Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois
Specialized Services Child Welfare Specialist
Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, Vernon, Illinois, United States, 62892
Specialized Services Child Welfare Specialist
Specialized Services Child Welfare Specialist (S‑CWS)
at
Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois
Reports to:
Specialized Services Program Manager
Status:
Full Time, Exempt
Office location:
The office location will be based on the office nearest to the candidate’s residency. Travel is required across the 102 IL counties of which cases are assigned. Opportunities currently available in O'Fallon and Mt. Vernon.
Benefits:
Click Here to view LCFS’ Full-Time Employee Benefits.
Salary Range:
$51,336 - $56,336
What We Do Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois improves the well‑being of people across the state by protecting children, strengthening families, and building futures for those who have experienced trauma. We are a leading provider of child welfare services.
Who We Are
Champions in supporting children, youth and families throughout Illinois so they can reach their full potential.
Dynamic and innovative leaders who collaborate with their team of professionals and revolutionize the impact of services to families.
Committed to a culture of welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable.
Address institutional racism and implicit bias to increase positive outcomes for children and families of color.
Creators of a culture focused on supporting families and ensuring all children find safe, loving permanent homes, particularly by reuniting them with their families.
Objectives of the Position
Safety, permanency and well‑being.
Successful and sustainable transitions and maintenance in the least restrictive arrangements.
Intensive wraparound and case coordination services for social, emotional and physical well‑being.
Natural and formal life‑long supports, connections, safety, stability and permanency.
Supportive youth‑led strength building, positive development, pro‑social life skills, behavior and medical adaptability, skills and empowerment.
Essential Roles and Responsibilities
Serve with a team of supervisors and direct‑service child welfare professionals in partnership with children, parents and community providers to assess, plan, evaluate, and make linkages for safety, permanency and well‑being outcomes.
Implement and refer individualized and targeted services for youth and families, such as counseling, respite, mentoring, educational support, case management, crisis intervention and continual language to services to meet specialized needs.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and partners for continuous quality improvement, interventions, service delivery and the achievement of program outcomes.
Participate in System of Care principles to include ensuring the provision of social/emotional/mental/behavioral/mental health specialty services and regular participation in clinical and medical staffing evaluations.
Participate in regular supervision, mediation, problem resolution, and crisis response by effectively responding to parent, child, provider and other stakeholder concerns, including on‑call support.
Assess and maintain knowledge of child welfare and population‑specific laws, policies and trends for recommending program adjustments that aid program effectiveness, children, families and communities.
Achieve organizational performance outcomes on key performance indicators and metrics toward safety, permanency, well‑being and overall agency performance outcomes.
Represent clients’ needs and agency interests to referral sources, DCFS, the judicial system and government agencies.
Exercise discretion and judgment in performance of duties in conformance with applicable policies, procedures, statutes, rules and regulations.
Perform other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the values, philosophy, policies, procedures and scope of the duties as enumerated above.
Additional Child Welfare Specialist Essential Functions
Primarily responsible for overseeing children and families assigned, monitoring child well‑being, the birth parents’ progress toward reunification, facilitating home visits and communicating appropriate information to foster families.
Transport children and parents in own vehicle; may work evenings and some weekends to complete tasks; may travel to high‑risk communities.
Assess needs related to safety, education, medical and social and psychological well‑being; prepare required written and verbal reports to court and collateral contacts.
Comply with DCFS electronic record‑keeping system (SACWIS); prepare written service plans; maintain accurate client files and databases.
Maintain regular communication with supervisor regarding case issues and notify significant issues affecting youth, permanency, safety and well‑being.
Engage child, birth parents and foster parents to assess relationship dynamics and establish a therapeutic alliance; teach effective parenting skills.
Maintain knowledge of community resources and coordinate appropriate referrals and follow‑up.
Correlate service plan outcomes and interventions to integrative assessment and safety determination.
Ensure expenditures are appropriate and in accordance with agency policy and DCFS guidelines; report expenditures accurately and timely.
Maintain knowledge of changing regulations, policies and rules; attend required agency and DCFS training.
Provide a welcoming and receptive environment; develop understanding and continuously develop self‑awareness related to diversity, inclusion and equity issues.
Knowledge and Abilities
Knowledge of risk and safety assessment and development of effective safety plans.
Ability to write, prepare and give clear, actionable, accurate, and comprehensive feedback for reports or documents.
Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnosis, treatment methodologies, and crisis intervention for high‑risk situations.
Knowledge of readiness of change, grief, human development and trauma impact.
Understanding of the role of a change agent and interventions needed for a successful, confidential helping relationship.
Critical thinking skills; detail oriented with effective verbal, facilitation and written communication skills.
Ability to train, develop and supervise others; participate in organizational training and additional 15 hours of training specific to the specialized youth population served annually.
Open and accepting of others’ ethnicities, race, sexual orientation and gender expression (SOGIE).
Ability to collaborate and coach diverse staff with sensitivity to cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
Proficiency in computer software (Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.).
Ability to travel and work flexible hours.
Qualification‑Education & Experience Requirements Bachelor’s in a related human service field with 1 year of related experience in child and family casework services. A Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL) in IL is highly preferred. Proficiency in speaking, reading and writing in English and Spanish preferred.
Physical and Special Demands Employee must talk or hear, sit, stand, walk, use hands and arms, lift up to 15 pounds. Requires close and distance vision; must safely transport to offices and client locations. Valid driver’s license and insurance required.
Compensation and Benefits Compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. Lutheran Child and Family Services offers a benefits package including health and dental insurance, 10 paid holidays, robust paid time off/vacation/sick time, workforce self‑care and resiliency benefits, life insurance, a 403(b) retirement program and performance‑based bonus potential.
