Description

Sunny Glen Children's Home Job Description

Job Title: Direct Care Worker

Department: Child Care

Supervisor: Lead Supervisor

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Prepared By: Human Resources Department

Summary

Direct Care Staff at Sunny Glen Children's Home are compassionate and experienced individuals who care for children who are in DFPS custody, are from difficult backgrounds, and experience behavioral and emotional challenges. Our goal is to reach the heart of each child in our care and help them heal from their traumas. To that end, Direct Care Staff must have a strong commitment to the youth and to understanding their lives.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Must abide by Sunny Glen's mission of giving nurturing, trauma-informed care to children from difficult backgrounds
• Learn and abide by Sunny Glen Children's Home policies and procedures
• Learn and stay within Minimum Standards
• Work independently and as a team
• Maintain appropriate boundaries
• Attend training and meetings, as scheduled
• Possess sensitivity to the residents' cultural and socio-economic characteristics
  Supervise children in DFPS custody
• Uses strong organizational skills
• Must follow a daily schedule
• Maintain an orderly and clean unit that is always ready for inspection
• Prepare nutritious meals and snacks
• Administer medications, as needed
• Participate in social, recreational, and psychoeducational activities
• Assume responsibility for safe transportation
• Assist in orientation of new residents
• Oversee youth's homework, chores, hygiene, and other activities of daily living
• Be a positive role model for residents
• Teach residents healthy life skills
• Set appropriate behavioral limits
• Utilize positive child management techniques
• Assist youth in shaping their behavior
• Charting progress and incidents in KaleidaCare
• Participate in licensing investigations
• Participate in medical and therapy appointments, if needed
• Employer retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position
• Working weekends is required

Competencies - To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

Continuous Learning - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; seeks feedback to improve performance; pursues training and development opportunities; strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; shares expertise with others.

Job Knowledge - Competent in required job skills and knowledge; exhibits the ability to learn and apply new skills; keeps abreast of current developments; requires minimal supervision; displays understanding of how job relates to others; uses resources effectively.

Use of Technology - Demonstrates required skills; adapts to new technologies; troubleshoots technological problems; uses technology to increase productivity; keeps technical skills up to date.

Problem-Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem-solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

Project Management - Develops project plans; coordinates projects; communicates changes and progress; completes projects on time and budget; manages project team activities.

Communications - Expresses ideas and thoughts verbally; expresses ideas and thoughts in written form; exhibits good listening and comprehension; keeps others adequately informed; selects and uses appropriate communication methods.

Cooperation - Establishes and maintains effective relations; exhibits tact and consideration; offers assistance and support to co-workers; works cooperatively in group situations; works actively to resolve conflicts.

Oral Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation skills; participates in meetings.

Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of team above own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

Written Communication - Writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and grammar; varies writing style to meet needs; presents numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information.

Change Management - Develops workable implementation plans; communicates changes effectively; builds commitment and overcomes resistance; prepares and supports those affected by change; monitors transition and evaluates results.

Performance Coaching - Defines responsibilities and expectations; sets goals and objectives; gives performance feedback; motivates for increased results; recognizes contributions; encourages training and development.

Team Leadership - Fosters team cooperation; defines team roles and responsibilities; supports group problem solving; ensures progress toward goals; acknowledges team accomplishments.

Delegation - Delegates work assignments; matches the responsibility to the person; gives authority to work independently; sets expectations and monitors delegated activities; provides recognition for results.

Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; inspires and motivates others to perform well; effectively influences actions and opinions of others; accepts feedback from others; gives appropriate recognition to others.

Managing People - Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; makes self-available to staff; provides regular performance feedback; develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth; solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); fosters quality focus in others; improves processes, products and services.; continually works to improve supervisory skills.

Quality Management - Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.

Visionary Leadership - Displays passion and optimism; inspires respect and trust; provides vision and inspiration to peers and subordinates. The position will integrate Sunny Glen’s Core Values throughout their day-to-day operations.

Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions; aligns work with strategic goals.

Conflict Resolution - Encourages open communications; confronts difficult situations; maintains objectivity; keeps emotions under control; uses negotiation skills to resolve conflicts.

Recruitment & Staffing - Utilizes recruitment sources; exhibits sound interviewing skills; presents a positive, realistic view of the organization; analyzes and forecasts staffing needs; makes quality hiring decisions.

Cost Consciousness - Works within approved budget; contributes to profits and revenue; conserves organizational resources.

Diversity - Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; promotes a harassment-free environment.

Ethics - Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and principles; upholds organizational values.

Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; supports organization's goals and values; benefits organization through outside activities.

Strategic Thinking - Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; adapts strategy to changing conditions.

Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; manages competing demands; changes approach or method to best fit the situation.

Achievement Focus - Sets and achieves challenging goals; demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; measures self against standard of excellence; recognizes and acts on opportunities.

Attendance/Punctuality - Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; arrives at meetings and appointments on time.

Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; takes responsibility for own actions; keeps commitments; commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals.; completes tasks on time or notifies the appropriate person with an alternate plan.

Initiative - Volunteers readily; undertakes self-development activities; seeks increased responsibilities; takes independent actions and calculated risks; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; asks for and offers help when needed.

Innovation - Displays original thinking and creativity; meets challenges with resourcefulness; generates suggestions for improving work; develops innovative approaches and ideas.

Judgment - Displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in the decision-making process; makes timely decisions.

Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks.

Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; applies feedback to improve performance; monitors own work to ensure quality.

Quantity - Completes work in a timely manner.

Safety and Security - Observe safety and security procedures; report potentially unsafe conditions; use equipment and materials properly.

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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Must be 21 years of age or older. Must be bilingual in English and Spanish. (Preferred)

Education and/or Experience

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); must live a Christian lifestyle; must be at least 21 years of age.

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, and the general public.

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, and percent 

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Valid Texas Driver's License with an excellent driving record.

Clean driving record for the past 3 years

CPR/First Aid, 15-passenger van, Handle with Care, Sanctuary, TBRI, KaleidaCare, Paycom, and other DFPS-mandated training (training offered on the job.)

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 accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance. The employee must regularly exert up to 25 pounds of force (mopping, lifting groceries, moving furniture, cooking, etc.) and occasionally be able to perform a restraint on youth weighing up to 200 lbs. Must be able to frequently maintain visual and auditory supervision of multiple children. The employee must be able to make quick decisions, tolerate frustration, and be able to always balance mental toughness with compassion. The employee must be able to multitask.

Work Environment

The characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually loud. The employee must be able to function in a noisy environment.

Notes

All services shall be provided in accordance with established standards, principles, and ethics of the profession, applicable professional specialty organizations, and the high-quality standard for which Sunny Glen Children’s Home is recognized.

Sunny Glen is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, and other statuses protected by law.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this class classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Qualifications

Education and/or Experience

High school diploma or general education degree (GED); must live a Christian lifestyle; must be at least 21 years of age.