Community Services Caseworker

Kemmerer Village•Assumption, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Community Services Caseworker provides supervision and casework services to children and families in Kemmerer Village, Inc.’s Community Services (Foster Care) program, with a primary focus on reunification or achieving permanency. The role includes consulting, planning, and communicating regularly with foster parents to support the safety and well-being of children in their care. The position is directly supervised by the Community Services Supervisor and has no supervisory responsibilities. The caseworker conducts required client contacts, including face-to-face visits in foster homes, parent or relative homes, and community settings. The role coordinates case-related meetings and services, maintains confidential case documentation, supports foster parents, and works with agency staff and other involved parties to promote children’s stability and permanency. Work is generally based in an office, with regular travel to family and foster-parent homes and other relevant locations.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a related field is required; the posting states these fields as preferred.
Willingness and ability to work actively as part of a team with other agency program staff.
Must hold a Child Welfare Employee License or be able to obtain one within the first 90 days of employment; training is provided.
Must possess and maintain a valid Illinois driver’s license, a safe driving record, and required auto insurance in compliance with agency policy and applicable state law.
Must be able to safely operate a personal vehicle.
Must be able to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
Must be able to engage youth, families, foster parents, and staff to support stability and permanency.

Responsibilities

Conduct client contacts in accordance with Department of Children and Family Services policy, including face-to-face visits in foster homes, parent or relative homes, and community settings.
Participate in or coordinate staffing, Administrative Case Reviews, Child and Family Team Meetings, and other required meetings; prepare agendas, notify participants, and complete related documentation on time.
Ensure needed services are available to children, inform foster parents about services, assist them in accessing services, and ensure service-related commitments are completed promptly.
Complete case notes and in-house staffing and incident reports weekly, maintaining case-related documentation as confidential case records.
Confer with the Director of Community Operations about each child’s problems and progress as needed or requested.
Inform foster parents of available information about a child’s needs, strengths, weaknesses, behavior, and adjustment in prior living arrangements before or at placement.
Ensure the foster family and child have initial placement needs, including clothing, personal belongings, and record files, and keep records current.
Discuss visitation plans and travel arrangements with foster parents before finalizing the plans.
Contact foster parents at least weekly for specialized placements and twice monthly for other placements, and provide planned consultation about the child and the child’s needs.
Seek foster-parent input in case planning and inform foster parents of permanency goals, timelines, and objectives related to the child’s care.
Keep foster parents informed of appropriate information and changes in planning, including court dates, reviews, and visits; respond promptly to requests for help or services.
Identify and discuss foster-parenting concerns, document and share them with the supervisor, licensing support staff, or external providers as applicable, and assist in addressing concerns or arranging a new placement.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Maintain effective working relationships with agency staff and other people involved in the child’s case, including foster parents, therapists, specialists, and support workers.
Resolve conflicts directly in a manner that is understood and satisfactory to those involved.
Maintain professional attire, conduct, language, and attitude, and use sound judgment in managing time, responsibilities, and caseload.
Maintain confidentiality of agency and family information.
Take direction, follow lines of authority, and adapt to the agency program.
Engage youth, birth parents, families, social connections, foster parents, and staff to support youth stability and permanency.
Travel to family homes and other relevant locations, using an agency vehicle or receiving mileage reimbursement when a fleet vehicle is unavailable.
Participate in a rotating on-call schedule shared with Community Services Caseworkers and Support Specialists.