Family Service Case Manager

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI), is a leading not-for-profit organization providing healing, justice and wholeness to people and communities. For over 150 years, LSSI has made a difference in the lives of children and families, and we're still a strong, viable presence in the State of Illinois, continuing that commitment to making a difference.

LSSI is hiring a full-time Family Findings Specialist, Monday through Friday. Targeted recruitment efforts will include specifically reaching out to potential families who are most likely to meet the needs for the specific youth, including, but not limited to attending and participating in community events throughout the area. Will do extensive research, investigation, and outreach in locating absentee parents/guardians. Identify and locate potential extended family/fictive kinship relationships. Will assist the family caseworker with facilitating the expansion of resources needed to better serve children and their families involved in foster care. Serve as a team member within the multidisciplinary team or Child and Family Team Meeting consisting of case manager, supervisor foster parent, birth parents and youth to facilitate connections between newly found family/fictive kin members, supports and other collateral resources to resolve complex and stalled cased to improve permanency outcomes.

Benefits and Perks:

LSSI is growing! Come be a part of this rewarding environment, and enjoy the knowledge that you're helping make a positive difference in the lives of others, as well as these career advantages:

• On Demand Flexible Paydays for earned wages through an app called Dayforce Wallet.

• Competitive salary based upon relevant education, experience and licensure.

• Salary $46,000-$51,000/Annually.

• Opportunity for advancement.

• Comprehensive benefits package, including healthcare insurance, up to 26 days of paid time off per calendar year, 11 paid holidays, sick time, 403(b) plan, Employee Assistance Program, and flexible hours.

• The paid training you need to learn, grow, and succeed!

• The opportunity to become a part of a fantastic team of Child Welfare professionals!

Essential Functions:

• Provide professional technical assistance and resource development support to casework staff who serve children with specialized and problematic behavior service needs.

• Utilize a family-centered, trauma-informed, strength-based, and EDI (equity, diversity, inclusion) lens through which youth and family needs are assessed.

• Engage the youth (as age-appropriate), birth parents, family and social connections, foster parents, and staff to facility and support stability and permanency for the youth.

• Use non-traditional search methods to identify and locate family members and supportive connections.

• Conduct diligent search activities across multiple databases, systems, social media, and other websites and complete required forms and SACWIS documentation, send written correspondence, and long/track data for use by the Foster Care Team.

• Use ecomaps, genograms, and other tools to map and locate prospective supports and placement resources for the youth and family.

• Identify and engage family supports and connections including relatives and fictive kin for the purpose of life-long connections and permanency achievement.

• Engage in a variety of techniques to meet and communicate with potential foster parents, including attending events, networking, social media and other strategies.

• Will take the lead in engaging in both proactive general and target foster family recruitment efforts for youth in the foster care system.

• Coordinate services and attend meetings, with other agencies, systems, and community providers to meet the needs of the clients.

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in social work, other human services field, or criminal justice is required.

• Child Welfare Employee Licensure (CWEL) preferred, but not required.

• Background check clearance, both criminal and CANTS.

• Understand implicit bias and how to work within a system that impacts decisions for youth and their families when locating placement options with the ability to have crucial conversations with staff and other child and family team members.

• Research skills experience working with children and special needs a plus.

• Possess strong leadership, data analysis, and problem solving skills.

• Full access to SACWIS in order to "file mine" (review investigation reports, previous assessments, case notes, placement history, collateral contacts, etc.) in the initiation of Family Finding activities.

• Access to and knowledge of completing background checks.

• Excellent communication, organization, presentation and pc/computer skills (including proficiency with Microsoft Office - Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint)

• Position requires valid IL statutory minimum liability auto insurance coverage (including bodily injury and property damage).

• Valid Illinois driver's license and proof of automobile liability insurance required. Access to transportation for visits and to transport clients to and from appointments.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, pregnancy, any other characteristic protected by law.