Permanency Specialist

About the role

The Children's Network of Hillsborough is committed to working with the community to protect children and preserve families.

Responsibilities

• Schedule, facilitate, monitor, document, and track permanency staffing, including coordinating and facilitating staffings that may result in competing opinions and recommendations from case participants
• Utilize a trauma-sensitive, strength-based approach to engaging families and youth in moving the case toward permanency as outlined in Florida Statute Chapter 39
• Gather and analyze information to drive safety and permanency decisions
• Mediate disagreements during staffings to ensure effective communication between participating individuals and identify strengths within the family
• Draft written reports for the court with clear permanency recommendations and a plan to ensure achievement of the permanency goal
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with organizations and other agencies involved with the child welfare system
• Provide subject matter expertise in dependency processes, statute and code
• Demonstrate knowledge of permanency options, by statutory preference and legal requirements to achieve each
• Develop tracking to ensure permanency staffings are completed prior to critical case junctures
• Monitor Permanency Reporting in FSFN and Mindshare
• Complete timely documentation of Permanency Staffings in FSFN
• Complete staffing reports with permanency recommendations
• Ensure completion of trainings to ensure maintenance of full Child Welfare Certification through the Florida Certification Board
• Identify System of Care needs and provide technical assistance to supply them
• Deliver services that assure the safety, permanency, and well-being of children in the care of the Children's Network of Hillsborough
• Maintain regular in-office attendance when not performing required field-based duties in order to carry out essential job functions, collaborate effectively with team members, participate in meetings with internal and external stakeholders, access agency resources and systems, and provide timely support for agency operations and service delivery
• Must be able to drive and have reliable transportation to perform required field-based activities
• Perform other duties as assigned to support departmental and agency goals, as needed and appropriate to the position

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Schedule

• Standard business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday
• This position is in-office based with fieldwork requirements, averaging 40 hours per week
• Work hours may vary outside of standard hours, including evenings and weekends, as needed to meet operational demands
• All hours worked will be compensated in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and agency policies, including applicable overtime and other compensation requirements

Travel

Travel within and outside of Hillsborough County is required. The employee must be able to drive and have reliable transportation to perform the essential functions of the position.

Training

All employees are required to complete fifteen (15) hours of training annually, which may be completed online or in a classroom setting. Employees who hold a credential or license relevant to their position must ensure that all training and continuing education requirements are met to maintain their credential or licensure.