Family Support Worker

Saint Francis Ministries•Amarillo, TX

About The Position

The Family Support Worker for Reintegration supports children and families in reaching permanency. The role provides direct in-home services, including parenting and life-skills support, child-development guidance, and behavior management. The worker supports case-plan goals through teaching, role modeling, and demonstration, and collaborates with families, kinship and foster caregivers, Permanency Specialists, other agencies, and community partners. The position participates in assessments, case conferences, family meetings, team decision-making, and court proceedings, including testifying and ensuring court orders are followed. It helps families build support networks, connects clients with community services, assists with appointments, supports placements, and provides intervention during crises. The worker also supervises and transports children and families as needed. The role requires timely and accurate case documentation, reporting critical incidents to DFPS verbally within 12 hours and in writing within 24 hours, protecting client rights and confidential information, and following agency policies, safety procedures, legal requirements, accreditation standards, and contractual terms. The worker must be able to work a flexible schedule, including on-call, and travel throughout the state.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Must be at least 21 years of age.
Must pass a drug screen, MVR, Criminal History and DFPS History Check, Centralized Background Check Unit Texas Health and Human Services Eligibility check, FBI fingerprint check, and any other background checks deemed necessary.
Must meet a lifting requirement of 50 lbs.
Valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and reliable transportation.
Must be a mandated reporter.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including on-call.
Understanding of family-centered practice, the child welfare and state system, and child and adolescent development.
Ability to engage families in working relationships.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to travel throughout the state.
Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment in accordance with applicable policies, procedures, statutes, rules, and regulations.
Ability to work with minimal supervision, handle multiple priorities, and make decisions independently within the scope of the position.
Ability to manage emotions, make decisions under pressure, and manage stress appropriately.
Ability to work alone effectively and in close proximity to others or in a distracting environment.
Ability to work effectively with others and with diverse populations.
Understanding and practice of Universal Precautions.
Competence in age-specific skills for infant through adult clients and continued training in those competencies.
Receive training in trauma-informed practice and incorporate that knowledge into day-to-day practice.

Nice To Haves

Prefer a minimum of 40 hours of in-service education per year.
Prefer two years’ experience working with children and families.

Responsibilities

Provide direct in-home services, including parenting skills, life skills, child development, and behavior management.
Support case-plan goals through teaching, role modeling, and demonstration.
Participate in case conferences, family meetings, client assessments, and team decision-making.
Help families establish support networks with family, kinship, and community members.
Refer clients to community services and assist with arranging appointments as needed.
Assist in gathering information for initial and ongoing assessments.
Provide intervention for children and families in crisis situations.
Work with the court system, follow court protocols, participate in court proceedings including testifying, and ensure court orders are followed.
Complete and maintain accurate written documentation in child and family case records within established time frames.
Support kinship and foster families in maintaining placements and helping children work toward permanency.
Participate in team meetings and share pertinent information about progress, trends, barriers, solutions, and relationships with agencies and communities.
Work collaboratively with the assigned Permanency Specialist.
Supervise and transport children and families as needed.
Report critical incidents to DFPS verbally within 12 hours and in writing within 24 hours.
Implement agency policies and directives, follow applicable procedures and legal and regulatory requirements, and follow safety procedures.
Report unusual incidents through appropriate Risk Management, clinical, and safety channels.
Maintain strict confidentiality of clients’ personal and health information and agency proprietary data, adhering to HIPAA regulations and company policies.
Ensure clients’ rights are protected.
Perform other duties as assigned.