Foster Care Supervisor

Envision Unlimited•Chicago, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Foster Care Supervisor provides oversight and supervision of case managers to ensure the achievement of positive outcomes for children and youth in foster care. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The Foster Care Supervisor is expected to demonstrate strong leadership and professional judgment, maintain a child-centered and family-focused approach to service delivery, and promote safety, permanency, and well-being in all case decisions. They must maintain confidentiality and comply with applicable laws, regulations, DCFS requirements, and agency policies, while communicating expectations clearly and consistently and addressing performance and operational concerns promptly. The role models professionalism, accountability, respect, and ethical conduct, and promotes a culture of teamwork, continuous learning, and quality improvement.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work or a related field from an accredited college or university.
Minimum of 3–4 years of recent child welfare experience.
Minimum of 2 years of supervisory experience.
Must possess a valid Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL).
Must possess knowledge of Illinois DCFS Rule 402 and the Child Care Act (CCA).
Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with staff, foster parents, applicants, children/youth, families, service providers, and community partners.
Strong computer literacy and proficiency with electronic case management and documentation systems.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, manage competing priorities, and respond effectively to child welfare emergencies.
Must be available to participate in an on-call rotation.

Responsibilities

Ensuring children and youth placed in specialized foster care and Home of Relative placements receive appropriate services and support.
Ensuring children and youth reside in safe, stable, and appropriate home environments.
Monitoring placement stability and taking timely action to address barriers to placement stability and overall well-being.
Supporting case planning and service delivery that promotes permanency and the achievement of a permanent living arrangement.
Monitoring the progress of assigned cases toward permanency and ensuring required case activities are completed within established timeframes.
Ensuring case documentation, assessments, service plans, referrals, and other required records are accurate, timely, and compliant with agency and DCFS requirements.
Reviewing placement needs and collaborating with case workers, foster parents, families, providers, and other stakeholders to address concerns and promote positive outcomes.
Provide consistent, structured and effective supervision to assigned case managers.
Conduct weekly individual and team supervision meetings with all direct reports.
Establish clear performance expectations and hold staff accountable for meeting programs and case related responsibilities.
Provide coaching, mentoring, training and professional development to strengthen staff knowledge and skills.
Reinforce positive performance and address performance deficiencies through appropriate corrective action and progressive discipline.
Monitor staff workload, case assignments, documentation, deadlines and overall performance.
Promote teamwork, communication, collaboration and cohesiveness among team members.
Identify staff training needs and coordinator appropriate training and professional development opportunities.
Represent the foster care program professionally to children, youth, families, foster parents, applicants, service providers, community partners, and other stakeholders.
Promote a customer service approach in all interactions.
Support foster parents in addressing placement concerns, service needs, and barriers to placement stability.
Respond to foster parent concerns in a timely and professional manner.
Attend meetings with staff, foster parents, providers, families, and community partners as needed.
Develop and maintain effective working relationships with internal departments and external providers.
Attend court hearings as required.
Prepare, review, and ensure timely submission of court reports and other required court documentation.
Ensure caseworkers are prepared for court proceedings and understand their responsibilities.
Testify in court when required.
Monitor court-related deadlines and ensure appropriate follow-up on court orders and recommendations.
Participate in the recruitment, interviewing, selection, hiring, orientation, and onboarding of new staff.
Ensure new employees receive appropriate training and orientation to foster care policies, procedures, documentation requirements, and child welfare practices.
Develop and maintain the employee on-call schedule to ensure adequate coverage for program service needs.
Participate in the supervisor on-call rotation.
Provide supervisory support during emergencies and after-hours situations.
Complete caseworker visits when additional supervisory assistance is needed.
Monitor program operations to promote compliance, efficiency, and quality service delivery.
Attend agency, program, and interdepartmental meetings assigned.
Complete reports, documentation, audits, and other administrative responsibilities as required.
Perform other duties as assigned.