Community Services Caseworker

The Community Services Caseworker provides supervision of and casework services to children and families served by the Kemmerer Village, Inc. Community Services (Foster Care) program with the primary focus of reunification or achievement of permanency. and their parents. As part of case responsibilities, the caseworker also consults, plans, and regularly communicates with foster parents in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the children in their care. The Community Services Caseworker will be is directly supervised by the Community Services Supervisor.

I. Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional weekend days and adjusted work hours to accommodate case needs.

II. On-Call duties: Shared in rotation with all Community Services Caseworkers and Support Specialists.

III. Supervised by: Community Services Supervisor

Supervisor for: None

IV. Essential Functions:

1. Contact clients in accordance with the Department of Children and Family Services policy, at a minimum. Contacts will require face-to-face visits in the foster home, parent/relative home, and various community settings as determined by the needs of each case.

2. Participate in and/or coordinate staffing, Administrative Case Reviews, Child and Family Team Meetings, and other meetings as expected, required, and outlined per DCFS policy. This includes creation of an agenda, notifying others involved of dates and times, and timely completion of all related documentation.

3. Assume responsibility for ensuring that needed services are available to children and communicating this information to foster parents (school programming, special medical services, etc.). This includes assisting the foster parents in accessing these services and ensuring that all service related commitments are completed in a timely manner.

4. Complete case notes and other in-house staffing and incident reports weekly. All case-related documentation typed material is part of the case record, and is the property of Kemmerer Village, Inc., and is considered confidential.

5. Must hold a valid Illinois Drivers License, safely operate a personal vehicle and maintain auto insurance in accordance with Kemmerer Village policy. Must possess and maintain a valid Illinois driver’s license, safe driving record, and required insurance coverage in compliance with Kemmerer Village, Inc. policy and applicable state law.

V. Additional Responsibilities:

1. Confer with the Director of Community Operations to exchange information regarding problems and progress of each child on as needed or requested basis.

2. Prior to or at the time of placement, inform the foster parents of the information available regarding the child’s special needs, strengths, weaknesses, behavior, and adjustment in any of their prior living arrangements.

3. Ensure the foster family and child have initial placement needs, i.e.: clothing, personal belongings, and record file, and that all records are maintained and kept up to date.

4. Discuss visitation plan, including travel arrangements, with the foster parents prior to finalization of the plan.

5. Initiate contact with foster parents a minimum of once a week for specialized placements, twice monthly for all others. Provide consultation to foster parents regarding the child and his/her needs. Ensure contact with the foster home is conducted in a planned manner with specific issues to the addressed and discussed.

6. Seek input from foster parents in case planning for the children in their home. Caseworkers will inform foster parents of the permanency goal, time frames for goal achievement and all objectives which relate to the care of the child.

7. Provide feedback and keep foster parents informed of appropriate information, changes, or new planning taking place for or on behalf of the child, i.e. court dates, ACRs, visits, etc. Caseworkers will also acknowledge and respond in a timely manner to foster parents’ request for help and/or services.

8. Identify and discuss with foster parents concerns about foster parenting issues. Document and share same with supervisor, resource or licensing unit licensing support staff, or external providers as applicable. This includes but is not limited to: assisting foster parents in correcting conditions, jointly preparing and actively seeking a new placement.

9. Perform other duties as assigned.

VI. Staff Relations:

1. The Community Services Caseworker must be able to maintain a team relationship with other agency staff involved in working with the children in his/her direct caseload. This includes supervisors, foster parents, therapists, Adoption Specialist, Support Worker, Transition Specialist, and other agency personnel.

2. Must be able to resolve conflicts in a straightforward manner with the outcome being satisfactory to understood by all involved.

VII. Personal Management:

1. Must, at all times, present a professional model for the foster children and other staff. Through their attire, manner, language, behavior, and attitude will serve as an example of a professional in the field of child welfare.

2. Shall, at all times, use the best judgment in managing in him/herself and his/her time and self in relation to the assigned duties and caseload. All agency information and personal information about the children in care or their biological families is considered confidential and not to be shared outside the agency.

3. Shall have the ability to take direction and follow the lines of authority when necessary, including the ability to adjust satisfactorily to the Kemmerer Village, Inc. program.

4. Have the ability to engage the youth (as age-appropriate), birth parents, family and social connections, foster parents, and staff in order to facilitate and support stability and permanency for the youth.

VIII. Qualifications (including but not limited to qualifications in accordance with DCFS standards for the case management role):

1. Bachelor’s Degree required in social work, psychology, counseling, or related field preferred.

2. A willingness and ability to work actively in a team relationship with other agency program staff.

3. Must have a Child Welfare Employee License or the ability to obtain such license within the first 90 days of employment (training provided).

IX. Work Environment:

Work will generally occur in a general office setting in one building but does require trips to other buildings on the agency’s 30-acre campus for meetings, trainings, visits, or observation. Regular travel to homes of families and/or foster parents within the community is required. Such travel will often include climbing stairs, any may involve uneven terrain. Travel of distances up to apx. 350 miles to attend meetings, trainings, court, visits, etc. relevant to the job position. Travel will occur in an agency vehicle, or mileage will be reimbursed if a fleet vehicle is unavailable. There are no specific physical strength requirements beyond that needed to function independently in a standard office environment or in the field as described.