Family Support Specialist - Foster Care
About The Position
The Foster Family Support Specialist works under the Foster and Adoption Support contract and Kinship Support Services to help potential foster parents obtain placement and/or foster care licensure. The specialist supports and monitors potential foster parents and kinship caregivers and conducts ongoing in-home evaluations and re-evaluations while meeting safety requirements established by the Department of Child Safety (DCS). The role includes conducting home evaluations and monitoring visits, providing kinship navigation, assessing home environments, supporting licensing and placement decisions, and helping families access resources. The specialist also participates in family assessment, home-based family support, parental skills training, case coordination, case plan development, and service documentation. The position involves outreach and recruitment and retention activities for foster and adoption families, as well as coordination with DCS and DDD when applicable.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in a related Human Services field.
- Two years of higher education in a related Human Services field.
- Two years of related work experience, including work with developmentally disabled children and adults.
- CPR/First Aid certification.
- Provide own transportation to and from clients' homes and relevant organizations or agencies.
- Meet the position's training and organizational requirements.
- Demonstrate a solution-focused, dedicated, and compassionate approach in support of the organization's mission, values, and strategic direction.
- Demonstrate commitment to diversity and inclusion and value diverse perspectives and team contributions.
- Possess or be able to qualify for and maintain a valid Arizona Department of Public Safety level one fingerprint clearance card.
- Possess and maintain a valid Arizona driver's license and be insurable under the organization's automobile policy.
- Clear the Department of Child Safety (DCS) Central Registry.
- Clear a random annual drug screen.
Nice To Haves
- Spanish speaking preferred, but not required.
Responsibilities
- Maintain confidential and sensitive information, including client files.
- Maintain timely and accurate clinical records according to organizational standards.
- Complete required periodic home evaluations and re-evaluations and ongoing monitoring visits accurately and on time.
- Provide kinship navigation for unlicensed and licensed kinship families.
- Apply licensing and certification regulations, evaluate changes in home environments, and recommend corrective action when needed.
- Comply with Foster Care Program contractual agreements, reporting requirements, and applicable policies and regulations.
- Monitor foster families for compliance with Foster Care policies (Title 21, Chapter 6 Foster Care License).
- Assess families and present factual home studies to support licensure, re-licensure, and placement appropriateness decisions.
- Participate in family assessments, home-based family support, parental skills training, case coordination, case plan development, and documentation of services.
- Support case plans for DCS and DDD when applicable.
- Apply cultural sensitivity when working with children, foster families, and biological families.
- Participate in community and internal outreach and recruitment and retention of adoption and foster care families.
- Identify and guide potential foster parents and kinship caregivers to necessary resources.
- Provide on-call support for client needs, including weekday availability and scheduled weekend coverage.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
