Senior Case Planner

Job Description

Job Description

Reports To: SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISOR, FAMILY FOSTER CARE

Location: 7 West Burnside Avenue, Bronx, New York 10453

Hours: 35 Hours / Week; Non-Exempt

The senior case planner has dual responsibility of maintaining a caseload and assisting the unit supervisor. Senior case planners will train and support three case planners in their assigned unit. In addition to the responsibilities described in the case planning job description, the senior case planner’s additional responsibilities include:

• Collaborate with supervisor to manage daily tasks of case planning staff
• Primary contact for unit activities and inquires when supervisor is not available
• Provide onboarding support to new T/FFC case planning staff
• Facilitate individual and group trainings to T/FFC case planning staff
• Create business process, manage, and track specialized program activities/models i.e. adoption milestones, KinGAP, Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS), Attachment and Bio-behavioral Catch-up (ABC), Solution based Casework (SBC), Children of Incarcerated Parents Program (CHIPP), Continuation of Care and Support Beyond Age 21 (CCS21+), permanency cohorts, kinship placements, monthly contacts, and parental engagement as assigned
• Maintain a maximum caseload of 10 children/youth
• Attend internal and external meetings/trainings as needed

CASE PLANNING RESPONSIBILITES: Utilizing a strength-based perspective, Case Planners will engage caregivers involved in the child welfare system both individually and in groups. Case Planners will assess and monitor for safety and risk along with fulfilling required casework related activities. Through effective engagement with parents and foster parents, Case Planners will work towards timely permanency planning for children and youth in foster care.

• Assess and monitor safety and risk for youth/families in care
• Establish immediate contact with families of the children who are placed into our care, and with their foster families.
• Conduct required casework contacts with the child, parent, foster parent and collateral contacts (schools, service providers, medical personnel, mental health practitioners, and substance abuse counselors). Make assessment-based referrals as necessary to meet the needs of the child and/or parent.
• Visit family and child, as often as mandated and/or necessary to gather social history, to assess family strengths and concerns, and to assess existing problems in relation to the reason for placement.
• Coordinate and supervise all visits between the family and child along with separate sibling visits.
• Share responsibilities with agency team for the permanency planning of each child.
• Locate resources and make referrals to any resource that would provide aid to the family and child.
• Evaluate child’s adjustment in foster home, and monitor educational and behavioral performance at home and in school.
• Monitor foster parents in terms of their ability to meet the needs of the child in their home, and make recommendations regarding future use of the home, in conjunction with the Homefinding Department.
• Adherence to the KEEP (Keeping Foster and Kinship Parents Supported and Trained), PTC (Parenting Through Change) and YDSC (Youth Development Skills Coaching) manuals.
• Make efficient and creative use of training manuals.
• Capacity to work within the fidelity guidelines of the KEEP/PTC interventions while delivering the material in the manner that appeals to the needs of individual parents and youth.
• Support and counsel foster parents in their efforts to care for the child and include them in the development of the goals and tasks.
• Keep case records up-to-date within agency standards and complete all necessary ACS/Agency documentation including FASPs, Progress notes, Permanency Hearing reports and all other reports necessary to fulfill the function of the work.
• Make all court appearances and testimony including permanency hearings.
• Participate in Family Team Conferences, including but not limited to the placement preservation, reunification/discharge, goal changes and permanency planning conferences. Attend all necessary meetings, functions, workshop, etc. as required by the agency.
• Keep case records up-to-date within agency standards and complete all necessary ACS/Agency documentation including FASPs, Progress notes, Permanency Hearing reports and all other reports necessary to fulfill the function of the work.
• Progress notes are to be completed and submitted preferably within one day of the event but no later than the end of the given week of the event.
• FASP and Permanency Hearing Report will be submitted on the internal date for review provided by the agency's compliance department.
• Collaborate closely with team members.
• Conduct Group facilitation of Keep and PTC groups with parents and foster parents.
• Ability to enhance communication among parent group members to promote skill development and social networking.
• Review KEEP/PTC feedback and practice strategies with families.
• Documents according to developer’s standards, each interaction and visit.
• Effectively use and practice the Sanctuary Model tools: safety plans, community meetings, psycho-educational groups, team meetings, red flag reviews, treatment planning conferences (or similar), and self-care, when applicable, in the department/program to create a non-violent and trauma-sensitive culture.
• Promote and model the seven Sanctuary Model commitments to create a non-violent and trauma-sensitive culture.
• Integrate the Sanctuary Model SELF (Safety, Emotional Management, Loss and Future) framework into daily practice to ensure quality care and an effective work environment
• Utilize Solution Based Casework in casework practice.
• Implement Solution Based Casework model of casework practice within the department/program.
• Implement and integrate the principles and procedures of Solution Based Casework: assessment, family and individual level outcomes, action plans and documentation and celebration.
• Actively participate in case consultation, continued SBC training and the SBC certification process.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in social work or similar, required; Master’s degree preferred
• Demonstrated highly successful performance as case planner (or equivalent) for a minimum of two
• Must be able to establish working relationships with clients in need of counseling and supportive services.
• Must be able to effectively engage parents.
• Ability to apply theory of change.
• Willingness to facilitate groups with parents and foster parents.
• Excellent written and verbal skills necessary.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Must have a commitment to work from a strength-based, youth and family development and trauma-informed perspective.