Youth Caregiver

Youth Caregiver

JOB SUMMARY: Youth Caregiver to assists in providing for the daily care, safety and welfare for a cottage program of up to 12 youth, this includes providing support and guidance with daily living skills, hygiene and self-care in a therapeutic residential setting.

Essential Functions:

1. Works within the framework of the philosophy, function and personnel practices of The Children's Home Network.
2. Provides or arranges program required services in a manner that is sensitive to age, culture, religion, dietary needs, native language, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other important individual needs of each child/youth.
3. Youth Caregivers plan and implement recreational activities on a daily basis that are developmentally and culturally appropriate for children up to 17 years of age.
4. Provides milieu services to teach youth life skills, to include but not limited to: goal setting, problem resolution, educational activities, daily routines, social skills development, employability skills, anger management, crisis management, hygiene skills, cleanliness, housekeeping, cooking, meal routines, and bedtime routines.
5. Works collaboratively with the treatment team to facilitate therapeutic relationships for the children in group and individual settings. In collaboration with therapist, documents Behavioral Health Overlay Services. Serves as the caregiver/ advocate for the kids residing in the cottage program.
6. Follow PBIS guidelines for setting expectations, rewards and consequences. Operates within in line with CHN PBIS values and cottage PBIS guidelines.
7. Provides Trauma informed care and utilizes CPI and TOOLs techniques when working with youth in order to prevent potential problem behavior, promote positive behavior and de-escalate incidents.
8. Responsible for working within the established cottage program, inclusive of routines and adhering to a consistent Daily Living Program. Role model expectations by assisting youth with performing daily routines and chore.
9. Provides interactive supervision and monitoring of youth at all times to ensure the best care, welfare, safety, health, and security for youth.
10. Works collaboratively with the campus team, youth and family, assisting in mentoring and working with families that are in transition to adaptive, foster and/ or reunification placements.
11. Perform and document environmental rounds at least every 15 minutes or more frequently as needed. Report and document all abnormal or suspicious situations via the information report. Maintains documentation within guidelines for MyEvolve reports, shift accountability, medical administration records, log books, BHOS, and other documentation as applicable.
12. Attend and actively participate in treatment plan reviews as needed. Assist in guiding youth in having success with their cottage goals and related plans.
13. Follow CHN and professional standards regarding mandated reporting laws. Follows CHN policy and procedures for reporting critical incidents and runaways.
14. Actively participate in the planning and implementation of therapeutic, community based, recreational, social, spiritual and education activity opportunities as provided to assigned (i.e., sports runs, cottage activities). Work collaboratively with therapist in assessing youth eligibility for community based activity involvement.
15. Adheres to all daily cottage cleanliness programs and ensure that agency health and safety standards are consistently meet, including but not limited to, nightly cleaning/ sanitation of common area floors, cleaning/organizing the closets, kitchen, and cottage janitorial supplies cabinet.
16. Assist in the coordination and completion of transportation for youth, to and from activities.
17. Dispense and document all medications given to youth, and medication deficiencies in accord with established agency procedures. Coordinate with medical personnel to ensure the physical/ health needs of the child.
18. Attends and participates in weekly cottage team meetings.
19. Foster and maintain a positive and productive relationship with all youth and the cottage team. Maintains an effective working relationship with team members, school personnel and clinicians. Acts as liaison between program and sponsor/auxiliary/volunteer groups as assigned. Works collaboratively with school personnel, sponsor groups and volunteers.
20. Works collaboratively with the campus team, youth and family, assisting in mentoring and working with families that are in transition to adaptive, foster and/ or reunification placements.
21. Adhere to agency policy and procedures around confidentiality and use of office space and equipment; adhere to strategic cottage plan for maintaining security and confidentiality of all office space, equipment and documentation.
22. Provides transportation in agency vehicles in accordance with agency policy and procedure. Abides by all Florida state highway and local traffic laws. Demonstrate consistency and proficiency in the regular utilization of agency vehicle log as required by policy and procedures.
23. Attend specialized training (40 hours annually) and staff/treatment team meetings as scheduled.
24. As directed may respond to campus or other designation for emergencies up to including natural disasters.
25. Performs other duties as assigned.

***THESE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS ARE NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS A COMPLETE STATEMENT OF ALL DUTIES PERFORMED. EMPLOYEES WILL BE REQUIRED TO PERFORM OTHER JOB RELATED MARGINAL DUTIES AS REQUIRED***

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

Education & Experience:

• High School diploma or GED Equivalent; Associates Degree in Human Services related field.
• One (1) year experience in residential setting or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience that would reasonably be expected to provide the job-specific competencies listed in job duties.
• Minimum six (6) months experience working with children and shall be at least 23 years of age.

Licenses & Certifications:

• First Aid and CPR Certified or ability to obtain within 30 days of new hire date (classes available onsite).
• Must possess and maintain a valid Florida driver's license with no record of criminal driving offense of license suspension. Must be insurable under CHN's current auto insurance policy.
• Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.
• Must successfully complete and maintain FDLE clearance, Federal background and state criminal background check and sexual predator screening.

Competencies & Professional Development:

Annual Training Requirements: The following training topics are required annually: Car Seat Safety, Sexual Harassment, Blood-borne Pathogens, Workplace Accident Prevention and Reporting, Confidentiality and Privacy Practices, Diversity/Cultural Competency, Child Abuse and Neglect Mandated Reporter Statutes and Methods, Prevention of Violence in the Workplace, OSHA–related training, Crisis Prevention, and Program Goals. Maintenance of Child Welfare Certification.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities not limited to:

• Knowledge of Department of Children and Families rules and regulations regarding the care of children.
• Knowledge of child abuse or neglect reporting procedures.
• Knowledge of residents' histories, habits, tendencies, general behaviors, etc.
• Knowledge of crisis prevention intervention techniques and procedures, TOOLs, PBIS and CPI.
• Knowledge of effective childcare practices.
• Knowledge of child development and parenting skills.

• Ability to model appropriate parenting skills.

• Knowledge of agency's organizational structure, standard operating procedures, and policies.
• Knowledge of proper medication procedures including distributing, administration, and potential effects of use.
• Knowledge of appropriate protocol for handling injuries, incidents, law enforcement and child AWOL occurrences.
• Ability to establish effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, supervisors and other individuals.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member.
• Skill in training new employees.

• Demonstrates proficiency in PBIS practices and supports the ongoing implementation throughout the organization.

Essential Physical Skills:

• Ability to perform physical restraint techniques as required utilizing the CPI method.

• Ability to participate in physical activities with children (weighing 107 pounds on average) that may require bending, stooping, and moderate lifting.

• Ability to run, walk, skip, hop, or jump, bend and stoop.

• Ability to perform moderate lifting.

• Reasonable accommodation will be made for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability.

Environmental Conditions:

• Treatment Center Environment.
• Possible exposure to verbal abuse and physical behavior