. Case records also contain vital child record, medical, education, photos, and other data.
Provides intervention in conjunction with members of other community serving professions, i.e., law enforcement, education, medicine, social services, and permanency planning.
Maintains contact with service provider agency staff assigned to client families to assure coordination of service delivery and commonality of service goals and objectives.
In situations when casework supervisor is unavailable (not in office or on vacation), provides assistance and guidance to other caseworkers in the unit.
Performs specific, assigned supervisory tasks in supervisor’s absence.
Assists in supportive tasks for division meetings, unit meetings, retreats, and other administrative tasks, as assigned.
Assists in monitoring the use of agency vehicles.
Assures preparation, testimony, and implementation of court orders and associated documents in all cases in which agency involvement is warranted, in conjunction with agency solicitors, paralegals, and other legal staff.
Files Juvenile Court petitions, witness subpoenas, develops oral and written reports for the Court, and provides testimony as to the facts of the case.
Ensures all actions regarding children in or out of placement are in line with the primary permanency goal for the child, as well as the concurrent goal, and professionally represents the basis for this goal to the court.
Maintains knowledge of legal mandates and regulatory guidelines that direct the child welfare process in circumstances where judicial decisions may be necessary to assure the welfare of a child.