Child Welfare Division Intern

Job Description

Job Description

D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s Description

1. MISSION STATEMENT : To help children and empower families by providing safety, advocacy, and support.

1. VISION : A safe, nurturing home for every child, a supportive community for every family.

1. VALUES:

• Exceptional Service: Client-focused and teaming at the center of our work.
• Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion: All are welcomed, valued, and belong.
• Excellence: Ongoing commitment to learning and improvement.
• Integrity: Responsibility and ownership of our actions and results.
• Creativity: Imagination, innovation, and intelligent risk taking.
• Passion: Relentless positive energy toward our mission and vision.

1. SANCTUARY COMMITMENTS:

• Nonviolence: Maintaining safety for all members of the community.
• Emotional Intelligence: Managing emotions so we don’t hurt ourselves or others.
• Social Learning: Together we accomplish more, we care for one another.
• Democracy: Everyone has a voice, not necessarily a vote.
• Open Communication: Respecting and sharing ideas of our team.
• Social Responsibility: Say what you mean, don’t be mean when you say it.
• Growth & Change: Creating hope for ourselves and the people we serve.

JOB DESCRIPTION

1. POSITION SUMMARY
   
   The Child Welfare Division Intern’s work includes observing, gaining insight and knowledge related to, and participating in serving children and parents and participating in a collaborative team to ensure the child’s ongoing safety and well-being. The end goal is for the child to reach permanency, which can include the child’s safe return home to a parent, adoption, guardianship, or independent living. This highly impactful role requires people with a unique blend of strengths including compassion, organization, communication, and perseverance. And while the Child Welfare Division Intern has access to frequent supervisory support, the role requires that the Intern is able to engage in consultation and collaborative teaming across the division as the role requires the intern to creatively adapt to a diverse array of situations. Additionally, this role requires a candidate who is committed to flexing their schedules to meet children and families in the community at times that are best for them.

1. ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

2. Gain familiarity with MDHHS Policy Manuals.
3. Participate in strengthening and demonstrating foster care case management skills and clinical services to parents, or those legally responsible, and the child(ren) both while the children are in Foster Care and to the family once the child(ren) is/are returned home (aftercare supervision).
4. Observe court testimony
5. Gain knowledge of and observe modeling related to the placement and supervision of children in Foster Care.
6. Gain knowledge of comprehensive services provided to parents whose children are in Foster Care.
7. Gain knowledge of how to assess for strengths and needs, and how to complete timely service referrals.
8. Provide foster parent and relative care giver support.
9. Observe and participate in the transition to adoption for those children who have been in Foster Care.
10. Complete paperwork pertaining to the MDHHS and initiatives, licensing rules, and agency expectations.
11. Coordinate parenting times, sibling connection, and relative connections for children in Foster Care
12. Observe management of crisis situations
13. Observe and practice skills related to the development of service plans.
14. Participate in required case-related activities such as court hearings, pre-hearing conferences, Family Team Meetings, and client meetings.
15. Participate in Family Finding and Relative Engagement for children and families involved with the child welfare system.
16. Participate actively in monthly supervision with Coordinator and group supervision and team meetings
17. Document according to established protocols, reflecting assisting, training, or teaching a skill
18. Complete and submit PQI and other data sheets according to established protocols
19. Follow all agency policies and procedures.

• Follow all established local, state and federal traffic and driving laws, including safe transport of children.

Performance Expectations:

• Demonstrate respect for individual differences and clients’ cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to engage clients and families and establish effective relationships
• Demonstrate sound decision-making skills.
• Appropriate assertiveness, flexibility, judgment, self-organization, and self-direction.
• High frustration/stress level.
• Positive, accepting attitude.
• Ability to work with a variety of people both within and outside the Agency and must promote a positive image for the Agency in the community and in relationship with other agencies and their personnel.

Supervision Received: Specific Direction - Follows established work procedures. Receives periodic checks for performance. Refers unique questions/conditions to immediate supervisor.

Supervisory Responsibilities: No supervisory responsibilities.

1. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
   • High School Diploma but enrolled in Bachelor’s program in human service-related field (psychology, social work, etc).
   • Acceptance of supervision in order to improve engagement, teaching, guiding of new skillsets with children in the foster care system and case management skills.

• Demonstrate an ability to learn and a commitment to growth in working with children and families within the foster care system.
• Basic knowledge of the foster care system and experience children and families have within the system. Or commitment to growth in this area.
• Valid driver's license, good driving record and adequate insurance with a car available at all times.
• Basic computer skills with knowledge of Microsoft Outlook (i.e. keeping Outlook calendar up to date) and other software programs.

• The ability to articulate ideas and prepare written reports and correspondence that are of a high professional standard, are grammatically correct and are timely.
• Ability to collaborate with school, department of health & human service, behavioral health and medical health personnel.
• Become familiar with and agree to abide by the related agency policies.

• Ability to be self-directed and autonomous while also operating as an interdisciplinary team.

• The ability to work with a variety of clients and staff of differing socio-economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Personal qualities of warmth, sensitivity, and ability to establish meaningful therapeutic relationships.
• A personal commitment to the Agency’s mission and values as demonstrated in service delivery.

1. CORE COMPETENCIES

• Working Under Pressure: Ability to maintain composure when exposed to stress.
• Team Work: Effectively interacts with people by being able to share and receive information that supports team goals.
• Planning and Organizing: Ability to set priorities and allocate resources properly in order to effectivly achieve work responsibilities and objectives.
• Decision Making: Ability to select and commit to an effective course of action by understanding issues, comparing solutions and drawing conclusions to resolve problems.
• Detail Orientation: Pay attention to detail, accuracy, and completeness.
• Initiative: Ability to act promptly and take steps to solve or settle an issue proactively.

• Integrity: Ability to adhere to organization policies and procedures, acting in a fair and just manner while maintaing confidentiality.
• Reliability: Ability to be dependable, trustworthy, and committed to doing the best job possible and completyin work in a timely and consistent manner.
• Working Under Pressure: Ability to maintain composure when exposed to stress.
• Customer Service: A desire to serve others by focusing efforts on listening and responding effectively to questions, providing services, and evaluating customer satisfaction.

1. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Average Daily Physical Requirements

None

Less than 2 hours

2 to 5 hours

5+ hours

Work in stationary position

☐

☐

☒

☐

Move about work area

☐

☐

☒

☐

Use hands/fingers to handle or feel

☐

☐

☒

☐

Reach with hands and arms

☐

☐

☒

☐

Ascend/Descend (stairs/ladder/etc.)

☐

☒

☐

☐

Bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl

☐

☒

☐

☐

Communicate with various parties

☐

☐

☒

☐

Detect flavors or smells

☒

☐

☐

☐

Move containers up to [x] pounds

☒

☐

☐

☐

Visual acuity

☐

☐

☒

☐

Read and understand written word

☐

☐

☒

☐

Drive/Travel

☐

☐

☒

☐

Operate computer and general office machines

☐

☐

☒

☐

Operate machines or material handling equipment

☒

☐

☐

☐

Environmental Conditions:

Average Daily Environmental Conditions

None

Less than 2 hours

2 to 5 hours

5+ hours

Office Environment: No exposure to extreme heat, cold, noise, chemicals or hazardous equipment.

☐

☐

☒

☐

Manufacturing Environment: Exposure to dust, oil, various chemicals, solvents, or fumes.

☒

☐

☐

☐

Medical Environment: Exposure to body fluids, radiation, medical equipment, solvents or chemicals.

☒

☐

☐

☐

Noise: Exposure to constant or intermittent extreme sounds.

☐

☐

☒

☐

Temperature: Exposure to extreme heat or cold either indoors or outside.

☐

☒

☐

☐

At DABSJ we are actively pursuing an inclusive and diverse workplace. We work to create an inclusive workplace free of discrimination where all are welcomed and belong. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation/identity, height, weight, marital status, veteran status, disability, or other legally protected characteristic as required by law.

This job description does not list all duties of the job. Employees may be asked by management to perform other duties as needed. The Company reserves the right to revise this job description at any time. This job description is not a contract for employment and does not infringe upon the Company’s at will employment status.