Child Welfare Specialist

This position is both remote and Inperson.

PURPOSE:

To initiate facilitate and perform a variety of caseworkrelated functions pertaining to foster care and adoption within the child welfare system in Illinois. To perform all casework ensuring the safety wellbeing and permanency of the children assigned to their caseload.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The list of essential duties and responsibilities as outlined herein is intended to be representative of the task to be performed. The omission of an essential function does not preclude management from assigning duties not listed herein is such duties are a logical assignment to the position of Child Welfare Specialist (CWS).
1. Child Welfare Specialists (CWS) are responsible for a blended weighted caseload of approximately 10 clients (with an agency caseload ratio of being 15:1 or less and total number of visits being approximately 25 or less a month). Clients served by Little City as youth in the care of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and have been determined to be abused neglected or dependent by the State of IL and reside in foster homes.
2. Foster care is intended to be shortterm until the youth(s) may reunify with their families. Youth served by Little City Foster Care & Adoption Program are from diverse racial ethnic and cultural backgrounds; may identify as male female nonbinary or LGBTQIAP be between the ages of 021 and most youth have a diagnosed intellectual or developmental disability or autism or a behavioral and emotional disorder. CWS work with the assigned youths and his/her/their immediate family members including siblings parents and the likes to assess the ongoing safety and wellbeing of the individuals with the goal of reunifying the youth with their biological immediate or extended family fictive kin or a nonrelative placement option if placement with family is not an option.
3. Assesses the ongoing safety and wellbeing of the child in his/her/their foster home through 3x/month inperson contacts with the youth with two of the visits being within the home each month. Clients served by Little Citys Foster Care & Adoption Program clients reside within a 45mile radius in all directions of the administrative office in Chicago. Home Visitation often occurs during the afterschool and evening hours during weekdays. Ongoing monitoring of safety and wellbeing also occurs through inperson visits and/or collateral contacts with communitybased providers including the youths school medical providers day cares Court and more. Ongoing assessment includes clinical support upholding policies and licensing standards addressing issues regarding care of the youth in their home and monitoring and aiding in obtaining services.
4. Engages in assessment and treatment planning including CANS assessments Service Plans and comprehensive case review documents required by Federallymandated Administrative Case Reviews (ACR) updated 2x/year; completing Vineland Ansell Casey and other assessments as applicable; Social History/Integrated Assessment upon case opening; and other assessments and documentation as applicable.
5. Maintains regular ongoing contacts with and provides counsel and training for biological parents of children in the foster care program in order to facilitate a successful reunification when applicable to the case per the Courtset goal. Provides assessment and services as outlined on the service plan including a minimum of weekly parentchild visitation (visitation often occurs in the afterschool afterwork and eveninghours. CWS is oftentimes responsible for providing transportation for the parent(s) and/or children to/from visits. DCFS policy requires a minimum of 1x/month home visits to the parents residence as clinically appropriate.
6. As required and detailed in DCFS Procedure Aristotle P CWS will ensure siblings visit 2x/month and/or 1x/ a month for a minimum of four hours as clinically appropriate in order to maintain a relationship between the child and his/her/their biological siblings. CWS may be responsible for providing transportation for the children to/from visits. Visits typically occur afterschool and in the early to evening hours with occasional weekends on an exceptional basis.
7. Responsible for the upkeep of childs files and including all essential documentation per DCFS Administrative Procedure 5 in order to comply with Federal State and Agency Audits monthly or as selected for audit. Critical documentation for inclusion in the case files includes securing required documentation for assessment and provision of services to youth(s) and biological family members such as medical emotional wellbeing documentation; school records; service planning and referral documentation; obtaining DCFSapproved consents for services; and more.
8. Child Welfare Specialists are responsible for completing comprehensive monthly case notes by the 5th of every month in the statewide computer database (SACWIS). SACWIS notes are audited by DCFS are a part of a childs case record and may be used as parts of Court Hearings pertaining to a youth and family case in juvenile court. Documentation is reflective of all contacts pertaining to the case.
9. Emergency After Hours OnCall responsibility once every 68 weeks at a minimum for an entire week with the CWS being the primary point of contact after hours and on weekends. Responsibilities may include phone consult and inperson onsite intervention.
10. Engage in ongoing continuous quality improvement (CQI) to ensure upkeep of critical records required for the case record and as detailed by the program. DCFS issues a monthly DCFS Dashboard reflective of agency performance and LCF tracks performance to share and monitor meeting the expectations of the position. LCF is accredited by CARF and those standards are monitored and reported to the larger agency oversite committees as well.
11. Assures that DCFS policies and procedures and all applicable laws rules and policies are followed.
12. Child Welfare Specialists value teamwork and work cooperatively with other staff in the Foster Care and Adoption Program Little City Agency DCFS and collateral providers.
13. Responsible for scheduling and leading the facilitation of quarterly staffings Child and Family Team Meetings (CFTM) that include all parties to the case such as foster parents biological family members the youth service providers legal and more with the purpose of discussing progress towards permanency progress in services and monitor safety. CFTMs also serve as a place for transparent information sharing both verbally and inwriting within the CFTM minutes prepared by CWS and distributed to all parties.
14. Must engage in regular Supervision with your direct supervisor to discuss case related matters promote professional development and growth clinically staff caseissues receive support and the likes.
15. Will attend required program meetings and agencymandated meetings including the monthly Foster Care and Adoption Team Meeting All Staff Meeting joint supervisions and other staffings as required. Attendance at external meetings with community partners and collaterals is expected as well include Clinical Intervention for Placement Preservation (CIPP) meetings at DCFS and the likes as required by the case.
16. Attends Court Hearings that occur every six months at a minimum and represents the childs best interest in juvenile court. CWS will provide accurate and thorough testimony during hearings and trials and attends all court hearings with thorough knowledge of the case. Court reports and supporting documentation must be provided per County and Court Regulations.
17. Advocates for the youth in care by visiting the child as school at least twice per year to monitor the appropriateness of the school setting and attends all individual education plan meetings (IEP) and disciplinary meetings. May team with DCFS Educational Advocates to ensure youths needs are met and rights protected.
18. Acts as a professional representative of Little City Foundation during all interactions internally and externally.
19. Responsible for all safety activities in your workplace and immediately report all accidents and safety hazards to your supervisor.
20. Successfully completes Little City Foundation required training retraining and any additional training as required by Little City Foundation policies and practices and DCFS CWEL licensure or as assigned by his or her immediate supervisor.
21. Other duties as assigned by your supervisor.

