MFC CHILD PLACEMENT WORKER

Methodist Children's Home•Monroe, LA

About The Position

The Foster Child Placement Worker shall be responsible for assessing, developing, and executing a plan to achieve permanence for the child, including return to the family, adoptions, transfer of custody, independent living, or other alternative plans. This role involves providing services to a caseload of children removed from their homes by court order, voluntary surrender, or voluntary placement agreement and placed in a foster home or a more restrictive setting. The worker will oversee the placement to ensure the child’s well-being, assess the probability of return, and plan for the child’s permanence. Additionally, the position participates in the implementation of Methodist Foster Care’s recruitment plan for certifying prospective foster families, prepares and conducts extensive orientation and training for potential foster and adoptive homes, and examines and evaluates information gathered about families, housing, and environment in relation to provider criteria and licensing regulations for certification of prospective foster homes. The role includes completing home studies, recommending approval or denial of certification for prospective foster homes, and re-evaluating for continued annual re-certification. The worker will develop and implement corrective action plans to correct deficiencies and maintain a listing of all foster homes in the area, recommending appropriate resources to workers placing children. For Therapeutic Foster Families, specific duties include conducting the first face-to-face visit with a child and therapeutic foster care parent on the day of placement or the following workday, and another face-to-face visit within 10 calendar days. Weekly telephone contact with specialized foster care parents is required, along with a minimum of two in-person visits per month with therapeutic foster care parents (at least one in the home). The worker will visit the foster child face-to-face in the foster home without the foster parent present a minimum of two times a month (at least one visit in the home and one outside). The caseload for therapeutic foster care children is capped at 12, considering additional support and services. Quarterly case consultations involving foster parents, the worker, assistants, supervisor, child, and family of origin (when possible) are required. The role also involves identifying support needs for the foster family, including respite care, and recommending/preparing an aftercare plan for a child prior to discharge. Documentation of consultations and service plan revisions is also a key responsibility. Performing other duties as required is also part of the role.

Requirements

Must have a fundamental love for others and a desire to be an agent for change in their lives.
Must have empathy for others and practice the Golden Rule in relationships.
Must be an active, eager learner and willing to try new methods.
Must possess a strong sense of personal authority, maturity and integrity for agency wide leadership role.
Must possess strong leadership skills to promote staff unity, staff morale and cooperative relationships among various agency departments.
Must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in social work or any bachelor’s degree plus one year of social service experience
A child placement worker located in a branch office apart from the supervisor of placement services shall have a master’s degree from an accredited school of social work
In providers where the child placement staff is comprised of one placement worker, this person shall meet the qualifications of the supervisor of placement services.
Must have demonstrated an appreciation for the value of maintaining a culturally diverse staff, demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a diverse staff and the ability to communicate effectively with all staff members.
Must have a fundamental love for children and a desire to be an agent for change in their lives.
Must possess a sense of personal authority, maturity and integrity for leadership role with staff and youth.
Must have strong verbal and social skills for use with youth and staff.
Must be committed to the protection of confidential information, records and reports.
Must have a strong work ethic and be willing to commit to significant job responsibilities.
Must have excellent organizational and leadership skills and possess imaginative and creative skills.
Must be able to function in many different roles and participate effectively in the life of Louisiana United Methodist Children and Family Services.

Responsibilities

Assessing, developing, and executing a plan to achieve permanence for the child
Providing services to a caseload of children removed from their homes
Overseeing the placement to ensure the child’s well-being
Participating in the implementing Methodist Foster Care’s recruitment plan for certifying perspective foster families
Preparing and conducting extensive orientation and training for potential foster and adoptive homes
Examining and evaluating information gathered about families, housing and environment in relation to provider criteria and licensing regulation for certification of perspective foster homes
Completing home studies
Recommending approval or denial of certification for perspective foster homes
Re-evaluating for continued annual re-certification for foster homes
Developing and implementing corrective action plans to correct deficiencies
Maintaining a listing of all foster homes in area and recommending appropriate resources to workers placing children
Having the first face-to-face visit with a child and therapeutic foster care parent on the day of the child’s placement or the following work day
Having another face-to-face visit with the therapeutic foster parent or child within 10 calendar days of a foster child’s placement
Having telephone contact, on a weekly basis with at least one of the specialized foster care parents of each child on the specialized child placement worker’s caseload
Visiting a therapeutic foster care parent a minimum of two times a month with at least one visit being in the foster home
Visiting the foster child face-to-face in the foster home without the foster parent being present a minimum of two times a month with at least one visit in the therapeutic foster care home and one visit outside the foster home
Carrying a caseload of not more than 12 therapeutic foster care children
Conduct a quarterly case consultation
Identifying the support needed by the foster family, including a plan for respite care
Recommending and preparing an aftercare plan for a child, prior to discharge from therapeutic foster care
Documenting quarterly case consultations and revisions to foster children’s service plans
Performing other duties as required