Foster Care Specialist

$50,336 - $55,336/Yr

Brightpoint - Belleville, IL

Full-time - Entry Level

Remote - Belleville, IL

Social Assistance

About the position

The Foster Care Specialist plays a vital role in the child welfare team, focusing on ensuring the safety and well-being of children and supporting families. This position involves providing comprehensive, trauma-informed case management services to families involved in the child welfare system, with an emphasis on collaboration and community well-being solutions. The role includes working towards family reunification or alternative permanency plans, engaging with biological families, and supporting foster families, all while maintaining a focus on the agency's mission to strengthen communities and invest in families.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive and trauma-informed case management services to families involved in the child welfare system.
• Assess the safety and needs of children and families.
• Engage biological families to assist them in strengthening their parenting skills and knowledge.
• Support foster families to ensure the needs of foster children are met.
• Establish collaborative relationships with service providers and institutions involved in the family's situation.
• Monitor biological families' efforts and progress towards goals aimed at family reunification.
• Provide testimony in the Juvenile Court System regarding the best interest of children and families.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work or a closely related field required.
• Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL), Child Endangerment Risk Assessment Protocol (CERAP), and Child Abuse and Neglect (CANS) certification required, or the ability to obtain within 90 days of hire.
• Valid driver's license, insurance, and a reliable vehicle required.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience providing collaborative, strength-based services to kids and families preferred.
• Ability to attend in-person meetings and events as needed required.

Benefits

• Medical/dental/vision insurance
• 3+ weeks paid time off in the first year
• 11 paid holidays
• Supplemental insurance options
• 401(k) with match
• One-time $3,000 CWEL recognition payment
• Student Loan Forgiveness eligibility under Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)