Resource Parent Support Worker chez Northern Children’s Services

Summary

Under the supervision of the Foster Care Director, The Resource Parent Support Worker (RPSW); works directly Resource Parent to help them achieve and support the well-being, stability and permanency of the child or youth in care. This includes working directly with the resource caregiver to help them successfully meet the needs of the child or youth. 

The RPSW must provide face-to-face support to the resource caregiver a minimum of one time per month, with more frequent and intense contacts for new placements and during periods of need. When a child or youth is first placed in the home, the RPSW must provide initial, in-person contact with the Resource Caregiver within three business days if they were not present at the actual placement. This cannot be a phone contact. 

Specific responsibilities of the RPSW include providing direct, in-home support to Resource Caregiver focused on: 

• Ensuring the safety and well-being of the child or youth. 

• As needed, by supporting the Resource Caregiver to stabilize the child or youth in the home and school setting by helping the Resource Caregiver understand from a developmental perspective child or youth behaviors as they may relate to their trauma history. 

• Supporting Resource Caregivers to effectively communicate with any education, medical, dental or other service providers working with the child or youth. 

• Ensuring Resource Caregivers are in compliance with medication administration and documentation.   

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THIS POSITION

Communication

• Maintains appropriate monthly visitation with  Resource Families. 

• Advocates for the needs of the consumer to obtain needed resources and supports. 

• Clearly and effectively, communicates all pertinent information to involved parties. 

• Participates in regular weekly supervision with the Foster care Supervisor 

• Communicate with the child’s CUA worker, Child Advocate Social Worker and Attorney when legal attention is warranted;  

• Promoting and teaching transferable self- advocacy skills to Resource Parents  

• The RPSW must communicate all safety concerns to the Foster care Supervisor within immediately.   

• The RPSW is responsible for supporting and bridging communication barriers between Resource Parents and Community Umbrella Agency (CUA)/Department of Human Services (DHS) staff.  

• Timely communication between the CUA, Provider and caregiver is essential to promoting the safety; permanency and wellbeing of children and youth. All parties share a mutual responsibility to proactively communicate with one another and respond to emergencies, incidents, requests for information and to schedule meetings.  

• If the subcontractor or the RPSW are not receiving the information they need to appropriately care for children and youth in their care, the chain of command at the CUA is to be utilized. 

The RPSW communicates with the CUA as well as supports communication between the Caregiver and the CUA by: -(HOWEVER NOT A CUA WORKER)  

• Attending CUA case manager Quality visits occurring in the Resource Home, as invited by the CUA or as requested by the RPSW. 

• Attending teaming meetings, as invited. 

• Attending Family Court, as invited and not in lieu of the CUA’s appearance. 

• Attending JPO facilitated Teamings or meetings prior to Court and Court proceedings as needed.  

• Initiating communication with the CUA when the current array of services a child or youth is receiving needs to re-evaluate by the CUA Case Manager based on the child or youth’s functioning and status in the placement setting.  

• Obtaining documents from the CUA that may be needed by the Resource Caregiver and providing them to the caregiver, such as consents for medical, dental, or behavioral health care; school documents etc.  

• Obtaining results of medical, dental or treatment appointments the child receives while in the Resource Home and providing them to the CUA. 

Documentation

• Maintain documentation of supports and interventions provided to the resource Caregivers. 

• Adheres to the 3700 Foster family regulations  

• Ensures the home is a safe environment for children placed 

• Within 48 hours of placing a child –RPSW must meet Face to face with the resource parents to review all medical/dental information 

• RPSW-must develop a Transportation Plan 

• Within five days the worker must develop and implement an Individual Crisis plan in collaboration with the resource parent and the CUA case manager in order to meet the needs of the child 

• Within 30 days of placement, develop and implement a Resource Parent Support Plan specific to each child placed in the home. 

• Within five days the RSPW must develop and implement Respite Plan  

• Review medication logs with Resource parents 

• Review ANSEL CASEY with Resource parent  

• Maintain case record for the resource parents 

• Complete bi-weekly home visit/home safety documentation  

• RPSW is responsible for ensuring respites are planned in advance,, RPSW will work with our Admission Coordinator to schedule respites  

 Planning

• Attends all required training and pursues other training for professional development. 

• Manages time effectively in order to complete direct service requirements and required documentation. 

