Foster Family Consultant (Ref#039)

• Alpharetta, GA
• Full-time
• Published: 2023-01-03 05:00:00Z

JOB OVERVIEW

Georgia’s largest Christ-centered foster care agency (a non-profit organization) located in metro Atlanta, is hiring a Foster Family Consultant.

The Foster Family Consultant (FFC) is our unique version of the case management role within a child placing agency. FFCs work closely with DFCS and the juvenile court system to manage children’s dependency cases toward permanency. They participate in matching foster children with foster families during the placement process. They ensure each child’s safety, permanency, and well-being while in foster care through home visits and frequent involvement with the child, foster family, and birth family. FFCs support birth family reunification efforts through birth parent visitations and intentional birth parent support. FFCs promote foster placement stability through foster parent coaching, 24/7 support, service coordination, spiritual guidance, treatment planning, and crisis intervention. FFCs advocate for each child’s best interest by attending all court hearings, panel reviews, family team meetings, educational meetings, and other meetings related to the child’s care or case.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintains and abides by all court orders
• Supports a goal that has children and families best interest at all times
• Is an active advocate for children and families
• Participates in on-call rotation as needed
• Assess and ensures children and families receive timely and appropriate services such as medical, dental, educational, mental health, social and behavioral
• Coordinates and/or participates in court hearings, family team meetings, home visits, panel reviews, birth family contacts, educational advocacy, permanency round tables, clinical staffing’s and other meetings as needed
• Monitors the need for and facilitates discharge planning when appropriate
• Assists and supports permanency planning for children who are unable to be reunified
• Communicates with home study team any foster home licensing needs, concerns, changes, and ministry re-engagement plans
• Communicates with all service providers regarding progress and direction of case as appropriate
• Supports birth family relationships as appropriate
• Coordination of visitation with birth family
• Manages disruption and is sensitive to birth and foster family’s needs
• Understands and supports family systems
• Assesses the impact of fostering on the foster family system and provides necessary intervention and support as needed
• Provide pastoral care to children, foster and birth families
• Provide 24/7 care as needed to meet foster children and foster family needs
• Utilizes clinical and consulting skills to provide coaching and support to families
• Ability to recognize a client for self-harm/suicide/homicide risk and make appropriate referrals
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of trauma and how that impacts the children and families served.
• Demonstrates authentic, honest and effective communication skills
• Ability to intervene and provide clinical skills, crisis intervention, and mediation
• Knowledge of de-escalation techniques
• Provides post-placement & pre-placement visits with foster families to promote optimum utilization
• Manages utilization of foster homes through consulting and pastoral care with foster and respite families
• Manages foster and respite homes yearly training hours and documentation to maintain licensing requirements.
• Responsible to approve reimbursement requests from foster parents related to the child and submit to accounting department.
• Works and collaborates with individuals including DFCS, CMS, GAL, child attorneys, service providers, etc. on their cases to move them toward permanency
• Demonstrates ability to navigate high stress situations and conflict using emotional and spiritual maturity
• Completes required service plans, assessments, other documents and monthly contacts according to required timeframes
• Works diligently to be well-informed regarding a child’s background and needs
• Advocates strongly on issues that are important to the child’s well-being, safety and permanency
• Demonstrates an ability to positively navigate transition and change and models flexibility for others
• Maintains relationships with church partners as it relates to the organization’s foster families
• Works in collaboration with church partners and the Community of Care to meet the needs of the children and families
• Communicates to Ministry Team Leaders when children are placed, moved, in need of respite and/or volunteers

QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

• Degree in Human Services Field (ie., Social Work, Psychology, Behavioral Science, Counseling, Ministry/Theology, or other related degree). MA/MS preferred. BA/BS required. Clinical Experience: Strong clinical knowledge, particularly in the areas of childhood trauma, family-systems, substance abuse. Strong coaching/counseling and crisis intervention skills. Experience with GA Score and Shines preferred, but not required. Georgia RBWO Foundations Certified or waiver eligible is beneficial, but not required.

Skill Requirements

• Strong interpersonal skills, maturity and sensitivity to cultural and individual differences in clients, staff, foster parents and families served. Effective oral and written communication skills. Ability to work within a team. Ability to handle job related matters in a professional, diplomatic and confidential manner. Knowledge of community resources and services. Ability to organize and execute responsibilities in an independent manner. Knowledge of normal business computer skills. Competent in the use of MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

Physical Requirements

• Hearing and speaking ability which allows for effective oral communication of information.  Ability to physically transport self and clients to various locations. Physical and emotional stamina to effectively handle job related issues and stress.

EQUIPMENT USED

• Personal vehicle, cell phone, copy machine, fax, computer