Mission Statement

The Children’s Network of Hillsborough is committed to working with the community to protect children and preserve families.

General Purpose of Job

This position is responsible for coordination of the Family Finder Program to locate, engage and recommend safe placement of children with relatives and non-relatives in collaboration with the Child Protective Investigators (CPI) and Case Managers (CM). This position will support CPI and CM staff in family finding efforts by identifying all possible connections of the child through engagement of the child and family members. This position must have a strong value and belief system that children do best when placed with kin, which minimizes trauma for the child(ren) being removed from their home and enhances child well-being.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Coordinate the implementation of the Family Finders program to identify and locate familial connections and possible placements for children in licensed out-of-home care.
• Interview and assess potential family connections.
• Conduct visits with children and youth to assess potential familial connections.
• Attend shelter hearings to engage with biological parents to assess potential familial connections.
• Conduct case file reviews, internet searches and other family finding techniques to identify potential familial connections.
• Conduct follow-up with all individuals who have expressed interest in the child.
• Facilitate communication with Child Protective Investigators and Case Managers.
• Ensure all family finding efforts are documented in FSFN.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with other departments, agencies, and community partners.
• Coordinate training of case management staff on Family Finding program.
• Provide on-going support to case managers as they support children and families by modeling a nonjudgmental trauma-informed approach to building familial connections.
• Assist in the development of the Family Finding program goals and assistance in locating community resources as needed.
• Complete family assessments through the home study process
• Complete Abuse Registry and complete criminal background screenings
• Make placement recommendations to the court at shelter hearings
• Provide and locate ongoing support services for Relative/Non-Relative Caregiver families regardless if cases are active or closed
• Develop ongoing resources for Relative/Non-Relative Caregivers and make them accessible both electronically and manually
• Follow-up support on initial placements and assist Child Welfare Case Managers, as needed, to ensure placement recommendations are completed
• Attend appropriate staffing's to advocate for the best interest of the children served
• Track and log all appropriate information for monthly reports
• Travel throughout the Circuit
• Other duties may be assigned as special projects may be requested.

Working Hours

CNHC’s work week is Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week. Your supervisor will advise you of your work hours; however, business office hours are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. This job will require evening hours and weekend hours as needed.

Travel

Travel in and outside Circuit 13, Hillsborough County may be required.

Training

All employees must complete fifteen (15) hours of on-line or classroom Training on an annual basis. If the employee is a Certified Child Welfare Professional, Training hours must total twenty (20) annually.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Education and/or Experience

A Bachelor’s Degree from a four-year accredited college or university with a minimum of two (2) years of child welfare related experience OR an advanced degree in social work or a comparable human service field.

Other Qualifications

• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with others
• Strong problem solving and decision-making skills
• Ability to work independently

Skills and Abilities

Must be able to operate standard modern office machinery, including fax, telephone, calculator, computer, scanner, printer, copier, and mail machine. Excellent word processing skills. Must be competent with Microsoft Office Suite programs, including Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook. Must be competent with basic e-mail protocol and procedures including sending, receiving, replying, attachments, and meeting scheduling; excellent written and oral communication skills; effective listening skills; ability to work as a team member, and the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment. Must possess excellent organizational and problem-solving skills and abide by the highest standards of confidentiality.

Pre-employment Requirements

Certificates, License, Registrations, backgrounds, drug screens, Etc.

• Valid driver’s license required, with proof of insurance
• Clean Driver’s License check is a requirement
• Child Welfare Certification is preferred
• Criminal background screening (fingerprinting) (Local Law Enforcement and FBI/FDLE)
• Drug Screening is a requirement
• Children’s Network participates in E-Verify

Other Requirements

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, percentages, ability to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to be proactive, as well as handle problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This job requires the ability to sit for extended periods; walk; stand; use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel or crouch; talk and hear. This job requires visual acuity sufficient to read and operate standard modern office machines. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This is administrative work in an indoor office environment with a moderate noise level (business machines, printers, computers, telephones).

ADA: Children’s Network of Hillsborough, LLC will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

EEO: Children’s Network Hillsborough, LLC does not discriminate based on race, national origin, gender, religion, veteran status, or disability in employment, in provision of services, or in access to programs.

Children’s Network of Hillsborough, LLC is a Drug-Free Workplace.

Remember: If you are currently an employee of Children’s Network of Hillsborough Florida, LLC, or one of our Case Management Organizations, it is necessary that you notify your current Supervisor, prior to applying.