Bachelors Degree from an accredited school and shall be under the supervision of a qualified child welfare supervisor. 1 year of relevant experience working with children with developmental behavioral and/or emotional challenges preferred. Must be licensed as a Child Welfare Employee (CWEL) in the state of Illinois or eligible to receive licensure within the first 90days of employment. Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills. Must be proficient in the use of a computer to complete all documentation and proficient with entering caserelated documentation into a centralized database. Child Welfare Specialists (CWS) must possess their own vehicle and have valid auto insurance in order to perform the duties necessary as outlined herein.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

While performing the duties of this job the employee is subject to sitting walking and standing for prolonged periods; frequently grasps lifts holds or feels objects; occasionally stoops kneels crouches or crawls. The employee frequently is required to use manual and finger dexterity and eyehand coordination when working with persons served and handling office medical or household equipment. The employee is subject to assist and lift up to 50 pounds with varying amounts of assistance on a reoccurring basis. The employee is required to have corrected vision and hearing within normal range and the ability to operate a motor vehicle. Must have the ability to perform CPR and CPI. Occupational exposure to blood body fluids infectious substances including communicable diseases when performing personal care (Category III). Occasional exposure to cleaning agents and disinfectants. Residential work environment with a noise level of normal to loud. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Disclaimer: The intent of this job description is to provide a representative level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.