Kinship Recruiter

Job Details

Description

JOB TITLE: Kinship Recruiter

DEPARTMENT: Enhanced Family Foster Care

LOCATION: Primary office Queens (will also require travel to Brooklyn and Long Island)

FUNCTION OF THE POSITION: The kinship recruiter will implement a child-focused recruitment model to serve

any child in foster care who does not have an identified permanent adoptive resource.

REPORTS TO: Recruitment/Permanency Supervisor

SUPERVISES: N/A

Responsibilities

• Maintain active caseloads of 12-15 children and an average total caseload of 18 children.
• Establish contact with the caseworker to introduce the role of the recruiter, and scheduling an initial meeting with each child.
• Build relationships by having, at minimum, monthly meetings with each child in person to develop openness and trust.
• Conduct in-depth case record reviews on Connections/LTS/Dashboard including:
• Date and reason the child entered the system.
• Placement and SCR history.
• FASP’s, Progress Notes, and Court Reports.
• Services provided to the child, past or present.
• All significant people in the child’s life, past and present, including caseworkers, foster parents, attorneys, court-appointed special advocate (CASA) volunteers, teachers, therapists, relatives, mentors, faith-based representatives, extracurricular activity leaders, etc.; and
• Legal history
• Complete a Genogram for each family within 30 days.
• Complete a psychosocial for each child within 30 days and then update yearly.
• Identify additional services that the child and/or family could benefit from.
• Create a list of potential resources for the child with whom the child already has, or had, a bond or positive relationship with. Review potential resources with casework staff and child. Develop a comprehensive recruitment plan or enhances the existing recruitment plan, based on file review, interviews with significant adults, and the input of the child. The plan will be customized and defined by each child’s needs. The plan will be reviewed at minimum monthly and updated quarterly.
• Conducts Lexus Nexus searches, web searches, diligent search requests and putative father registries.
• Build a network with persons close to and knowledgeable about the child, such as caseworkers, foster parents, CASA volunteers, teachers, relatives, mentors, faith-based representatives, etc., and maintains regular and on-going contact with them.
• Provide placement matching support. Assess the readiness of the child and family to move forward with placement. Upon placement, assess the child and family’s kinship/adoption readiness. Provide ongoing support until permanency is achieved.
• Attends all required trainings. Kinship recruiter should be aware of any significant changes in the field and be willing to attend outside trainings, seminars, and workshops, as needed for professional development.
• Fulfills duty of Mandated Reporter, which entails reporting any suspected instances of child abuse or maltreatment.
  

FUNCTION OF THE POSITION: The kinship recruiter will implement a child-focused recruitment model to serve

any child in foster care who does not have an identified permanent adoptive resource.

REPORTS TO: Recruitment/Permanency Supervisor

SUPERVISES: N/A

• Meets with Supervisor one-on-one on a consistent basis to discuss safety and permanency issues of caseload.
• Communicates and works effectively with SCO foster care support staff such as Education and Youth Support Staff, Permanency Support Staff, Parent Advocates, and medical and mental health staff and with NYC Children’s Services, outside medical and mental health centers, schools, consultants, other SCO programs, and all other relevant parties.
• Adheres to SCO’s personnel policies.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, BSW or MSW preferred.
• Approved background clearances and fingerprinting are required.
• Excellent oral and written communication.
• Proficiency in computer skills, including Microsoft Office, Excel and Connections.
• Bilingual abilities are strongly encouraged.
• Valid NYS Driver License
  

In addition, all EFFC employees should possess the following characteristics:

• Be team players. Maintain a constructive, cooperative, and positive atmosphere.
• Demonstrate commitment to the Agency’s mission and values.
• Be able to empathize and provide quality services to children and families that have histories of chemical dependency, mental illness, neglect, physical, sexual and/or emotional abuse.
• Be willing to work closely with children, families, and staff from different cultural and religious backgrounds, as well as from varying socio-economic statuses.
• Work competently, compassionately and without judgment with individuals who may identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or may be in different stages of discovering or disclosing their sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Possess a strong belief in people’s ability to grow and change; forge a mutually respectful partnership with persons served and their families.
• Be flexible in their ability to work extended hours or irregular schedules in response to the program’s needs. Be willing to travel between the various EFFC offices and other agency sites, as required.
• Demonstrate an ability to set limits and maintain the helping role of practitioner, as well as to intervene appropriately.