Family Support Worker - Child Welfare

Salary: $16.00 per hour

Shift: 5AM - 1:30PM with flexibility

Do you enjoy helping others? Would you like a career that provides you an opportunity to help families and to make a difference in the lives of children? Join us in creating a brighter future for children and their families.

At Kids Central we believe every child deserves to grow up in a safe and loving home that provides a path to a bright future. However sometimes children, and their families, need additional support to ensure their safety and well-being. That is where we step in.

This position is responsible for transporting and serving as a paraprofessional to children and families in the child welfare department. This position also assists Family Care Managers and Family Care Manager Supervisors in supervising visitations, documenting visitation observations, transporting to child medical/dental appointments, providing supervision of children, and performs routine clerical duties for at risk families. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty listed below satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be allowed to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

• Coordinate and provide transportation in various modes (i.e., car, plane, train, etc.) for children under Child Protective Services including relocation/placement in foster homes, physician visits, and supervised parental visits; supervises children in the play area while parents meet with Family Care Managers.
• Supervises parental and/or family visitations as directed by Family Care Managers (FCM) or Family Care Manager Supervisor (FCMS); monitors visitation time and makes decisions to terminate visit if necessary; makes immediate oral reports of visitation and follows up with written visit observation forms.
• Establish positive relationships with children, natural parents, foster and adoptive parents and extended family.
• Demonstrates commitment to providing superior customer service experiences to all staff and clients with a service-oriented attitude in accordance with principles of professionalism and respect.
• Demonstrates ability to deescalate problematic behaviors safely while driving or providing supervision. Reports all concerning behaviors or incidents within one hour to supervisor. Ensures the safety and well-being of children and families served.
• Demonstrates commitment to improve quality and safety through training, education, communication, collaboration, innovation, and execution.
• Effectively communicates with team members, supervisors, and support staff.
• Follows all protocol check out and return policies, maintain car cleanliness, identifies any car malfunctions, or needed repairs and reports to supervisor or designee.
• Request and transport of medical and/or legal records. Obtain signatures, if necessary.
• Reports to supervisor within 15 minutes of a calendar cancellation, update calendar, and seek alternative assignments for the day.
• Responds immediately to TEAMS alerts for availability. Use TEAMS to communicate with peers and supervisors.
• Respond to all requests for assistance via email, TEAMS, or text.
• Follow all seat belt and car seat installation and usage protocols.
• Responsible for turning in receipts for requested petty cash spending.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  

This list of functions is not intended to be exhaustive. Kids Central reserves the right to revise this job description as needed to comply with actual job requirements.

Qualifications

Education/Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Two years of experience in providing social service, child development, family services or working in a childcare setting. Associate or bachelor’s degree in social services or related field may substitute for required experience.
  
  

Licensure/Certifications

• Valid Florida Driver’s License with acceptable driving record, as required to drive for business purposes.
• Must maintain and show proof of the appropriate automobile insurance limits ($100,000/$300,000) per Florida Statutes.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Ability to work in a highly visible position and use effective interpersonal communication skills to respond to children and their families, and legal entities (i.e., judges, law enforcement, CLS etc.).
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional procedures.
• Ability to write concise reports within 24 hours of event or as required by program.
• Must be able to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions and take appropriate actions.
• Ability to safely operate any type of motor vehicle. Vehicles vary from economy to vans.
  
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Indoor, temperature controlled, smoke-free environment. Outdoor exposure.
• Moderate noise level.
  
  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Good visual acuity and ability to communicate.
• Ability to lift, lower, push, pull and retrieve objects weighing a minimum of 20 pounds. Reasonable assistance will be provided when lifting, pushing and/or pulling which exceeds the minimum requirements.
• Ability to withstand prolong standing and walking. Able to sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach, stoop, bend, and/or kneel during an 8-12-hour day.
  
  

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE

Our mission is, “Protecting Children, Supporting Families, and Engaging Communities”. Kids Central, Inc. is the lead Community Based Care agency for child welfare in Circuit 5, which encompasses Marion, Lake, Hernando, Sumter, and Citrus Counties. We maintain a system of care for children and families that have experienced or are at-risk of experiencing child abuse or neglect. Kids Central, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, disability, or veteran status as those terms are defined under applicable law. Kids Central is a Drug-Free Workplace, Equal Employment Opportunity and E-Verify Employer.

Compensation & Benefits

Kids Central, Inc. provides a comprehensive compensation package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) with company match, and a generous paid time off allotment.

Employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V