Parent Partner

# Parent Partner-FT (69099)## Overview Salary Range $15.50 - $16.20 Hourly Position Type Full Time Education Level High School Category Nonprofit  - Social Services## Description
** DEFINITION:
** Parent Partners will be individuals who have previous involvement with Oklahoma Human Services (OHS) Child Welfare and have successfully overcome their challenges to become a mentor for parents currently involved with the juvenile courts and OHS Child Welfare. Meeting regularly with families, the Parent Partner will offer hope, appropriate guidance and advocacy to parents through shared experience.
** SUPERVISION:
** Position is supervised by a Supervisor or Program Manager of Family Preservation Services
** ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
*** Assists parents with the goal of the children returning home in the shortest, safely allowable time.
* Work closely with parents to engage cooperatively with the court process and OHS Individualized Services Plan (ISP)
* Provides hope for parents through encouragement, advocacy, and sharing of own experiences.
* Empowers parents to experience progress through supportive guidance and problem solving.
* Works to engage birth fathers in care taking of and relationship building with their children.
* Supports parents in regular contact and visitation with children as allowed.
* Provides support before or after scheduled visitation, however, will not supervise visits.
* Participate as a member of the parents’ multidisciplinary team to support their voice and update the team on parents’ progress.
* Collaborates with Child Welfare to ensure the safety and well-being of children.
* Supports engagement of the parent with Child Welfare staff and the court.
* Attends family team meetings, court, and other relevant gatherings with or on behalf of parents. However, will not offer legal advice to parents.
* Promotes connection and teamwork between foster families and children’s parents towards a shared goal of the children returning home.
* Provides transportation when necessary for the parents to become re-established in the community and engage with their service providers.
* Assists parents to develop and/or maintain relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and significant others in the community.
* Demonstrates the ability to teach communication and negotiation skills, link and refer the parents with needed community resources and support.
* Participates in public speaking and training opportunities to increase awareness and support for families impacted by the child welfare system.
* Willing to share personal experiences in a supportive manner with other parents, community partners, and child welfare.
* Promotes an organizational culture within Family Preservation Services and North Care that is warm and engaging, values excellent services, professionalism in presentation as a representative of the program and North Care.  Promotes such values through interactions with fellow staff, consumers, and community partners.
* Conducts services that are sensitive with respect to each family’s culture, ethnic origin, race, language, gender, age, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, mental and/or physical challenges. Provides services in a natural environment convenient to the family.
* Spends 40-50% of work hours providing services to or on behalf of families. Completes progress notes within 48 hours of the service delivery.
* Coordinates services in a professional manner when collaborating with other service providers in order to maintain good working relationships in the community.
* Attends all agency and program required trainings, team meetings, clinical consultations, and supervisions. Participates in trainings/workshops related to the Peer…