Family Services Specialist II, Kinship and Resource Family Development Specialist (Alexandria)

Job Description

Working Title Family Services Specialist II, Kinship and Resource Family Development Specialist (Alexandria) Role Title Local-Classified Location Alexandria - 510 The job duties for the Family Services Specialist II, Kinship and Resource Family Development Specialist position are two-fold. First, this position provides formal agency support to relative caregivers of children in foster care. Kinship care refers to the care of children by relatives or close family friends (often referred to as fictive kin). Relatives and fictive kin are the preferred resource for children who must be removed from their birth parents because it helps maintain the children?s connections with their families as well as their language and culture, increases stability, and minimizes the trauma of family separation. Kinship care is built upon an age-old, informal traditional practice. It is imperative that kinship caregivers have the supports they need when a child is placed in their care. Secondly, this position provides engagement with prospective non-relative foster parents in the community who represent the diversity of the children served in foster care to include outreach, assessment, and home study approval. Alexandria DCHS utilizes a racial equity approach in all decision making. This position uses social work theory to provide intensive and specialized culturally competent social work services to identify and engage kin, fictive kin, and non-relative prospective foster parents. Telework may be available with appropriate consideration given to work assignment location, and in accordance with current City policyExamples of Duties: * Participate in Family Partnership Meetings, Treatment Team Meetings, and case consultations as requested;* Co-facilitate a monthly kinship support group;* Co-coordinate kinship community events to encourage peer support among the kinship providers;* Co-facilitate Traditions of Caring training for kin;* Collect data for agency reporting and maintain documentation in the State database, OASIS ;* Represent agency on Regional Kinship Committee and subcommittees;* Co-facilitate the internal Child Welfare Services Kinship Care Committee;* Partner with case carrying Family Services Specialists;* Monitors progress of ICPC process in partnership with Family Services Specialists;* Approve kinship placements, and write kinship mutual family assessments that acknowledge cultural strengths;* Complete recertification of existing kinship resource families to include an adoption addendum where appropriate;* Represent the agency at State level kinship meetings and the internal DHCS kinship group;* Identify and engage prospective culturally diverse resource parents in the Alexandria community;* Participate in the development and implementation of a recruitment plan to increase the resource families of color;* Assist in the development of agency approved resource home recruitment materials such as brochures, media campaigns and events;* Performs other duties as assigned. Minimum Qualifications Minimum of a Bachelor?s degree in a Human Services Field or minimum of a Bachelor?s degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area as mandated in Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the administrative code of Virginia and implemented by Virginia Board of Social Services. Some social work experience at the level of Family Services Specialist I which includes some knowledge of: social work principles and practices; human behavior and motivational theory; and social, economic, and health problems; skill in operating a motor vehicle and personal computer with associated software; demonstrated ability to: communicate effectively both orally and in writing; interview, assess needs, counsel and refer clients to other resources as needed; develop and implement service plans in order to insure the delivery of appropriate services to the client; make sound judgments within the framework of existing laws, policies, and regulations; respond to the client?s emotions in order to accomplish services objectives; plan and manage own work activities including service delivery preparing reports, and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities; establish and maintain effective relationships; and stay abreast of current trends and developments in the social work field. Employees must possess a valid driver?s license issued by the state of their residence if they are in a position with driving responsibilities. Preferred Qualifications Master?s degree in Social Work; Licensed or license-eligible candidate in the field of social work; Fluent and Bilingual in both English and Spanish. Special Requirements Applicants may be subject to a Criminal History Background search, Central Registry search, and/or pre-employment drug screen. The investigation may include: fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI ), local agency checks, employment verification and references, verification of education (relevant to employment), credit checks (relevant to employment) and other checks requested by the hiring authority. This position is covered under Code of Virginia ?63.2-1601.1 or ?63.2-1720 requiring the finalist candidate to submit to fingerprinting and provide personal descriptive information for a criminal history record check through the Central Criminal Records Exchange and a search of the Central Registry. All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory results of the required checks and screenings. * * YesNo* None* Some* ConsiderableExtensive* Yes* No

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