Supportive Visitation Specialist - RENU (4998

Position Summary

Parent-child visitation services for child‑protective and child‑performance‑involved families with children in out-of-home placement to maintain and strengthen familial interactions and facilitate permanency. Services are provided in the least restrictive setting that maintains safety along a continuum of supervision based on family need. Core activities include ongoing assessment, visitation, aftercare (post-reunification support), transportation and documentation.

Support parent-child visitation for families in their homes or communities; complete and update visitation plans; document visits and complete reports; facilitate parent debriefings before and after visits and visitation planning meetings; transport children and/or parents as needed; communicate with children, parents, relatives, resource parents, DCP&P, and/or other stakeholders by phone and in person; attend meetings and trainings; assess families' service needs and link them to appropriate community providers.

• Initiate and maintain ongoing communication with families in a culturally sensitive manner utilizing a family's preferred language, taking into consideration a family's faith and culture.
• Schedule and conduct visits in the least restrictive, most home-like location (first preference within the family's home) while ensuring the safety of the children.
• Ensure the environment for parent-child contact is safe, non-traumatizing, and promotes healthy attachment.
• Use strengths-based, solutions-focused, family-centered, trauma-informed strategies to elicit family input.
• Initiate and maintain ongoing communication with DCP&P, other providers, and supports.

• Gather information via reviewing collateral information and inquiring about family's natural supports.
• Complete required assessment tools including but not limited to bio-psychological assessments, Rose Wentz Matrix and SVS Caregiver Surveys and document contacts with families in agency's progress notes and DCP&P contact sheets.
• Create a visitation plan with active familial involvement and update the plan at regular intervals.
• Create an environment that empowers family members, including parents, children, and caregivers to communicate their goals and needs.
• Utilize various interviewing and/or communication techniques in a culturally competent manner.
• Recognize non-verbal communication and maintain good eye contact and posture.

• Advocate for parents/families as necessary and support them in advocating for themselves.
• Link the family to community resources and formal and informal supports and coordinate with DCP&P.
• Collaborate with and share relevant information with DCP&P staff, other providers, and supports.
• Facilitate visit planning meetings and participate in other relevant meetings.

• Enhance parental skills by goal setting, modeling, mentoring, reinforcement and feedback and reflection through a trauma-informed perspective.
• Prepare for each visit with caregivers reviewing goals and expectations and encouraging them to be the lead in visit planning.
• Debrief with caregivers after each visit to allow for processing and self-reflection and discussion of strengths and challenges.

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Counseling, or related field preferred; minimum of 1 year experience with children and families, particularly families involved with the child welfare system and/or affected by trauma preferred but not required.
• Knowledge of trauma and its effect on children and families.
• Experience or willingness to work with culturally diverse populations.
• Valid NJ Driver's License and clean driver's abstract.
• Associate degree in related field with a minimum of 3 years of experience with children and families, particularly families involved with the child welfare system and/or affected by trauma preferred but not required.
• Knowledge of trauma and its effect on children and families.
• Experience or willingness to work with culturally diverse populations.
• Valid NJ Driver's License and clean driver's abstract.

A flexible working schedule is required to accommodate families, which may include…