Mfc Child Placement Worker

Lumcfs•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. This includes services for 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 role involves overseeing the placement to ensure the child’s well-being, assessing the probability of return, and planning for the child’s permanence. Additionally, the worker will participate in implementing Methodist Foster Care’s recruitment plan for certifying prospective foster families, preparing and conducting extensive orientation and training for potential foster and adoptive homes, and examining and evaluating information gathered about families, housing, and environment in relation to provider criteria and licensing regulations for certification of prospective foster homes. This includes completing home studies, recommending approval or denial of certification, and re-evaluating for continued annual re-certification. The worker will also 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 responsibilities include conducting initial and follow-up visits, weekly telephone contact, and monthly in-person visits with therapeutic foster parents and children. The caseload is limited to 12 therapeutic foster care children, considering the intensity of services and needs of the children. The role also involves conducting quarterly case consultations, identifying support needs for foster families including respite care, and recommending and preparing aftercare plans for children prior to discharge. Documentation of consultations and service plan revisions is also required. 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; and 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; and 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 including return to the family, adoptions, transfer of custody, independent living, or other alternative plans
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
Overseeing the placement to ensure the child’s well-being, assessing the probability of return, and planning for the child’s permanence
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
Upon completion of written home studies, recommending approval or denial of certification for perspective foster homes based on a combined evaluation and assessment process
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, taking into account the required responsibilities other than the case management of a child in foster care; the additional support, contact, and preparation needed by a therapeutic foster care home, due to the extent of the needs of the child served; and the intensity of services provided to the child and the child’s family
Conduct a quarterly case consultation, which includes the participation of the foster parents; the child’s Foster Child Placement Worker, any Foster Child Placement Worker Assistants who have participated in car), the Foster Care Supervisor, the child and the child’s family of origin, to the extent possible
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, to ensure a successful transition
Documenting quarterly case consultations and revisions to foster children’s service plans as determined by the case consultations
Performing other duties as required