Foster Care Parenting CoachWe are looking for a Foster Care Parenting Coach to work closely with our Foster Care Team here in Kalamazoo! This is a full-time position with benefits. Type of work is a mix of both field and office work with opportunities for schedule flexibility. Family & Children Services is committed to preserving families and providing children with safe, nurturing homes. Our foster and family care programs support both goals by providing nurturing homes for children while we work toward family reunification. When reunification is not possible, our foster care-to-adoption services help children find loving, permanent homes. This position supervises parenting time visitation, provides parenting education/coaching, transports children to appointments, and assists workers in case related activities on an as needed basis. Responsibilities associated with this job will change from time to time in accordance with the agency's program and business needs. More specifically, the incumbent may be required to perform additional and/or different responsibilities from those described below. Coordinate and maintain contact with birth families and foster families to schedule parenting time. Oversee scheduled parenting time visitations in the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek offices, birth family homes and out in the community in surrounding counties. Coach parents on parenting skills by modeling, instructing, and prompting. Effectively provide feedback regarding their parenting skills. Intervene as necessary to ensure child safety and ensure content of conversations is appropriate. Provide detailed visitation notes for each parenting time. Report strengths and concerns to the Foster Care Specialist. Provide transportation and supervision for foster children to and from family visits and appointments, with ability to follow Michigan driving laws and Michigan car seat safety laws. Valid driver's license with good driving record required. Valid proof of automobile insurance required. The vehicle must be safe and clean. Knowledge of child development. Demonstrate the ability and flexibility to work nontraditional hours, such as evenings and weekends. Maintain confidentiality of information. Provide support to professional staff by making copies, filing and other work requests as assigned within the designated time frames. Perform other job-related duties as assigned. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen, background check, reference verification, and required child welfare clearances.
Qualifications:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education and Experience:
A minimum of 62 credit hours in a human services or related field from an accredited college or relevant experience is required. Bachelor's Degree preferred.
Language Skills:
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively to customers and provide accurate court testimony.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Valid Michigan driver's license and driving record which complies with agency policy. Ability to implement physical assistance/intervention as warranted.
Ability to regularly provide out-of-office services in unstructured, unpredictable situations.
Ability to drive in all-weather conditions.
Must be able to lift young children into vehicles and secure children into age-appropriate car seats.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include distance vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