• Works collaboratively with each CUA and resources parents to ensure agency policies and procedures are adhered. 

Monitoring

• Maintains the appropriate number of training hours as required by local, state and federal regulations. 

• Monitor safety plans  

• Megan’s law safety plans if needed  

 Direct Service

• Coaches the resource parent on home based strategies to address mental health, Physical health needs of the child. 

• To maintain a high continuity of care between Northern’s Resource Families and the children they care for, this individual is responsible for coordinating with CUA providers, in order to obtain outstanding records, documentation and case management supports needed for children placed in their homes.  

• Linkage to Resources for youth  

• Many of these tasks include, but are not limited to: obtaining medical, educational, and legal consents; retrieving behavioral health provider treatment consents for children in need of psychological evaluation and treatment; obtaining immunization shot records; solidifying and obtaining accurate medical insurance coverage information;obtaining placement agreement letters from CUA staff; mediating transportation arrangements between CUA providers and Resource Parents;  

• Conduct re-certification process  

• Create & remedy any corrective action plans or safety plans needed in homes of crisis.  

• Conduct in- home inspection visits, face-to-face meetings with Resource Parents and CUA staff, phone conferences, and Foster care team meetings.  

• Participate in monthly support groups 

• Participate in Pre-service training (held one Saturday of each month.)  

• Host Monthly focus groups with Resource parents  

Networking

• Maintains contacts with level resource parents, Community Umbrella Agencies and the Department of Human Services. 

• Maintains contacts with other community resources and agencies.  

• Coordinates communications between Resource Parents and CUA staff. 

• Attends CUA meetings, relating to child welfare changes and regulatory updates. 

• Consults and collaborates with agency personnel, referral sources, county agencies and other groups and individuals external to the program. 

BASIC SKILL SETS

• Ability to communicate and interact with staff within and outside the agency. 

• Ability to assess and define needs and problems, collect data, develop factual information and draw valid professional conclusions. 

• Ability to effectively present and respond to questions from various sources. 

• Ability to accurately calculate numbers. 

• Ability to work with a computer in performing duties.  

• Ability to give clear, concise and professional oral and written instructions. 

• Excellent working knowledge of child welfare system and family dynamics/childhood mental health issues and needs as well as the systems that impact on children and youth. 

• Strong knowledge of case management practices and requirements. 

• Ability to assess training needs and develop training programs for resource parents. 

• Ability to assess applicants to determine their capabilities to become resource parents

QUALIFICATIONS

The RPSW must hold a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, or related field, and have a minimum of three year experience providing services to children, youth and families in a behavioral health setting. Staff members currently employed without a bachelor’s degree can be grand parented in and continues working in the position. New hires require a bachelor’s degree. Staffs that are grand parented require a minimum of weekly supervision by a Masters’ level supervisor.  Those with a bachelor’s degree require a minimum of bi-weekly supervision.  

PHYSICAL CAPABILITIES AND WORK REQUIREMENT

• Ability to walk up & down stairs, climb, reach and bend 

• Ability to lift 20 lbs. 

• Ability to operate a laptop computer and smartphone  

• Current valid driver’s license, car registration and vehicle insurance 

• Ability to adjust to flexible work schedule, often working on weekend days and evenings 

Trauma-Informed Behavior 

• Willingness to learn and maintain the value of a trauma-informed culture. 
• Commit to the maintenance of a therapeutic environment and community that promotes safety, nonviolence, and resilience as the basis for all we do with clients and staff. 
• Knowledge and utilization of trauma-informed practices
• Emotional intelligence 
• Effective communication 
• Understanding of the impact of trauma on human development 
• Use of person-first and strengths-based language 

 Americans with Disabilities: As with all positions at Northern Children’s Services, Inc. we recognize the importance of accommodations individuals with disabilities. In that, we are committed to every extent possible accommodating disabled individual. We recognize the American With Disabilities Act of 1991 and understand the need to reasonably accommodate employees. All accommodation will be evaluated on a case- by case basis, evaluating the essential functions of the positions. 

DISCRIMINATION IS PROHIBITED IN EMPLOYMENT, PROMOTION, ASSIGNMENT OR DISMISSAL, ON THE BASIS OF RACE, RELIGION, COLOR, AGE, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, and HANDICAP, OR RECEIPT OF SERVICES FOR MENTAL DISABILITY.