Family Preservation Specialist

Job Purpose

The Family Preservation Specialist uses evidence-based assessments and services to improve family functioning for clients in Wellpoint Care Network’s In-home and ongoing Child Welfare programs. The specialist delivers high-quality direct services including support, guidance, visit coaching, mentoring, and education offered to parents who are receiving supervised family interaction sessions, parenting skill building interventions, basic home management, and life skills services.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services/Social Work or related field required.
• Experience in child welfare settings and in-home work preferred.
• At least three years’ work experience in child welfare or social service setting.
• Ability to lift and carry young children and car seats.
• Proficient in the usage of computer software; demonstrate an understanding of computer file systems and computer software packages, e.g., Microsoft Office, Excel, Outlook, Teams, ADP, etc.
• Must be honest, dependable, and able to meet deadlines.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.
• Physical exam, drug screen, motor vehicle report, and background checks are required for this position.
• A valid Wisconsin Driver’s License or occupational driver’s license, reliable transportation and insurance is required.
• Personal vehicle must be available for daily use. Vehicle must be able to accommodate at least two children in car seats.

Duties

• Assessment and Delivery of Direct Services
• Utilizes assessment information to establish relevant, strengths-oriented family goals that are in line with primary goals of child safety and improved family functioning.
• Ensures that progress towards family goals are documented, at minimum, monthly.
• Delivers high-quality direct services including support, guidance, visit coaching, mentoring, and education offered to parents who are receiving supervised family interaction sessions, parenting skill building assistance, basic home management, and life skills services.
• Facilitates families’ connections to necessary community services as additional needs arise or that are identified as a risk in the assessment process.
• Provides updates on family progress to all relevant staffing or planning meetings (i.e., permanency staffing, 45-day staffing, family team meetings, etc.).
• Facilitates ongoing conversations with parents to identify informal supports to move towards a family-like setting with supervision of the visit coming from a natural support.
• Advocates for the needs and interests of families who are receiving supervised family interaction sessions through the Family Preservation program.
• Assesses family strengths and areas of need during family interaction sessions and one-on-one meetings with parents.
• Maintains productive and respectful relationships with all team members and is proactive in facilitating regular and frequent contact with service providers.
• Maintains a highly professional and credible demeanor in all interactions.
• Delivers well-prepared and accurate testimony to legal parties and/or court proceedings, to include describing family progress that has been observed during family interaction sessions.
• Articulates and makes appropriate recommendations for additional supports and services for families when identified as an area of need.
• Transition Planning
• Communicates clearly and effectively with Case Management team regarding recommended changes to the Family Interaction Plan.
• Facilitates learning opportunities for parents to build skills to ensure safety over time through increased challenges and independence.
• Transitions services to community providers, family members and other natural/informal supports based on assessment and communication with team.
• Assessment of Child Safety
• Demonstrates a solid understanding of the concepts of child safety and parental protective capacities.
• Is attuned and responsive to indicators of child safety in all interactions.
• Actively seeks out information to contribute to safety assessment through interacting with all children in the home, all caregivers, any regular visitors to the home, and directly seeking relevant information from the family’s team.
• Immediately intervenes upon threats to child safety and reports those threats to appropriate parties.
• Fully cooperates with any investigation of child maltreatment.
• Record Maintenance
• Provides accurate and professional documentation of family interaction sessions and one-on-one client meetings in all established data collecting systems.
• Maintains client files in accordance with program policies and complies with audits as requested.
• Completes paperwork within established due dates.
• Transportation
• Performs transportation/driving services for client/children who are participating in family interaction sessions when needed and follows all laws, rules, and regulations while driving.
• Provides transportation for client/children at various locations based on the needs of each family; some transports may arise without much notice.
• Monitors client/child behaviors and maintains an awareness of the client/child’s well-being before, during and after transport, reporting any suspected child abuse or neglect as required by the mandatory reporter regulations.
• Using child safety discretion intervenes to ensure safety of families.
• Professional Interactions
• Professionally interacts with representatives from schools, foster homes, day care providers, etc. when providing transportation.
• Offers recommendations and implements appropriate trauma informed care interventions with children as needed in order to help reduce any stress or anxiety through the transition from home/school to family interaction sessions.

Position Details & Extras

• Full time.
• Onsite / Hybrid work is available with reliable broadband connection.
• Moderate exposure to noise.
• Regular travel in personal vehicles is required with the ability to move intermittently throughout the workday.

Organizational Information

We are committed to enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion and strongly encourage minority candidates to apply. For more information, visit our website www.wellpointcare.org. Equal Opportunity Employer.