VISITATION COACH - VIS COACH

The Children s Center of Hamden Inc•Hamden, CT

2d•$35,625 - $39,375

About The Position

Reporting to the QPC Program Manager, as part of the QPC team, the Visitation/Coaching staff assigned to Quality Parenting Center (QPC) will be responsible for supervising visits between biological parents/caregivers and their children. The supervised visits will be done in accordance with the QPC model endorsed by the DCF. Staff will be responsible for the pre/post meeting, the real-time coaching of parents, and all necessary documentation. The QPC is a community based service, using a parent empowerment model, serving DCF involved families who have had their children removed and placed in foster or relative/kinship care. The QPC is a supervised visitation model. The position requires considerable knowledge of child welfare/CPS practices, dynamics, legal issues, and support systems. Visitation/Coaching Staff will participate in all trainings provided by DCF for the QPC model.

Requirements

Associates Degree required
Possess a valid CT driver’s license with a clean driving record.
CPR/1st Aid Certification will be required.
Considerable knowledge of child welfare/CPS practices, dynamics, legal issues, and support systems.
Ability to act with integrity and respect in personal and organizational practices, treating all people equitably including respecting professional, ethical and people values.
Ability to write and speak clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings; can get messages across that have the desired effect.
Facilitate the prevention and/or resolution of conflict while preserving working relationships while maintaining composure.
Ability to manage multiple projects; determine project urgency, uses goals to guide actions; organizes and schedules task effectively.
Readily sharing information, knowledge and personal strengths. Seek to understand and build on differing perspectives of others to enhance team efficiency and quality outcomes.
Ability to use computers and other forms of technology. Ability to learn required office software products.
Making and taking responsibility for, and demonstrating commitment to appropriate decisions in a timely manner. Ensuring that decisions are made based on policies, rules and organizational directives and solving the emerging problems.
Creating a working environment that promotes and encourages team members' participation to attain common and individual objectives. Leading by example.
The discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of a specific project.
Innovating through analysis of issues and trends and how these link to responsibilities, capabilities and potential of the organization.

Nice To Haves

Bachelors preferred

Responsibilities

Facilitate all child/parent visits post DCF removal.
Conduct pre and post meeting requirements such as reaching agreements, and ensuring the child’s needs are met during all visits.
Prepare parents for their child’s reactions to visits and prepare them for appropriate interactions.
Coach parents in real time during visits, acknowledging parents' strengths in responding to their children, and coaching to improve skills.
Help parents deal with their feelings post and pre visits.
Develop visitation plans for each visit in conjunction with DCF.
Document visits using the prescribed narrative format.
Develop visit goals with parents, caregivers and DCF.
Facilitate the discharge meeting/visit once a permanency goal is achieved.
Successfully complete CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute) training and perform physical restraints with individuals as a last resort when needed.
Maintain all required agency mandatory trainings.
Participate in staff and departmental meetings, in-service training programs, and attend meetings as required, workshops, and conferences.
Effectively utilize supervision.
Maintain appropriate personal boundaries with young people and families served at The Children's Center of Hamden.
Adhere to The Children’s Center of Hamden’s Boundary Code of Ethics.
Perform any other related work assigned.
Be aware of the Policy and Procedure Manuals and can access information as needed.
Demonstrate effort to promote the agency Inclusion Policy by identifying inequities and bias, appropriately raising concerns, interacting with others respectfully, and respecting the experiences of individuals who do not share your race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or any other relevant quality.
Maintain care, welfare, safety and security of the children by reporting conditions which are or could be considered safety hazards.