Family Engagement Facilitator

Position Title: Family Engagement Facilitator

Position Summary: The Family Engagement Facilitator will carry a blended caseload within the Niagara County Social Services programming, including: Family Assessment Response, Family Group Conferencing and Family Finding. The Family Engagement Facilitator will utilize evidence- based practices with families that focus on permanency and prevention of future involvement in the Child Welfare system. The Family Engagement Facilitator will carry a caseload of 12-15 families and provide short term, strength based, solution focused interventions.

New Directions is an equal opportunity employer committed to championing the principles of anti-racism, justice, and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse cultures and backgrounds, for all positions, who will uphold our values and contribute to our mission. We aim to have a leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.

Pay And Benefits

• 105 hours of paid time off your first year, not including an additional 13 agency holidays.
• Access to life, dental and medical insurance.
• 401k with up to 3% agency matching.
• $24.12 - $25.34/hr for your first year. Additional raises guaranteed.
• Consistent schedule for full time employees. Flexible schedule for on-call employees.
• Join our company, where over 30% of our staff have been with us for 10 years or more.
  
  
  

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services field required
• Experience in the child welfare field preferred
• Candidates should have some experience and knowledge of trauma resolution
• Experience working with foster care and relative care out of home placements for children is preferred.
  
  
  

We want to emphasize that the preferred qualifications are not required and that we are committed to helping our future colleagues develop these preferred skills. We strongly encourage those who are passionate about fostering a diverse, inclusive and equitable human service organization to apply.

Full Job Description

Title: Family Engagement Facilitator Department: Niagara County Preventive

Title of Immediate Supervisor: Family Engagement Supervisor

POSITION SUMMARY: The Family Engagement Facilitator will carry a blended caseload within the Niagara County Social Services programming, including: Family Assessment Response, Family Group Conferencing and Family Finding. The Family Engagement Facilitator will utilize evidence-based practices with families that focus on permanency and prevention of future involvement in the Child Welfare system. The Family Engagement Facilitator will carry a caseload of 12-15 families and provide short term, strength based, solution focused interventions.

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES:

Casework Contacts:

• Work with families referred through the Local Department of Social Services for approximately sixty (60) days providing individualized services specific to the needs on the referral.
• Maintain a flexible caseload of approximately 12-13 families. Schedule meetings with family members during days/times that are convenient for the family. This may include evenings and weekends.
• Utilize trauma-informed, solution focused casework practices
• Conduct face to face visits with each assigned family once/week in the home/community environment
• Reach out to extended family members and natural supports to include in permanency planning as appropriate based on case need
  
  
  

Collaboration with Local Department of Social Services (LDSS) and Family Court

• Maintain regular contact with Niagara DSS staff involved in the case and attend meetings as scheduled
• Represent New Directions and FAR/Family Finding/Family Group Conferencing at scheduled stakeholder meetings
  
  
  

Collaborate with Community Partners:

• Educate individuals involved in case on needs of the family and possible solutions for needs
• Reach out to service providers involved with the family to obtain pertinent information
• Provide linkages and referrals as needed
  
  
  

Fidelity to Evidence Based Models

• Utilize practices trained through the OCFS
• Attend trainings which are regularly scheduled in Albany, NY
• Provide training and education to community partners to promote understanding and buy-in
• Utilize solution focused and strength-based tools to reach successful conclusions in each case
  
  
  

Documentation

• Complete documentation in CONNECTIONS (NYS Uniform Case Record)
• Maintain accurate and timely case records, including progress notes and tracking mechanisms, electronically and in each client’s file
• Keep all client and family information, verbal and written, confidential
  
  
  

Agency Standards/Norms:

• Participate in regular supervision (per New Directions policy and procedure)
• Collaborate with team members for case coverage and consultation
• Participate in regularly scheduled team meetings
• Maintain a flexible schedule including evening and weekend availability
• Attend all mandatory in-service trainings as per NDYFS policy and LDSS requirements
• Participate in continuing education as needed to maintain a level of expertise in the field.
• Adhere to agency and department policies and procedures
• Utilize normative culture
• Adhere to the Code of Ethics prescribed by the National Association of Social Workers
• Perform all other duties as assigned by immediate supervisor
  
  
  

SKILL, QUALIFICATIONS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITY & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum Education And/or Professional Qualifications/Skills

Education

▪ Bachelor’s degree in Human Services field required

▪ Master’s degree in Human Services field preferred

▪ Experience In The Child Welfare Field Preferred

▪ Candidates should have some experience and knowledge of trauma resolution

▪ Experience working with foster care and relative care out of home placements for children is preferred.

Special – Personal Skills, Qualities, Aptitudes And Physical Requirements

New Directions Youth & Family Services, Inc is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable persons with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Ability to work effectively with clients, families, staff and community contacts from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• Ability to deal effectively with children/youth with behavioral, emotional and/or mental health challenges and their families.
• Ability to accept supervision and perform as part of a team.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to change.
• Must have a valid driver’s license, adequate auto insurance and meet the criteria for driving set forth in the New Directions Driver’s License policy and Auto Insurance policy.
• Ability to pass annual physical for Category 1 job classification in accordance with New Directions Employee Health policy.
• Must comply with Agency safety standards and be responsible for own actions and conduct concerning safety and healthy working conditions.
  
  
  

POSITIONS SUPERVISED: none