Case Worker - Connected Families

About Arkansas Baptist Children & Family Ministries:

Our mission is to build, strengthen, and restore Arkansas families for the glory of God. We are compelled by the Gospel to pursue justice for the children and families of Arkansas. Family is the foundation of healthy childhoods, healthy churches and healthy communities. Families are in a battle for health, hope and wholeness. They cannot face the battle alone. We are here to hold up the family.

We are here to stand with them and for them, giving families the strength needed to succeed.

About the role

The focus of this position is to develop children and families, to increase placement numbers and stability, permanency, and the best outcomes for children and foster families. All actions taken in this role are geared towards the best interest of the client and strengthening the family unit, through providing needed resources – while building and strengthening resource families for long-term stability serving in foster care ministry- all with a Christ centered focus.

The Caseworker is responsible for integrated client services from initial placement to permanency as well as foster family services from family application, opening, and on-going family assessment and support.

What you'll do

• Foster Placement Specific Responsibilities:

• • All placement services from the time a child is placed through a child’s final day of care with Connected.
  • Meet with foster parents/placement providers to assess the provider and clients’ needs to address any concerns at least monthly.
  • Facilitating and participating in case “staffings”: both internal and held by external providers.
  • Attend court hearings as approved by your supervisor.
  • Establish necessary services for clients as part of a team with the clients’ foster placement, therapy providers, and other providers to meet client’s needs in a timely manner.
  • Plan and calendar a minimum of 1 face-to-face visit per month for each assigned client in the client’s placement.
  • Assist with visitation plan for client(s) and biological or adoptive family according to policy.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for any and all placement changes including new placements in, discharges out, and disruptions from the home.

• Foster Home Specific Responsibilities:

• • Assessment of applicant families to meet licensing requirements and alignment with agency mission.
  • Completion of home study within 90 days of application and on-going evaluations are required.
  • Facilitate and assist teaching resource parent ongoing service training classes as needed.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for any and all placement changes including new placements in, discharges out, and disruptions from the home.

• Placement Focused Services:

• • Prepare and coach families through their initial placement as new resource families.
  • Establish a trust-based relationship with resource families on assigned caseload to know the strengths, weaknesses, and needs of families in order to advise placement decisions.
  • Remain aware of placement vacancies in assigned homes and provide updates to supervisors, as requested.
  • Responsible for filling vacant beds in assigned resource families within the families’ preferences or needs.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in a human services field.
• Two (2) years’ work experience in a human services field preferred

The pay range for this role is: 37,000 - 38,000 USD per year.