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 assistance, 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 works collaboratively with families, kinship and foster caregivers, the assigned Permanency Specialist, community services, and other agencies. The position participates in case conferences, family meetings, client assessments, team decision-making, and court proceedings. It may involve crisis intervention, supervision and transportation of children and families, maintaining placements, and helping children work toward permanency. The worker maintains timely and accurate case records, reports critical incidents, protects client rights and confidential information, and follows agency policies, safety procedures, and applicable legal, accreditation, and licensure requirements.

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 checks, Centralized Background Check Unit Texas Health and Human Services eligibility screening, FBI fingerprint check, and any other required background checks.
Must be able to lift 50 pounds.
Valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and reliable transportation.
Must be a mandated reporter.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including on-call.
Ability to travel throughout the state.
Understanding of family-centered practice, the child-welfare and state systems, and child and adolescent development.
Ability to engage families in working relationships.
Effective written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment within applicable policies, procedures, statutes, rules, and regulations.
Ability to work with minimal supervision, handle multiple priorities, and make decisions independently within the position’s scope.
Ability to manage emotions, make decisions under pressure, and manage stress appropriately.
Ability to work alone effectively and work in close proximity to others or in distracting environments.
Ability to work effectively with others and with diverse populations.
Understanding and practice of Universal Precautions.
Must receive training in trauma-informed practice and incorporate that knowledge into day-to-day practice.

Nice To Haves

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

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 involving family, kinship, and community.
Refer clients to community services and help arrange 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 relevant information about progress, trends, barriers, solutions, and relationships with other 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 Saint Francis Ministries policies and follow applicable directives, procedures, standards, rules, regulations, and contractual terms.
Follow safety procedures and report unusual incidents through appropriate risk-management, clinical, and safety channels.
Maintain strict confidentiality of client personal and health information and agency proprietary data, in accordance with HIPAA regulations and company policies.
Ensure clients’ rights are protected.
Maintain competence in age-specific competencies for infant-through-adult clients and continue related training.