Social Work Specialist - Shelter Care

POSITION TITLE: Youth Shelter Care Specialist - Relief

LOCATION: Winnebago County Shelter Care

HIRING RANGE: $31.24 - $34.72/Hr.

STATUS: Full Time

HOURS PER WEEK: 37.5

WORK HOURS: First Week:
Monday – Friday, 8am-4pm;
Second Week:
Monday from 11am – 7pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1:30pm – 9:30pm, and Friday 11am – 7pm

SPECIAL PAY: On-call Beeper Pay

DEPARTMENT: Human Services – Child Welfare

PAY BASIS: Hourly

Guide Shelter Care staff in providing direct services to youth placed at Winnebago County Shelter Care facility. Model appropriate interaction with children and youth.

Coordinate and implement daily structure, age-appropriate programming, and staff training. Assists Program Supervisor – Shelter Care and guides Shelter Care staff with licensing requirements and documentation. Act as a liaison between Shelter Care staff and other DHS staff.

• Guides Shelter Care staff to provide effective, supportive services for children and youth by respectfully assessing and responding to their strengths, needs, and safety factors with sensitivity to each resident's functioning levels and any past traumatic experiences. Responds to youth escalations and provides related modeling and guidance to staff in the facility. With the involvement of Shelter Care staff, coordinates and implements daily structure and programming including daily groups related to regulation, daily living skills, independent living skills, and crisis management skills.
• Provides on-call responsibilities in a rotation with other staff, as assigned by Program Supervisor. Ensures timely, accurate, client-focused, and strength-based case documentation, including all Shelter Care related paperwork, as well as on-call documentation and paperwork; in adherence to federal, state, and county requirements including confidentiality.
• Communicates weekly (daily if needed) with Child Welfare staff who have youth placed in the facility as well as leadership staff as needed.
  
  Consistently utilizes effective verbal and written communication skills to foster positive working relationships with clients, coworkers, other service providers, and the general public; successfully addresses and resolves conflicts; and promotes healthy, pro-social functioning of children, youth and families.

• Provides necessary support and assistance to make the residents’ adjustment to the facility as smooth as possible.
• Participates in providing direction to Shelter Care Specialists and Care Advocate Specialists in caring for youth and running the facility, and participates in staff meetings and in-service training as directed.
• Assists in staff training for new staff and as needed to address ongoing training needs
• Recommends changes in operational activities or policies/ procedures governing the facility.
• Assists with Shelter Care coverage as needed;
  Assists as necessary with activities related to the maintenance of the facility, such as cleaning, shopping, and other matters.
• Applies Trauma Informed Care principles and practices, with a strong commitment to fostering a positive, healthy work culture.
• Addresses and resolves conflict and manages stress in a professional manner, including actively engaging in professional and personal activities which help mitigate the impact of secondary traumatic stress.
• Participates in the after-hours “on-call” rotation for shelter care to answer questions, process difficult situations, and assist as needed at the facility.
• Provides comprehensive and supportive coaching, modeling, and counseling to youth through a variety of social work and crisis intervention services to address their social, emotional, educational, and health issues.
• Works cooperatively as a team-oriented member of the Shelter Care facility as well as the Child Welfare Division, and other divisions of Human Services, assisting co-workers with their duties, and participating in collaborative efforts internally and outside of the agency.
• Demonstrates timely case record maintenance, including completing paperwork as required by the State and Federal Government, written Departmental policies, and the eWiSACWIS statewide…