Children's Services Worker (Child Adoption Worker) 4014-12

Children's Services Worker (Child Adoption Worker) (4014-12)

Are you interested in serving our community and helping to protect our county's most vulnerable children? At Hamilton County Children's Services, this is what we do every day. We are looking for compassionate, tenacious workers who are dedicated to engaging families and ensuring that children are safe.

This is a critical role that directly impacts the outcomes of the children and families whom we serve. This role may be a good fit if you excel in interpersonal communication, problem-solving, and enjoy a fast-paced work environment. This position provides:

• Hybrid work schedule

• Culture promoting growth and learning

• Tuition reimbursement

• Free and close downtown parking for office days

We look forward to learning more about you and your passion for this work! Please see the full job description below.

Highly Competitive Employee Benefits Package and Generous Paid Time Off

11 Paid Holidays, Immediately Begin Accruing Paid Vacation, Earned Personal Days, and Paid Parental Leave.

Ohio Public Employee Retirement System which includes 14% Employer Contribution AND a defined benefit option.

Highly Competitive and Comprehensive Benefits Package: Medical, HRA, Dental, Vision, Employer-Paid Life Insurance, Long-Term Disability, Tuition Reimbursement, Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility, Commuter Stipend or Free On-Site Parking, Wellness Incentives, robust Employee Assistance Program, access to Free Medical and Rx through Marathon Health, plus expansive Behavioral and Mental Health Resources, and More!

DEADLINE TO APPLY: 5/21/2024

WORK LOCATION:

Job & Family Services

222 E. Central Parkway

Cincinnati, OH 45202

WORK HOURS: 40 Hours/week

(Potential for Hybrid Remote Work Schedule)

STARTING HOURLY PAY: $20.99

This position qualifies a pay differential of 5% paid on top of the base rate.

NOTE: Applicants for positions with Hamilton County Job and Family Services are subject to background screening in accordance with the document: "Offenses that May Disqualify Candidates for Employment." Convictions from this list may disqualify a candidate for employment with HCJFS.

Applicants for Children's Services positions cannot provide foster care for children in the custody of Hamilton County.

REQUIREMENTS (EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, LICENSURE, CERTIFICATION):

⦁ Bachelor's degree in human services-related field or

⦁ Bachelor's degree in any field and has two (2) years' work experience in a human service-related occupation.

• A bachelor's or master's in a human services-related field would be required within 5 years.

⦁ Must possess a valid driver's license issued in the state of residency.

⦁ Must have the use of an insured automobile.

⦁ A criminal records check conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and the FBI is

required.

JOB DUTIES (SUMMARY):

REGULAR AND PUNCTUAL ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE FOLLOWING ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provides daily case management for children ages 0-21 in permanent custody and waiting for adoption. This includes referring children for mental health services and appropriate placement settings, attendance at dependency, delinquency and probate court hearings, school meetings, monthly home visits with children and their caregivers, team meetings and therapeutic appointments. Assists recruiters in locating adoptive homes for all children on caseload whose goal is adoption. Places children into new foster or adoptive homes, residential treatment settings, group homes and/or independent living settings. Completes case plans, activity logs, court reports, case reviews, match committee documentation, reviews waiting families and completes referrals for children on caseload. Presents waiting children to the match committee and reviews waiting family files. Collaborates with multiple community service providers in order to prepare and move children toward successful emancipation and higher education or employment.

• Completes Interstate Compact, adoptive placement and finalization paperwork, writes reports, maintains accurate and organized statistical data on caseload. Responsible for out of county and state travel and placements, with after hours and weekend appointments possible. Conducts expedited adoptive home studies for foster parents interested in adopting foster children already in their home. Assesses adoptive applicants in their ability to parent children through all stages of development and with a variety of special needs. Assists families in the process of Adoption Assistance negotiations. Provides follow-up counseling, education and support and referrals to adoptive parents and children until finalization of adoption. Arranges for supportive services that adoptive families might require and collaborates with community resources and/or other agencies supervising the placement of a child in the custody of Hamilton County.

• Participates in regular one on one supervision with manager, unit and staff meetings and assigned seminars. Completes Adoption Assessor Tier I and Tier II trainings and maintains appropriate training hours according to agency policy and assessor and/or licensure responsibilities. Attends necessary training as assigned.

OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Performs other related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: (*Indicates can be developed after employment)

Knowledge of: counseling, case management; interviewing; psychology and/or Human Behavior; sociology or social work; agency and/or community counseling programs

And services specific to area in which employed; federal and state regulations governing delivery of services; treatment team concepts; agency/institution practices and procedures.

Ability to: define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions; apply principles to solve practical, everyday problems dealing with variety of variables; recognize unusual or threatening conditions and take emergency action; review; critique individual programming and make feasible recommendations; gather, collate and classify information about data, people or things; develop good rapport with clients, residents, and respective families, handle sensitive face to face contacts and inquiries; cooperate with co-workers and a variety of service providers and community professionals; establish goals and objectives; deal with a variety of variables and determine specific courses of action on basis of need; prepare routine letters reflecting standard procedures; write accurate reports; carry out instructions in written or oral form; work alone on most tasks.

ESSENTIAL JOB FACTORS:

• Must undergo a background check via the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI). Must have a car, valid driver's license issued by the state of residency and required auto liability insurance.

• Must have cell phone availability during working hours-Cell phone stipend eligible.

POSITION SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Lift and carry children; lift and carry child car seats; lift and carry infant carrier; stand entire length of home visit (an hour or longer); conduct home visits during warmest months of the year (no air conditioning); significant walking during home visit, and frequent walking to and from court; frequently enter and exit motor vehicle; frequently climbing and descending stairs; sitting for extended periods while driving; stooping, bending, crouching; able to quickly exit hazardous/dangerous situations that could involve violent clients, violent relatives, vicious animals, insects, rodents, unstable structures, etc.; able to lift and carry large case files and occasionally push a cart containing case files.

BACKGROUND CHECKS REQUIRED:

Background checks consistent with requirements in OAC 5101:2-5-09 must be completed at employment and every ten years following, including but not limited to the following systems:

• State Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS)

• State Child/Abuse Neglect Central Registry Check for any state in which the applicant resided within the last five years

• Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification Investigation (BCI)

• FBI

• National Sex Offender Public website (WWW.NSOPW.Gov) Code 5101:2-5-09 must be conducted for each prospective employee