Permanency Specialist - Marion
About The Position
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is hiring a Permanency Specialist to provide professional child welfare casework services to children and families under general supervision. The role determines the need for and coordinates placement of children in substitute care, and interviews clients and professionals to support ongoing assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning. The position supports the safety and stability of children and youth and works with intact families and children in their homes or in substitute care. The specialist develops and implements service plans, assesses family needs and strengths, evaluates progress toward parenting standards and permanency goals, and coordinates appropriate services. The role includes court-related work, case documentation, coordination with foster parents and service providers, client transportation, field visits, and collaboration with community organizations and other state agencies. On a rotating basis, the specialist also serves on 24-hour on-call duty. Overtime, including evening and weekend work, may be required. The position is based at 107 Airway Dr, Marion, Illinois, with a hybrid schedule that may require two to five days per week in the office depending on operational needs. Standard work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Travel, including overnight stays when appropriate, is required.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in social work; or a master’s degree in a related human service field plus one year of directly related professional casework or case management experience; or a bachelor’s degree in social work plus one year of directly related professional casework or case management experience; or a bachelor’s degree in a related human service field plus two years of directly related professional casework or case management experience.
- Related experience must concern family preservation, family reunification, adoption, youth development, counseling and advocacy services, or a related field.
- Ability to travel for work, including overnight stays as appropriate.
- Appropriate, valid driver’s license, daily access to an automobile, and proof of vehicle insurance.
- Completion of a background check and self-disclosure of criminal history.
- Ability to work overtime, including scheduled, unscheduled, or last-minute overtime; evenings and weekends; and in a 24-hour on-call capacity.
Responsibilities
- Provides professional casework services to children and families and determines and coordinates placements in substitute care facilities.
- Provides recommendations and testifies in court regarding client history and future plans; helps prepare witnesses and completes court-ordered studies.
- Participates in administrative case reviews, informs clients of appeal rights and procedures, and assists with initiating appeals.
- Establishes goals for children and parents and prepares reports on progress toward those goals.
- Coordinates comprehensive, family-centered, culturally relevant assessments and ongoing assessment of needs and strengths.
- Evaluates family progress toward minimum parenting standards and the effectiveness of services in support of family preservation, reunification, or another permanency outcome; provides feedback to families.
- Serves on rotating 24-hour on-call duty to ensure mandated services are provided.
- Works with intact families and children in the home or substitute care; develops and implements service plans, evaluates service delivery, and reviews plans and permanency goals.
- Interviews clients and professionals to gather information for continued diagnosis and treatment planning.
- Counsels clients about concrete, supportive, and therapeutic services; provides services directly or makes referrals; supports, guides, and coordinates foster parents and service providers.
- Monitors visits between parents and children in placement and between siblings who are placed separately.
- Drives to field locations to conduct on-site interviews.
- Transports clients for protective custody, substitute care placement or placement changes, appointments, and other service needs.
- Prepares and maintains case documentation, completes agency forms and court reports, and prepares statistical and narrative reports.
- Participates in case staffings and multidisciplinary diagnostic and technical conferences; provides input to supervisory conferences and casework planning.
- Identifies community and agency resources, seeks specialized services, and maintains working relationships with community organizations and other state agencies.
- Performs other duties reasonably within the scope of the position.
Benefits
- Pension program
- Competitive group insurance benefits, including health, life, dental, and vision insurance
- 3 paid personal business days annually
- 12 paid sick days annually, with carryover from year to year
- 10–25 days of paid vacation annually, with 10 days in the first year of employment
- 13 paid holidays annually, and 14 in even-numbered years
- Flexible work schedules when available and dependent on position
- 12 weeks of paid parental leave
- Deferred compensation supplemental retirement plan
- Optional pre-tax medical care and dependent care assistance programs
- Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program eligibility
- GI Bill training and apprenticeship benefits eligibility for qualifying veterans
- 5% salary differential for bilingual positions
- Commuter savings program for Chicago employees
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