LCFS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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at
Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois
Reports to:
Specialized Services Program Manager
Status:
Full Time, Exempt
Office location:
The office location will be based on the office nearest to the candidate’s residency. Travel is required across the 102 IL counties of which cases are assigned. Opportunities currently available in O'Fallon and Mt. Vernon.
Benefits:
Click Here to view LCFS’ Full-Time Employee Benefits.
Salary Range:
$51,336 - $56,336
What We Do Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois improves the well‑being of people across the state by protecting children, strengthening families, and building futures for those who have experienced trauma. We are a leading provider of child welfare services.
Who We Are
Champions in supporting children, youth and families throughout Illinois so they can reach their full potential.
Dynamic and innovative leaders who collaborate with their team of professionals and revolutionize the impact of services to families.
Committed to a culture of welcoming, inclusive, diverse, and equitable.
Address institutional racism and implicit bias to increase positive outcomes for children and families of color.
Creators of a culture focused on supporting families and ensuring all children find safe, loving permanent homes, particularly by reuniting them with their families.
Objectives of the Position
Safety, permanency and well‑being.
Successful and sustainable transitions and maintenance in the least restrictive arrangements.
Intensive wraparound and case coordination services for social, emotional and physical well‑being.
Natural and formal life‑long supports, connections, safety, stability and permanency.
Supportive youth‑led strength building, positive development, pro‑social life skills, behavior and medical adaptability, skills and empowerment.
Essential Roles and Responsibilities
Serve with a team of supervisors and direct‑service child welfare professionals in partnership with children, parents and community providers to assess, plan, evaluate, and make linkages for safety, permanency and well‑being outcomes.
Implement and refer individualized and targeted services for youth and families, such as counseling, respite, mentoring, educational support, case management, crisis intervention and continual language to services to meet specialized needs.
Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and partners for continuous quality improvement, interventions, service delivery and the achievement of program outcomes.
Participate in System of Care principles to include ensuring the provision of social/emotional/mental/behavioral/mental health specialty services and regular participation in clinical and medical staffing evaluations.
Participate in regular supervision, mediation, problem resolution, and crisis response by effectively responding to parent, child, provider and other stakeholder concerns, including on‑call support.
Assess and maintain knowledge of child welfare and population‑specific laws, policies and trends for recommending program adjustments that aid program effectiveness, children, families and communities.
Achieve organizational performance outcomes on key performance indicators and metrics toward safety, permanency, well‑being and overall agency performance outcomes.
Represent clients’ needs and agency interests to referral sources, DCFS, the judicial system and government agencies.
Exercise discretion and judgment in performance of duties in conformance with applicable policies, procedures, statutes, rules and regulations.
Perform other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the values, philosophy, policies, procedures and scope of the duties as enumerated above.
Additional Child Welfare Specialist Essential Functions
Primarily responsible for overseeing children and families assigned, monitoring child well‑being, the birth parents’ progress toward reunification, facilitating home visits and communicating appropriate information to foster families.
Transport children and parents in own vehicle; may work evenings and some weekends to complete tasks; may travel to high‑risk communities.
Assess needs related to safety, education, medical and social and psychological well‑being; prepare required written and verbal reports to court and collateral contacts.
Comply with DCFS electronic record‑keeping system (SACWIS); prepare written service plans; maintain accurate client files and databases.
Maintain regular communication with supervisor regarding case issues and notify significant issues affecting youth, permanency, safety and well‑being.
Engage child, birth parents and foster parents to assess relationship dynamics and establish a therapeutic alliance; teach effective parenting skills.
Maintain knowledge of community resources and coordinate appropriate referrals and follow‑up.
Correlate service plan outcomes and interventions to integrative assessment and safety determination.
Ensure expenditures are appropriate and in accordance with agency policy and DCFS guidelines; report expenditures accurately and timely.
Maintain knowledge of changing regulations, policies and rules; attend required agency and DCFS training.
Provide a welcoming and receptive environment; develop understanding and continuously develop self‑awareness related to diversity, inclusion and equity issues.
Knowledge and Abilities
Knowledge of risk and safety assessment and development of effective safety plans.
Ability to write, prepare and give clear, actionable, accurate, and comprehensive feedback for reports or documents.
Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnosis, treatment methodologies, and crisis intervention for high‑risk situations.
Knowledge of readiness of change, grief, human development and trauma impact.
Understanding of the role of a change agent and interventions needed for a successful, confidential helping relationship.
Critical thinking skills; detail oriented with effective verbal, facilitation and written communication skills.
Ability to train, develop and supervise others; participate in organizational training and additional 15 hours of training specific to the specialized youth population served annually.
Open and accepting of others’ ethnicities, race, sexual orientation and gender expression (SOGIE).
Ability to collaborate and coach diverse staff with sensitivity to cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
Proficiency in computer software (Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.).
Ability to travel and work flexible hours.
Qualification‑Education & Experience Requirements Bachelor’s in a related human service field with 1 year of related experience in child and family casework services. A Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL) in IL is highly preferred. Proficiency in speaking, reading and writing in English and Spanish preferred.
Physical and Special Demands Employee must talk or hear, sit, stand, walk, use hands and arms, lift up to 15 pounds. Requires close and distance vision; must safely transport to offices and client locations. Valid driver’s license and insurance required.
Compensation and Benefits Compensation will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. Lutheran Child and Family Services offers a benefits package including health and dental insurance, 10 paid holidays, robust paid time off/vacation/sick time, workforce self‑care and resiliency benefits, life insurance, a 403(b) retirement program and performance‑based bonus potential.
LCFS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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