IFP Family Worker

Boys and Girls Village INC•Bridgeport, CT

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Intensive Family Preservation Program (IFP) is an intensive in-home program designed to prevent placement of children who have been exposed to abuse or neglect. It provides home-based case management, crisis intervention, parenting education, advocacy, coordination with community providers, assistance with concrete needs, and links to community resources. The IFP Worker provides case management, strengthens parental capacity, helps families develop and use natural supports, assesses caregivers’ ability to keep children safe, and responds to crises. The role provides concrete interventions to address safety concerns and improve family functioning, reducing risk factors that could lead to a child’s removal. The worker carries a caseload of 6–8 families and provides at least two home visits weekly during the first four weeks, followed by at least one weekly visit for the remainder of service. The position requires a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, and participation in a 24/7 on-call rotation, including holidays and weekends. The worker must be available to families 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related mental health field.
At least three years of work experience providing home-based services to children and families.
Valid driver’s license and good driving record.
Access to reliable transportation.
Ability to climb several flights of stairs.
Ability to work with clients in a variety of settings.
Ability to lift 35 pounds.
Availability to families 24/7, 365 days per year.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual English/Spanish.
Master’s degree in social work or a related mental health field and at least one year of work experience providing home-based services to children and families.

Responsibilities

Provide case management to a caseload of 6–8 families, with the specified minimum frequency of home visits.
Help families meet basic needs and refer them to community resources and services, including assistance related to transportation, housing, and nutrition.
Assess caregivers’ ability to keep children safe; identify trauma triggers and trauma’s effects on the family and parenting; refer families to trauma-informed services as needed.
Review safety concerns and risk factors, develop and continually update safety and crisis plans, and assess family functioning, parenting skills, and motivation to change.
Identify family resources and formal and informal supports, and help integrate those supports into the family’s care.
Create an individualized service plan using the NCFAS-G and PFS within 30 days of initiating in-home services, addressing relevant safety, child, caregiver, housing, education, employment, transportation, domestic violence, behavioral health, and substance-use issues.
Improve parental capacity, skills, and caregiver competence through teaching, coaching, modeling, and support.
Help families build and use natural supports to sustain changes following IFP intervention.
Work to prevent out-of-home placement of children.
Participate in weekly supervision with the IFP Program Manager.
Collaborate with service providers to support continuity of care.
Provide monthly notes to DCF regarding the status of changes.
Comply with contract, BGV, and state regulations.
Attend monthly DCF reviews and collaborate with DCF workers and liaison.
Work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, to meet family schedules and respond to crises.
Participate in a 24/7 on-call rotation for crisis intervention, including holidays and weekends, and help families secure immediate clinical interventions when necessary.
Keep the IFP Coordinator informed of situations involving the safety of individuals in the program or community.
Prevent, intervene in, and report instances of child abuse or neglect.
Complete paperwork in accordance with state and federal statutes, COA standards, and Boys & Girls Village, Inc. standards.
Participate in collecting required data for DCF and the agency.
Perform other duties as assigned.