Child Welfare Specialist

Little City Foundation•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Child Welfare Specialist (CWS) performs casework related to foster care and adoption in Illinois, ensuring the safety, well-being, and permanency of children assigned to their caseload. Specialists serve youth in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), typically in foster homes, and work toward reunification with biological or extended family, fictive kin, or another appropriate placement when reunification is not possible. The program serves youth ages 0–21 from diverse backgrounds, many of whom have intellectual or developmental disabilities, autism, or behavioral and emotional disorders. The typical blended, weighted caseload is approximately 10 clients; agency caseload ratios are 15:1 or less, with approximately 25 or fewer visits per month. Youth live within a 45-mile radius of the Chicago administrative office. The CWS assesses safety and well-being through regular in-person contacts with youth and families, visits to foster and parent homes, and coordination with schools, medical providers, courts, and other community-based providers. The role includes assessment and treatment planning, service coordination, family and sibling visitation, transportation when needed, maintaining case records and monthly database documentation, and facilitating quarterly Child and Family Team Meetings. Specialists attend court hearings, provide testimony and reports, advocate for youth in educational settings, and comply with DCFS requirements, applicable laws, and agency standards. The position also includes regular supervision, required meetings and training, continuous quality improvement, and emergency after-hours on-call coverage once every 6–8 weeks for a week at a time. Home visits and family visits often take place after school or work and during weekday evenings; occasional weekend visits may occur. The work involves travel to homes, schools, court, and community providers. Employees must have their own vehicle and valid auto insurance. The work environment is residential, with noise levels ranging from normal to loud, and may involve occupational exposure to blood, body fluids, infectious substances, and cleaning agents or disinfectants. Physical activities include prolonged sitting, walking, and standing; handling equipment; and recurring assistance with lifting up to 50 pounds, with varying assistance. The posted salary range is $45,000–$55,000 per year, depending on experience. Little City offers competitive salaries and benefits to eligible employees.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited school.
Must be licensed as a Child Welfare Employee (CWEL) in Illinois or eligible to receive licensure within the first 90 days of employment.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Proficiency using a computer to complete documentation and enter case-related information into a centralized database.
Must have a personal vehicle and valid auto insurance.
Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
Ability to perform CPR and CPI.
Ability to meet the physical demands of the role, including recurring assistance with lifting up to 50 pounds, with varying amounts of assistance.
Corrected vision and hearing within normal range.

Nice To Haves

One year of relevant experience working with children with developmental, behavioral, and/or emotional challenges is preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage a blended, weighted caseload of approximately 10 youth in foster care and conduct casework to promote safety, well-being, and permanency.
Assess youth safety and well-being through three monthly in-person contacts, including two visits in the foster home, and coordinate collateral contacts with community providers.
Complete assessments and treatment planning, including CANS assessments, service plans, case reviews, social histories or integrated assessments, and other applicable assessments.
Maintain ongoing contact with biological parents, provide counsel and training, and support services and visitation toward reunification when appropriate.
Arrange and support at least weekly parent-child visitation and transport parents or children to and from visits when needed.
Ensure sibling visits occur as required and provide transportation when needed.
Maintain complete child case files and required documentation in compliance with DCFS, state, federal, and agency requirements.
Complete comprehensive monthly case notes in the SACWIS database by the fifth of each month.
Provide emergency after-hours and weekend on-call coverage approximately once every 6–8 weeks for a full week, including phone consultation and possible in-person intervention.
Participate in continuous quality improvement and monitor performance and recordkeeping requirements.
Follow DCFS policies and procedures and applicable laws, rules, and agency policies.
Work cooperatively with program staff, Little City, DCFS, and collateral providers.
Schedule and facilitate quarterly Child and Family Team Meetings, prepare and distribute meeting minutes, and support discussion of permanency, services, and safety.
Participate in regular supervision and required program, agency, and external meetings.
Attend court hearings, represent the child's best interests, provide accurate testimony, and submit court reports and supporting documentation as required.
Visit youth at school at least twice yearly, attend IEP and disciplinary meetings, and advocate for their educational needs and rights.
Represent Little City Foundation professionally in internal and external interactions.
Report workplace accidents and safety hazards to a supervisor and fulfill workplace safety responsibilities.
Complete required Little City, DCFS, and other assigned training and retraining.
Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.