Children’s Services Worker (Educational Specialist Worker) (4870-12)

Hamilton County, Ohio•Cincinnati, OH

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position assists in the management of the educational issues and barriers of foster youth in the KISR! project. The role involves maintaining regular contact with participating schools to discuss each foster child’s attendance, academics, and behavior. It also includes scheduling and attending school meetings, assisting with school enrollment/withdrawal, and resolving educational issues for foster youth. The worker will visit children in their placement settings to update foster parents on progress and provide accurate information to schools regarding youth’s appointments that could impact educational success. Documentation of educational information in court reports before dependency hearings and logging interactions into SACWIS are key responsibilities. The role also supports transition-age youth by acting as a liaison for educational and employment supports, providing resources for housing, education, and employment, and collaborating with entities to identify additional supports for older youth in care and emancipating youth. This includes helping identify plans/goals, monitoring progress, and ensuring data collection. The worker will also participate in meetings to address successes and barriers regarding programs and work with the IS department on outcome data reports. During summer months or as workload dictates, the worker may carry a generic caseload of families at risk of abuse or neglect, advocating for children through the family unit, assessing risk, developing case plans, and providing casework services to children in placement. The role requires timely paperwork completion, including case notes, case plans, administrative reviews, and SACWIS updates. Attending conferences, team meetings, and supervision is also required.

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.
Knowledge of: public relations; human relations; office practices and procedures; agency policies and procedures; government structure and process; counseling; interviewing; social sciences (psychology, sociology, social work or related field; case management; child welfare practices and procedures.
Ability to: define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions; understand manuals and verbal instructions technical in nature; gather, collate and classify information about data, people or things; prepare meaningful concise, and accurate reports; handle sensitive inquiries from and contacts with officials and general public; work cooperatively with other staff and supervision.
Must undergo a background check via the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI).
Must have a car, valid driver’s license issued by the state of residency and required auto liability insurance.

Nice To Haves

Potential for Hybrid Remote Work Schedule

Responsibilities

Maintain regular contact with participating schools to discuss each foster child’s attendance, academics, and behavior.
Schedule and attend school meetings, including but not limited to transportation, tutoring, and organization of after-school activities.
Assist in enrolling/withdrawing foster youth in and from school.
Assist youth’s caseworkers in resolving any other educational issues, including transportation and tutoring.
Visit children in their placement setting to educate/update foster parents on foster youth progress in school.
Update participating schools with accurate information about foster youth, including maintaining open dialogue regarding youth’s appointments that could impact educational success.
Document all educational information in the form of a court report before each dependency hearing.
Keep an updated list of foster children at each participating school.
Log all interactions related to foster youth education into SACWIS.
Work with related parties to ensure that foster youth are obtaining the proper level of care related to education.
Serve as a liaison between caseworkers and other stakeholders to gather information about older youth and facilitate educational and employment supports.
Act as a point person to provide supports and resources relating to housing, education, and employment.
Collaborate with OMJ and other entities in identifying additional supports/resources for older youth in care and emancipating youth.
Help identify plans/goals for youth and monitor progress.
Ensure data is collected to monitor overall older youth supports initiative as well as individual youth.
Collaborate and participate in scheduled meetings with applicable parties to address successes and barriers regarding programs.
Work closely with the IS department in the development and review of outcome data reports and document all tasks in the program task tracker.
Be part of the analysis team as assessment of the outcomes moves forward.
Complete necessary paperwork on a timely basis, including case notes, case plans, administrative case reviews, placement packets, social histories, procedural safeguards paperwork, situational reports, and SACWIS updates.
During summer months, and as workload dictates, carry a generic caseload of families whose children have been or are at significant risk of being abused or neglected.
Advocate for children through the family unit.
Continuously assess the degree to which children are at risk.
Develop case plans with families and provide casework services in the home.
Provide casework services to children in placement and meet regularly with substitute care givers.
Ensure visitations are in place.
Ensure paperwork and case notes are timely and updated as needed.
Attend and participate in all necessary conferences, team meetings, and supervision.
Attend conferences and training.
Perform 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
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