Supportive Visitation Specialist - RENU (4993

* Sign-On Bonus

Take advantage of our new sign-on bonus! Center for Family Services is a place where you can be part of a dynamic, top workplace team dedicated to improving lives. When you apply and get hired, you are eligible for a $500 sign-on bonus.

Location: Gloucester County, NJ

Job Type/Status:Full-Time

Parent-child visitation services for CP&P- 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.

Responsible for supporting parent-child visitation for families in their homes or communities; completing and updating visitation plans; documenting visits and completing reports; facilitating parent debriefings before and after visits and visitation planning meetings; transporting children and/or parents, as needed; communicating with children, parents, relatives, resource parents, DCP&P, and/ or other stakeholders by phone and in person; attending various meetings and trainings;

and assessing families' service needs and linking them to appropriate community providers.

Engaging

Initiates and maintains ongoing communication with families in a culturally sensitive manner utilizing a family's preferred language taking into consideration a family's faith and culture.

Schedules and conducts visits in the least-restrictive, most home-like location (the first preference being within the family's home) while ensuring the safety of the children.

Ensures the environment for parent-child contact is safe, non-traumatizing, and promotes healthy attachment.

Uses strengths-based, solutions-focused, family centered, trauma informed strategies to elicit family input.

Initiates and maintains ongoing communication with DCP&P, other providers, and supports.

Assessing

Uses a process to gather information which includes reviewing collateral information and inquiring about family's natural supports.

Completes required assessment tools including but not limited to bio-psychological assessments, Rose Wentz Matrix and SVS Caregiver Surveys and documents contacts with families in agency's progress notes and DCP&P contact sheets.

Creates a visitation plan with active familial involvement and updates the plan at regular intervals.

Creates an environment that empowers family members, including parents, children, and caregivers to communicate their goals and needs.

Utilizes various interviewing and/or communication techniques in a culturally competent manner.

Recognizes non-verbal communication and maintains good eye contact and posture.

Teaming

Advocates for parents/families as necessary and supports them in advocating for themselves.

Links the family to community resources and formal and informal supports and coordinates with DCP&P.

Collaborates with and shares relevant information with DCP&P staff, other providers, and supports.

Facilitates visit planning meetings and participates in other relevant meetings.

Coaching

Enhances parental skills by goal setting, modeling, mentoring, reinforcement and feedback and reflection through a trauma-informed perspective.

Prepares for each visit with caregivers reviewing goals and expectations and encouraging them to be the lead in visit planning.

Debriefs with caregivers after each visit to allow for processing and self-reflection and discussion of strengths and challenges.

REQUIREMENTS:

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 effect on children and families.

Experience/ willingness to work with culturally diverse populations.

Valid NJ Driver's License and clean driver's abstract

OR

Associate degree in related field with a minimum of 3 years of experience with children and families,…