Parent Support Worker

Basic Purpose of the Job

The Family Support Worker for Parent Support works with parents of children who have been removed from the home to help them develop and obtain resources to complete case plan activities.

Essential Functions

Provides direct in-home services including, but not limited to, parenting skills, life skills, child development and behavior management.

Support case plan goals through teaching, role modeling, and demonstration.

Participates in case conferences, family meetings, client assessments, and in the team decision making process.

Supervises and transports children and families, as needed.

Assists families to establish a support network with family, kinship, and community.

Refers clients to community services, assists in arranging appointments as needed, and getting clients to pertinent appointments as needed.

Build community resources to help clients complete case plan activities and maintain a positive support system

Assists in gathering information for bio-psycho-social assessment

Assists in crisis situation.

Liaison with DFPS, courts, schools, other providers, and communities.

Completes and maintains written documentation in child/family's case record accurately and within established time frames.

Supports resource families to maintain placements and help children work toward permanency.

Participates in supervisory and team meetings, sharing pertinent information about children/family's progress, collateral contracts and relationships with other agencies/communities.

Monitors and supervises family interactions.

Demonstrate sensitivity to working culturally, economically and/or socially diverse populations.

Provide consistent unconditional support, encouragement, and hope to parents.

Plan, organize and prioritize responsibilities to ensure adequate, timely services to the parent(s) and documentation of services provided.

Ability to lead support groups to maximize parent voice, choice, and involvement throughout the reintegration process.

Reports critical incidents to DFPS verbally within 12 hours, written within 24 hours.

Implements Saint Francis Ministries policies and follows directives as required. Follows and adheres to all pertinent Saint Francis Ministries Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's), rules, personnel policies and procedures; related accreditation and licensure standards; and federal, state and local rules, statutes, regulations, and contractual terms.

Is knowledgeable of and follows all safety procedures.

Reports unusual incidents through appropriate Risk Management, clinical and safety channels.

Ensures clients' rights are protected.

Non-Essential Functions

• Prefer a minimum of 40 hours in-service education per year
• Other duties as assigned

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Mandated reporter
• Receives training in trauma informed practice and incorporates knowledge in day to day practice
• Ability to work flexible schedule including on-call
• Understanding of family centered practice, genograms, ecomaps, and social histories
• Understanding of the child welfare and state system
• Ability to engage families in working relationships
• Understanding of child and adolescent development
• Demonstrates effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to travel throughout the State
• Consistently exercises discretion and independent judgment in performance of duties in conformance with applicable policies, procedures, statutes, rules and regulations
• Ability to work with minimal supervision
• Handles multiple priorities
• Independent discretion/decision making within the scope and responsibility of the position
• Manages emotions and can make decisions under pressure
• Manages stress appropriately
• Works alone effectively
• Works in close proximity to others and/or in a distracting environment
• Works with others effectively/teamwork
• Ability to work with diverse populations
• Understands and practices Universal Precautions

Minimum Job Requirements

• Must be 21 years of age
• Must pass a drug screen, MVR, Criminal History and DFPS History Check, Centralized Background Check Unit Texas Health and Human Services Eligibility and any background checks deemed to be necessary.
• FBI Fingerprint check
• Lifting requirement of 50 lbs.
• Must have valid driver's license, acceptable driving record and reliable transportation

Minimum Work Experience

• One year experience working with children and families

Minimum Education and Licensure/Certifications

• High School diploma or equivalent

Client Population Served

• Demonstrates competence and continues training in age-specific competencies for infant through adult clients