Caseworker III - Independent Living Coordinator

Caseworker III/Independent Living Coordinator

The Caseworker III/Independent Living Coordinator is responsible for provision of front-line or specialized casework services to children and families whose needs are complex and multi-faceted, including but not limited to intake, truancy, adolescent services, ongoing, intensive services, independent living, family engagement, and/or permanency services. The Caseworker III/Independent Living Coordinator monitors service provisions for youth eligible for independent living and provide direct services to transition-aged youth 18 to 21 years of age.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Provides screening, assessment or investigation of newly received reports of child abuse, neglect or abandonment assuring child safety and/or maintains a specialty caseload of difficult/challenging cases that supports distribution of division workload. Provides a full range of child welfare services to dependent children and families. Assures child safety in the family home or placement setting by visiting child in setting according to state and agency requirements; through ongoing monitoring interventions; and implementation of therapeutic interventions to promote family stability. Conducts in-person family contacts and home visits, provides supportive counseling, assists families in locating and utilizing available community and family resources, supervises family visits, provides other therapeutic and/or rehabilitative services as needed in support of overall child safety, permanency and well-being. Prepares written reports for the Court, and for preparation of oral testimony regarding facts of each case. Prepares for and participates in proceedings in Juvenile Court, hearings before the Master in Permanency Review, Family and Criminal Court and Permanency proceedings. Implements court orders and assures compliance in all cases brought before the Court via documentation of casework and direct service provisions. Consults with agency solicitor and child advocates to coordinate services received by client families. Meets regularly with client families to identify needs and difficulties, evaluate parenting and communicate concerns and proposed solutions affecting health and well-being of children
• Documents casework activity and records all contact in client case records and database. Maintains timely case records for both family and individual children receiving child welfare services. Documents are included in case record in accordance with legal and regulatory mandates and established agency policy and procedure. Completes and updates case records with identifying case and family information, case dictation notes, copies of documents resulting from juvenile and other court-related proceedings, records of child protective service investigations, placement and family service treatment plans and other documents related to provision of services to client families. Case records also contain vital child record, medical, education, photos, and other data.
• Provides intervention in conjunction with members of other community serving professions i.e. law enforcement, education, medicine, social services and permanency planning. Maintains contact with service provider agency staff assigned to client families to assure coordination of service delivery and commonality of service goals and objectives.
• In situations when casework supervisor is unavailable (not in office or on vacation), provides assistance and guidance to other caseworkers in unit. Performs specific, assigned supervisory tasks in supervisor's absence. Assists in supportive tasks for division meetings, unit meetings, retreats, and other administrative tasks, as assigned. Assists in monitoring use of agency vehicle.
• The Caseworker III must function as an essential member of a working team to assure effective functioning of the work unit, division and agency. Punctuality, dependability and professional presentation are all integral responsibilities of teamwork and provision of quality services. This obligation also includes assumption of new and unfamiliar responsibilities that are essential to effective services. Cooperates with staff at all levels of agency operations and fosters teamwork by offering support and assistance to co-workers. Participates on agency committees and in special events in job related capacity. Seeks to improve personal knowledge, skills and abilities through career development. Attends trainings, meetings and staffings.
• Represents agency in a professional manner to promote effective agency operations. Maintains professional demeanor in contact with clients, professionals and general public, promoting respect for and understanding of cultural diversity among clients.
• In conjunction with agency solicitors, paralegals, and other legal staff, the Caseworker III must assure preparation, testimony, and implementation of court orders and associated documents in all cases in which agency involvement is warranted. Accurate documentation of casework and investigatory actions, and familiarity with information in the case record, are essential in order to assure effective participation in this aspect of the child protection process.
• The Caseworker III is responsible for filing of Juvenile Court petitions, witness subpoenas, development of oral and written report for the Court, and testimony as to the facts of the case. Failure to assure accurate and thorough casework at any step in this legal process may result in jeopardizing the safety of the child involved. All actions in regard to children in or out of placement must be in line with the primary permanency goal for the child, as well as the concurrent goal, and represent, with professionalism, the basis for this goal to the court.
• The Caseworker III must be knowledgeable of legal mandates and regulatory guidelines which direct the child welfare process in circumstances in which judicial decisions may be necessary to assure the welfare of a child.

Qualification Requirements

Minimum Experience And Training:

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Basic knowledge of Child Welfare systems, related laws, regulations and policies.
• Communication skills and the ability to clearly present information both orally and in writing.
• Ability to develop and maintain close professional relationships with agency staff, human service personnel, foster parents and community.
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion with families of a variety of ethnic and cultural heritage.
• Interviewing and assessment techniques; ability to prepare and clearly present information to children of all ages and their family members.
• Knowledge of child welfare, social work and counseling theory and practice.
• Ability to identify key interpersonal dynamics and behaviors, to evaluate effectiveness of childcare techniques, and to discretely communicate concerns and propose solutions to support effective techniques.
• Ability to gather, assemble, analyze information and prepare summarized documentation of findings.
• Interviewing, information gathering and investigation skills needed to evaluate and document personal, familial, social and professional values and lifestyle.
• Knowledge of basic principles and practices of supervision and administration.
• Ability to facilitate and negotiate between judicial legal and human service systems.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate program plans, operations, goals, and objectives Ability to function independently and decisively.
• Ability to plan and organize and direct work of others.

Minimum Experience And Training:

• Experience as a Caseworker; OR a bachelor's degree in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice or other related social degree and 3 years of professional social casework experience in a public or private social services agency; OR an equivalent combination of experience and training which includes 12 college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice or other related degree.
• Clarification of Requirements - You may substitute appropriate experience for the required education, except for the 12 college-level credits in the specified areas or appropriate education for the experience. Unrelated experience or education will not be accepted.
• This position is subject to mandates requiring Child Abuse, Criminal History, and FBI Clearances for employment.
• Pennsylvania residency is not a requirement for this position.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:

• Sit, stand, walk, stoop or kneel and climb stairs.
• Talk, hear and see to assess and communicate.
• Use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or control and reach with hands or arms.
• Must transport client children and families as needed.
• Complete visits within County, out of County and out of State home and placement visits in accordance with regulatory requirements.

• Have scheduling flexibility to work before or after regular work hours, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Apply decision making techniques and make sound judgment related to child safety and wellbeing.
• Complete required documentation of casework duties.
• Lift approximately 30 pounds 5% of the time including infants, children, car seats, case records and a child's belongings.

Equipment Needed: Must have automobile in good working condition with Pennsylvania driver's license and adequate insurance coverage.

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