Child Advocate

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) envisions a world where children are safe, families are strong, and communities are vibrant.

LSF is looking for a talented Child Welfare Case Manager who wants to make an impact in the lives of others.

Purpose & Impact:

This position description is effective for Child Welfare Case Managers who possess social service and engagement skills and an ability to promote a culturally sensitive, performance-driven culture to meet child welfare programmatic goals.

Essential Functions:

• Supports the case management supervisor in promoting efforts to achieve team and performance goals.
• Maintains a caseload of children and families and ensures dependency milestones are achieved timely and with a high degree of quality.
• Accepts cases assigned by unit supervisor and assesses the safety of children in their primary residence within two working days of case transfer staffing and with identified parents. Completes a Family Assessment within 15 working days of case transfer staffing.
• Negotiate and develop a case plan through Family Team Conferencing based on identified strengths and needs of the family, the circumstances bringing the family into care, recommendations provided by the Comprehensive Behavioral Health Assessment and other relevant data. This plan is to be created in collaboration with the parents, Guardian Ad Litem, foster parents and other pertinent parties with the goal of reunification or other permanency for the child.
• Visits the child in their primary residence according to required frequency, but no less than once every 25 days. At least one visit each quarter is to be unannounced.
• Accurately documents all case activities in the Florida Safe Families Network database within 48 hours. Maintain the physical case file in chronological order, by subject, in accordance with the standardized case file format.
• Submits service requests to the lead agency and provides clients with timely referrals to services. Develops and maintains knowledge of community resources, program eligibility requirements, key contact persons, emergency procedures, and waiting lists of available resources. Maintains regular contact with service providers and documents service progress in FSFN.
• Complete and submit court documentation within required time frames. Prepares for, attends, and participates in all court activities as necessary.
• Arrange for, attend, and participate in individual case staffing's as necessary. Completes and presents at all required staffing's.
• Conduct initial and/or ongoing child safety assessments as required. Prepare initial and on-going safety plans as necessary.
• Arrange for emergency placement, emergency medical treatment, and emergency services for children at risk.
• Conduct diligent searches for parents and family members when deemed necessary and thoroughly document that the effort has been made to find the parents and family members.
• Conduct home studies as required for prospective placements. Provide relevant medical, psychological, behavioral and educational background information about the child or children to prospective caregivers as needed. Plan and facilitate parental and sibling visits as needed and appropriate.
• Transport and supervise children as needed.
• Ensure that all Independent Living functions are completed as required.
• Attend all appointments, staff meetings, trainings, seminars, workshops, etc., as necessary and as required by the supervisor.
• Function as agency on-call Case Manager as scheduled.
• Organize, prioritize and complete all work assignments by the established deadlines.

All duties are performed in accordance with the following standards:

• Courtesy: Treat customers, the public and staff with courtesy, respect and dignity and presents a positive public image.
• Communication Skills: Keep supervisor fully informed of activities, pertinent issues, upcoming events and potential problems. Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in daily work.
• Teamwork: Support the unit, department and/or organization and work with others in an effort to accomplish the goals of the unit, department and/or organization.
• Safety: Employee makes a reasonable effort to adhere to established safety procedures and practices in the work area.
• Training: Attend and successfully complete all mandated training courses; obtain and maintain child welfare certification through Florida Certification Board.
• Confidentiality: Adhere to all confidentiality rules.
• On-Call: Perform on-call responsibilities as assigned. Carry an active cellphone at all times during regularly scheduled work hours and during on call hours. Immediately respond to all calls.

Other Functions:

Perform other related duties and special assignments as required.

Physical Requirements:

• Must have a high level of energy, be adaptable to irregular hours, be flexible to rotate on-call as needed, be able to travel as needed.
• Valid driver’s license and appropriate auto liability insurance required.

Education:

Must possess a bachelor’s degree in a Human Services field. Degree in Social Work preferred.

Experience:

Must have a minimum of one year of relevant experience and achieve child welfare certification within one year of hire.

Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Possess leadership skills to help drive team goals.
• Ability to remain professional and composed in a fast-paced, high stress work environment.
• Familiarity with and ability to use Microsoft Office programs Word and Excel.
• Ability to drive both locally and throughout the state in connection with the duties of this position.
• To fully understand case ownership responsibility as the integrator of all services and supports identified for each child, including therapy, other mental health services, health and dentistry, developmental services, educational support, permanency and safety; as well as their responsibility to make trauma sensitive transitions when it is determined that a caretaker lacks the needed level of responsibility to care for their children.

Other:

Must demonstrate sensitivity to our service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics and needs.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Reports directly to and follows directives of Case Management Supervisor.
• Works cooperatively with Program Director, other Case Managers and Supervisors, placement staff, Protective Investigators, Child Welfare Legal staff and agency support staff.
• Effectively manages time to ensure that all home visits are completed as required, all documentation is entered into FSFN within 48 hours, court documentation is prepared according to specified time frames and court appearances are attended as necessary.
• Follows Florida Statutes, Administrative Code, written policies and orders of the Dependency Court in managing cases toward goals recorded in case plans.

Why work for LSF?

LSF offers 60 programs across the state of Florida serving a wide range of populations in need. Mission Driven staff members become part of the LSF community while transforming the lives of those in need. Our staff additionally find growth opportunities as they explore areas of interest within the organization.

Amazing benefits package including:

• Medical, Dental and Vision
• Teladoc (24/7 online access to doctors)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employer paid life insurance (1X salary)
• 13 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday
• Generous PTO policy (starting at 16 working days a year)
• 403(b) Retirement plan with 3% discretionary employer match OR 3% student loan repayment reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement

Lutheran Services Florida embraces diversity, equity and inclusion in all business practices. LSF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.