Foster Care Recruiter and Licensing Specialist

Children's Home Society of Florida

Since opening our doors in 1902, CHS became a part of Florida's history.

CHS has been committed to growing and evolving to provide the right services and solutions to address the needs of children and families throughout the changing times. Every day, our team works with parents and kids to empower them and encourage them. With innovative technology solutions and a dedicated, experienced team throughout the state, we’re changing the face of foster care and positively impacting children and families’ lives for generations to come.

Join our team to continue to do good and create history serving Florida's children and families!

The Foster Care Recruiter and Licensing Specialist is accountable for development and implementation of recruiting strategies for prospective foster families, to coordinate licensing and relicensing of foster parents and to provide ongoing support. Overall, the Foster Care Recruiter and Licensing Specialist contributes to CHS’s strategic objective of reimagining what HOME means by creating spaces where every child and family is supported and has access to the opportunities they need to pursue their dreams.

WHY JOIN CHS?

• Uplifting mission-driven work culture
• Make an impact in your community and become a part of Florida's history!
• Growth and professional development opportunities
• Great benefits package, including generous paid time off and holidays

Primary Job Functions

1. Duties Develop recruitment strategies and initiatives for foster program.

• Plan and prepare materials for promotion of foster care within the community.
• Recruit and screen foster families to include performing public outreach and speaking engagements.
• Act as liaison with the case manager, school and other parties relevant to a child placed in a CHS home.
• Complete all necessary file documentation
• Assist in the development of policies and procedures for the foster program.
• Engage community partners in developing an annual recruitment plan.
• Conduct foster orientation training.
• Conduct home studies/visits and complete required documentation in a timely manner.
• Coordinate special events, training and activities for foster families.
• Attend and participate in foster parent association meetings.
• Provide status of foster parents to CBC and maintain foster parent files.
• Review and follow up on incident reports pertaining to CHS foster homes.
• Secure all approvals prior to finalizing placement arrangements and complete all necessary documentation.

Track licensure/re-licensure status of foster parents and potential foster parents

• Perform licensing planning based on community demographics.
• Collect and interpret all required documents for licensure or home approval; background screening, inspections, references, life stories.
• Prepare licensing and/or re-licensing packets for submission to CBC or DCF.
• Maintain statistical records on all licensed family foster care homes.

Provide support to children and families

• Assist in assessing clients behaviors and emotional needs to determine best possible home match.
• Provide on-call support after hours.
• Provide on-site support to prevent placement disruption.
• Facilitate placement needs of children (Medicaid/SSN cared, Blue Book, medical information).
• Assist with physical placement of children.
• Provide transportation as needed.

2. Contribute to a positive, engaging work environment.

• Develop a strong knowledge base and stay current on job-related issues, best practices, and trends.
• Participate actively in departmental meetings, training and education, as well as the quality process.
• Comply with CHS’s code of conduct, policies, procedures and other obligations.
• Assist with training other team members and providing back-up when necessary.
• Pick up projects on the fly; perform other duties as assigned from time to time.

Job Qualifications

Education, Licenses & Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, required.
• Bachelor’s degree in human services related field from an accredited university, preferred.
• MSW or related Master degree, preferred.
• MAPP or PRIDE certification within one year of hire.
• Child Protection Professional certification within six month of hire.
• Florida Driver’s License within 30 days from hire with daily access to a reliable and insured vehicle, required.

Experience:

• Two years of professionally related experience, required.
• For Unaccompanied Alien Child/Minor Program, bilingual required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Community resources and networks to enhance client experiences and results.
• Child and Family Wellbeing Dependency general principles, practices and performance standards.
• General confidentiality requirements and ethical standards in handling sensitive client-related and other data and information.

Skills/ Ability to Demonstrate CHS Core Behaviors:

• Caring – Demonstrate empathy, kindness and compassion toward others, while setting appropriate limits and boundaries with clients.
• Client-Focused - Provide a high level of customer service, exercising discretion and diplomacy while acting to protect clients when necessary.
• Curious – Exhibit a willingness to explore and reframe problems as opportunities, using good judgement to solve practical problems.
• Committed – Manage multiple priorities while taking initiative to achieve to desired results and outcomes.
• Accountable – Meet critical deadlines, while maintaining high attention to detail and accuracy.
• Proficient – Undertake job duties with minimal supervision, using general office productivity tools, including MS Office Suite and Teams.
• Resourceful – Accomplish tasks with available resources, stewarding CHS resources appropriately.
• Team Player – Collaborate and work well with colleagues, contributing to positive morale and spirit within the team.
• Coalition Builder – Establish internal and external connections to collaborate on shared goals.
• Inclusive – Interact effectively with others, being sensitive to differences in attitudes, styles, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Excellence-Driven – Is present and prepared, delivering high quality work.
• Leader – Exhibit a professional presence, demonstrating strong interpersonal and communication skills with unwavering Respect, Integrity and Dedication to the CHS mission.
• Supervision and Leadership – Balance empathy with action; have courage to take risks on people and ideas; be proactive, strategic and forward thinking; create breakthrough results using data-driven, targeted approaches; catalyze commitment across all partners to transform life trajectories and community outcomes; and build individual, team and organizational capability and culture.

Together, good can be done.

Equal Opportunity Employer
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