CASEWORKER (Bilingual

Caseworker

The Caseworker is a professional staff position in the Close to Home Programs division of SCO Family of Services. The position requires an individual who is highly dedicated to the goals and objectives of family involvement, residential group care, and the agency  caseworker should be committed to the betterment of clients and maintain a philosophy that is goal-directed, child-centered, family-focused and neighborhood-based.

Social work service provision occurs within a context, which promotes the belief that clients have a sense of dignity, which must be restored and maintained, as well as a right to empowerment and self-determination. Caseworkers work in partnership with families, youth and neighborhood residents. The work is demanding, highly interactive and diversified and therefore requires flexibility. The Caseworker must be sensitive to the rights, feeling, needs and cultural background of each client and responsive to such in a non-judgmental manner.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Caseworker with Child (30%)
• Caseworker with Family (30%)
• Casework with Collateral Persons (15%)
• Record keeping (25%)

Qualifications include:

Valid NY, NJ, CT driver's licensed (Required to be an SCO Authorized Driver)

Bilingual Spanish:
Fluent in speaking and writing in Spanish.

Prior experience in Close to Home preferred

Prior experience in a residential setting preferred

Prior casework experience preferred.

Prior Connections experience preferred

A bachelor's degree in social work or related field from an accredited college or university preferred. Degrees in other disciplines given full consideration.

Special skills include:

Familiarity with the community to which assigned and knowledgeable about the major culture groups within the neighborhoods served. The following qualifications are desirable: residence in the community in which the position is located; from the culture and ability to speak the language of the major groups served in the community.

Must have excellent writing skills and good basic computer skills (e-mail, word processing, internet research).

Relationship with others includes:

• Externally: interacts with NYC Administration for Children's Services, school systems, NYC Department of Correction, police precincts, courts and community-based organizations.
• Internally: interfaces with other service programs as well as business support services

In addition, employees need to possess the following characteristics:

• Be team players.
• Have a strong sensitivity to cultural differences present among staff and clients within our organization, including sexual orientation and identity.
• Possess a strong belief in people's ability to grow and change; forge a mutually respectful partnership with persons served and their families.
• Must be able to work effectively and efficiently within a demanding work environment.
• Display buy- in and adherence to the Missouri Approach, the therapeutic approach utilized by the Close to Home program.
• Ability to set limits and maintain helping role of practitioner and to intervene appropriately.
• Maintain Safe Crisis Management (SCM) certification.

Working conditions include:

Requires occasional flexibility in hours to accommodate family visits, service plan reviews and crisis intervention.

Agency vehicles are available for driving, subject to DMV check of caseworker's driving record.

Work in a residential setting with youth involved in the juvenile justice system.

Travel required:

Yes, 25% of the time.

Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.