Children’s Services Worker (Educational Specialist Worker) (4771-12)

Hamilton County Government•Cincinnati, OH

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role assists in managing the educational issues and barriers of foster youth within the KISR! project. The position involves maintaining contact with schools to discuss foster child attendance, academics, and behavior, scheduling and attending school meetings, and assisting with school enrollment and withdrawal. The worker will also help caseworkers resolve educational issues, visit placements to update foster parents on youth progress, and maintain open communication with schools regarding youth appointments that may impact educational success. Documentation includes preparing court reports before dependency hearings, keeping updated lists of foster children at participating schools, and logging interactions in SACWIS. The role also supports transition-age youth by acting as a liaison for gathering information and facilitating educational and employment supports, serving as a point person for housing, education, and employment resources, and collaborating with entities to identify additional supports for older youth and those aging out of the system. This includes helping to identify and monitor youth plans and goals, and ensuring data collection for youth support initiatives. The position also involves collaborative work in scheduled meetings to address program successes and barriers, working with the IS department on outcome data reports, documenting tasks, and participating in the analysis team for outcome assessments. Timely completion of paperwork, including case notes, case plans, administrative reviews, placement packets, social histories, procedural safeguards, situational reports, and SACWIS updates, is required. During summer months or as workload dictates, the worker may carry a generic caseload of families with children at risk of abuse or neglect, advocating for children through the family unit, assessing risk, developing case plans, providing casework services in the home, and working with children in placement and substitute caregivers. Attending conferences, training, team meetings, and supervision is also part of the role, along with performing other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work (or Human Services related); OR Bachelor's degree in Social Work (or Human Services related)
Must possess a valid driver's license issued in the state of residency.
Must have the use of an insured automobile.
A criminal records check conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the FBI is required.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of public relations
Knowledge of human relations
Knowledge of office practices and procedures
Knowledge of agency policies and procedures
Knowledge of government structure and process
Knowledge of counseling
Knowledge of interviewing
Knowledge of social sciences (psychology, sociology, social work or related field)
Knowledge of case management
Knowledge of child welfare practices and procedures
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions
Ability to understand manuals and verbal instructions technical in nature
Ability to gather, collate and classify information about data, people or things
Ability to prepare meaningful concise, and accurate reports
Ability to handle sensitive inquiries from and contacts with officials and general public
Ability to work cooperatively with other staff and supervision

Responsibilities

Assists in the management of the educational issues and barriers of foster youth in the KISR! project.
Maintains regular contact with all participating schools and discuss each foster child’s attendances, academics, behavior, etc.
Schedules and attends school meetings, including but not limited to transportation, tutoring, organization of after school activities.
Assists in enrolling/withdrawing foster youth in and from school.
Assists youth’s caseworkers in resolving any other educational issues, but not limited to transportation, tutoring, organization of after school activities.
Visits with children in their placement setting to educate/update foster parents on foster youth progress in school.
Updates the identified participating schools with the most accurate information about our foster youth.
Maintains open dialogue with school regarding youth’s appointments which could impact their educational success.
Documents all educational information in the form of a court report before each dependency hearing.
Keeps updated list of foster children at each participating schools.
Logs all interactions related to foster youth education into SACWIS.
Works with related parties to ensure that foster youth are obtaining the proper level care related to education.
Serves as a liaison between caseworkers, other internal/external stakeholders to gather information about older youth and facilitate educational and employment supports.
Serves as the point guard to provide supports and resources relating to housing, education and employment.
Works collaboratively with OMJ and other entities in identifying additional supports/resources for older youth in care and emancipating youth.
Helps identify plans/goals for youth and monitor progress.
Ensures data is collected to monitor overall older youth supports initiative as well as individual youth.
Works collaboratively and participates in scheduled meetings with applicable parties to address successes and barriers regarding both programs.
Works closely with IS department in the development and review of outcome data reports.
Documents all tasks in the program task tracker.
Participates in the analysis team as assessment of the outcomes moves forward.
Completes necessary paperwork on a timely basis, including case notes and case record dictation; case plans and updates; administrative case reviews; placement packets; social histories; procedural safeguards paperwork; situational reports as needed; and SACWIS updates.
During summer months, and as workload dictates, carries a generic caseload of families whose children have been or are at significant risk of being abused or neglected.
Advocates for children through the family unit.
Continually assesses the degree to which children are at risk.
Develops case plan with family and provides casework services in the home of family.
Provides casework services to children in placement and meets regularly with substitute care givers and ensure visitations are in place.
Ensures paperwork and case notes are timely and updates as needed.
Attends and participates in all necessary conferences, team meetings, and supervision.
Attends conferences and training.
Performs other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

Highly Competitive Employee Benefits Package
Generous Paid Time Off
11 Paid Holidays
Immediately Begin Accruing Paid Vacation and Sick Time
Paid Parental Leave
Ohio Public Employee Retirement System which includes 14% Employer Contribution AND a defined benefit option
Highly Competitive and Comprehensive Benefits Package: Medical, HRA, Dental, Vision
Employer-Paid Life Insurance
Long-Term Disability
Tuition Reimbursement
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
Free On-Site Parking
Wellness Incentives
Robust Employee Assistance Program
Access to Free Medical and Rx through Marathon Health
Expansive Behavioral and Mental Health Resources