The Youth and Family Specialist can serve dual roles in the Child and Family Services because the work supporting youth in home like settings and achieving permanency, and the work of recruiting and supporting families, needs to be a shared responsibility across the team. Each youth and each foster family will have their own Youth and Family Specialist with differing roles. Both roles require close collaboration with school personnel and educational teams, child welfare staff, Family Networks lead agencies, therapists, lawyers and court personnel, the general public and intra-agency collaterals.

Who are we?  

Ascentria Care Alliance is a nonprofit organization that has spent the past 150 years helping people in need. We empower people of all backgrounds to rise together and reach beyond life’s challenges by building stronger communities and helping people move forward together. 

Primary Responsibilities:

Youth and Family Support

• Demonstrate a human centered, strength-based, and trauma informed philosophy by treating all clients, families and collaterals in a non-judgmental and respectful manner while building on their strengths.
• Provide clinical case management working in multiple systems and settings providing services to foster children, foster families and biological families
• Undertake the responsibility of “on-call” duty as assigned and is responsive to crises independently either by phone and\or in person, demonstrating a calm and professional approach while assuring safety for all involve
• Facilitate treatment meetings/ foster care review, and invites the appropriate attendees, while ensuring effective interagency collaboration

Recruitment and Foster Family Support

• Support and participate in the development and implementation of strategic plans for program-specific foster care recruitment in conjunction with foster care recruitment across the Children and Families Service.
• Participate in “matching process” and prepares foster parents for their work with the child/youth and family of origin
• Recruit qualified foster homes on a continuous basis to meet the growing and challenging needs of clients
• Develop and maintain expertise regarding regulatory requirements for foster parent qualification and renewal including record checks, evaluations and updating of file materials
• Complete all documentation required by state licensing regulations in a timely manner, including but not limited to home studies, background checks , annual foster care review and waivers

Record Keeping, Reporting, Trainings and Meetings

• Document all contacts and incidents and ensure files are up to date
• Develop and complete assessments/homestudies, service plans\tx plans, progress notes and any other necessary documentation
• Provide updates to the court both in writing and in person
• Maintain organized up to date case/foster care files in accordance with contractual standards, state and federal law

Qualifications:

• MA - Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a related field with 1 year experience and LSW licensure eligibility
• NH - Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a related field with 2 years experience working with children and/or families
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and a good driving record
• Significant experience working with children with social/emotional/physical problems desirable. Mediation and conflict resolution skills helpful
• Ability to work flexible hours and be available to meet for emergency situations
• Ability to work independently by setting priorities; organizing resources and effectively performing tasks in a timely manner
• Knowledge of federal, state and local regulations, protocols and/or procedures
• Ability to travel to meet client needs

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Ascentria we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. 

Company Benefits 

• Medical 
• Dental 
• Vision 
• FSA and dependent care account 
• 3 Weeks PTO and 9 Holidays! 
• Tuition Assistance 
• And many more! 

EEO

Ascentria Care Alliance celebrates diversity and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with federal and state employment opportunity laws, qualified applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, pregnancy, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, or any other legally-protected category. Candidates who identify as BIPOC, multilingual or have lived experience with immigration or human services are encouraged to apply.