Human Resources
Job Description
Position Title: Family Finder and Parent Engagement Specialist
Department: Professional Foster Parenting
Reports to: Supervisor of Licensing
Position Objective and Summary:
Works as a part of a professional family support team to assist youth and their families by providing strong location efforts and engagement of biological families. This position will utilize a family-centered, trauma-informed, strength-based approach to engage youth and families. This position will provide administrative support and resource development and support to the casework team. This position is non-case carrying.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Extensive research, investigation, and outreach in locating absentee parents/guardians.
- Identify and locate potential extended family/fictive kinship relationships.
- Assist the family caseworker with facilitating the expansion of resources needed to better service children and their families involved in foster care.
- Attend staff meetings as required and participate in scheduled trainings in order to maintain and upgrade skills.
- Maintain documentation using the Evolv and SACWIS system.
Casework Support
- Assist caseworkers with obtaining vital documents and consents.
- Assist caseworkers with biological parent support and training.
- Facilitation of the expansion of community resources.
- Utilize the Statewide Provider Database (SPYDER) to identify resources for caseworkers and families.
Parent Engagement and Recruitment
- Possess the ability to identify and engage familial supports and connections including relatives and fictive kin for the purpose of life-long connections and permanency achievement.
- Assist in training potential foster parents and biological parents/relatives as assigned.
- Engage in a variety of techniques to meet and communicate with parents, including attending recruitment events, networking, social media etc.
- Coordinate targeted recruitment events for potential families who may meet a youth's specific needs.
Professionalism and Work Conduct
- Behaves with integrity, demonstrates high ethical standard, and displays a positive image of UCAN.
- Acts in a professional manner at all times and maintains appropriate boundaries with youth and families.
- Demonstrated accountability for results and keeps commitment to others.
- Reports to work meetings, training, and other job-related activities prepared and as scheduled.
- Demonstrated openness and respect for cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of families and coworkers.
- Understands and support UCAN's standard of Diversity Equity and Inclusion and strives to meet those standards.
- Understands implicit bias and how to work within a system that impacts decisions for youth and families.
- Perform other related tasks as required or assigned.
Education/Job Experience/Certification:
- Bachelor's degree in Human Services or Social Work preferred.
- Lived experience and some college would be considered.
- Car and valid Illinois driver's license and insurance required.
Special Knowledge and Qualifications:
- Ability to maintain confidentiality of classified information.
- Experience working with youth in care and foster families.
- Ability to lift up to 25lbs., (carry non-walking children and toy boxes)
- Ability to communicate with children, youth and adults in a courteous and professional manner.
- Has an understanding of trauma-informed practice.
- Has an understanding of Positive Youth Development
- Ability to work both independently and a part of a high functioning team.
- Experience and ability to use computers for data entry, communication and report writing.
- Working knowledge of the child welfare system.
Position Status: Full Time Non-Exempt
Work Environment:
Requires travel.
Work Conditions:
This position may require work on weekends and evenings (recruitment events).