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 position assesses needs and strengths, determines the need for and coordinates placements in substitute care, and develops and evaluates treatment and service plans. The specialist interviews clients and professionals, supports families and service providers, and works toward family preservation, reunification, or another appropriate permanency outcome for the child. The role includes court-related work, case documentation and reporting, coordination with agency and community resources, and transportation of clients for placements and appointments. The specialist drives to field locations and is assigned rotating 24-hour on-call duty. Travel, including overnight stays when appropriate, is required. Overtime may be required, including evenings and weekends. The position is based at 107 Airway Dr, Marion, Illinois, and has a hybrid work schedule of two to five days per week in the office, depending on operational needs. Regular work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. This is a salaried, full-time union position. The role is within the Upward Mobility Program and does not contain specialized skills as defined in collective bargaining agreements.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in social work is preferred.
- Alternatively, a master’s degree in a related human service field and one year of directly related professional casework or case management experience in family preservation, family reunification, adoption, youth development, counseling, advocacy services, or a related field.
- Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree in social work and one year of directly related professional casework or case management experience in family preservation, family reunification, adoption, youth development, counseling, advocacy services, or a related field.
- Alternatively, a bachelor’s degree in a related human service field and two years of directly related professional casework or case management experience in family preservation, family reunification, adoption, youth development, counseling, advocacy services, or a related field.
- Ability to travel to perform duties, with 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 a 24-hour on-call capacity.
Responsibilities
- Provide professional casework services to children and families and determine and coordinate placements in substitute care facilities.
- Provide recommendations and testify in court regarding client history and future plans; assist with preparing witnesses and prepare court-ordered studies.
- Participate in administrative case reviews, inform clients of appeal rights and procedures, and assist with initiating appeals.
- Establish goals for children and parents; report on progress toward goals; coordinate comprehensive, family-centered and culturally relevant assessments; and continually assess needs and strengths.
- Evaluate family progress toward minimum parenting standards and assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of services for family preservation, reunification, or another permanency outcome; provide feedback to families.
- Work with intact families and children in home or substitute care; develop service plans within agency timeframes and review service delivery and permanency goals, revising plans as needed.
- Interview clients and professionals to gather information for continued assessment and treatment planning; counsel on available services, provide support, implement plans, and make service referrals.
- Support and coordinate with foster parents and service providers, and monitor appropriate visits between parents and children and between siblings placed separately.
- Drive to field locations to conduct on-site interviews.
- Transport clients for protective custody, substitute-care placements, placement changes, appointments, and other service needs.
- Prepare and maintain case documentation, agency forms, case notes, payment, eligibility, visitation and court reports, and statistical and narrative reports.
- Participate in case staffings and multidisciplinary conferences; contribute to supervisory consultations and case planning; identify community and agency resources; and maintain working relationships with community organizations and other state agencies.
- Perform rotating 24-hour on-call duty in addition to normal assignments.
- Perform other duties reasonably within the scope of the position.
Benefits
- Pension program
- Competitive group insurance benefits, including health, life, dental, and vision insurance
- Three paid personal business days annually
- Twelve 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
- Thirteen 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 programs, including Medical Care Assistance Plan and Dependent Care Assistance Plan
- Eligibility for Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Eligibility for GI Bill training and apprenticeship benefits for qualifying veterans
- Five percent 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
