Kinship Navigator

Work for Indiana

Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.

About the Department of Child Services:

Join a group of passionate, dedicated public servants to support one of Indiana’s most critical missions!

The Department of Child Services helps children who are victims of abuse or neglect and strengthens families through services that focus on family support and preservation. We pursue permanency for children and families through reunification, guardianship, and adoption. Our services also encompass foster care, child support, and transitional support for those adjusting to adulthood. Our culture is built upon our MVP foundation:

Mission: Champion Indiana’s future by protecting children and strengthening families with compassion and determination.

Vision: Every child in Indiana thrives in a safe, loving, forever home.

Purpose: Ignite hope. Cultivate joy.

Role Overview:

The Kinship Navigator provides targeted and timely services related to kinship placement and support to improve and sustain youth placement. You will work to decrease kinship disruptions, increase the availability of kinships, educate kinships on the policies and procedures of DCS, and establish resource connections to sustain them through the life of the case. You will work to enhance kinship understanding of children’s needs, as well as their own needs, to create a more successful placement and decrease disruption. You will offer customer service and provide support to Family Case Managers (FCM) to help create a kin-first welfare culture.

This position works primarily from South Bend, Indiana, and will serve St. Joseph County, and surrounding counties as needed. Residency in the service area is preferred.

• Mileage is reimbursed.
• Augmented pay is provided for on-call hours.

Salary:

The salary for this position traditionally starts at $47,320.00 but may be commensurate with education and work experience. Use our Compensation Calculator to view the total compensation package.

A Day in the Life:

Responsibilities include:

• Investigate reported incidents of child abuse, neglect, or dependency, make determinations of whether incidents are substantiated, and develop recommendations to a Juvenile Court or County Director for disposition.
• Assess level of risk to a child for additional injury or harm, including whether a child is in imminent danger, and may remove a child from their family as the situation warrants, then requiring placing a child in a protected environment.
• Perform needs assessments to determine treatment options for families and children reported to be abused/neglected.
• Testify and prepare pre-dispositional and progress reports, maintain case files and develop briefing reports for the community child protection team. Develop “informal adjustment” plans with families and children to divert children from the juvenile justice system.
• Develop case plans to assist families and children to become more self-sufficient in a safe and nurturing environment and to ensure a permanent home for the child.
• Develop discharge/transition programming to assist families and children to attain and maintain self-sufficiency in a safe environment.
• Monitor and assess the service capability treatment programs and providers to ensure consistency with the case plan.
• Accept on-call responsibility as needed to receive and investigate allegations of child abuse/neglect.
• Conduct home studies, family histories and recommends placement for adoption to an adoption team.
• Visit children in out-of-home placements to coordinate family reunification, adoption, or independent living efforts.
• Maintain data which provides management an opportunity to evaluate family and children needs on a trend analysis basis.

Kinship Navigation:

• Identify and engage relatives and kinship caregivers as placement options.
• Assist kinship families in accessing resources, financial assistance, and support programs.
• Facilitate family meetings and maintain ongoing communication to strengthen family connections.

The job profile is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

What You'll Need for Success:

Credentials :

• Bachelor’s degree, or
• Associate degree with a minimum of two (2) years of human services job experience, or
• Completion of thirty (30) college credit hours from an accredited institution with a minimum of four (4) years of human services job experience, or
• A minimum of at least five (5) years of human services job experience.

Additional qualifications:

• Advanced knowledge of principles and practices of social work, casework, sociology and group and individual counseling including new methods and theories of treatment.
• Thorough knowledge of state and/or federal laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards affecting child protection services, foster care, family preservation and adoption.
• Thorough knowledge of related social services programs and ability to coordinate work among programs.
• Specialized knowledge of the interrelationships of the various behavioral sciences as they affect care and treatment of patients/clients and/or objectives of social work projects.
• Ability to investigate and interview alleged victims and perpetrators of child abuse or neglect in an appropriate and effective manner.
• Ability to formulate and monitor project guidelines or treatment plans.
• Ability to prepare clear, accurate reports.
• Ability to work with families of diverse cultural/ethnic backgrounds with sensitivity to differences in child rearing practices, relationships and need.
• Ability to work with children with special needs such as mental or emotional conditions, the foster families, or the home willing to accept those children and the professionals who can appropriately provide services to them.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment while managing crises situations including those involving confrontational, aggressive adults being investigated for child abuse or neglect.
• Able to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Must maintain a valid driver's license.

A degree is not required. However, at least 5+ years of human services experience applying the outlined knowledge, skills, and abilities in a similar role may be considered.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:

This role may be utilized in a supervisory capacity based on agency needs.

Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:

The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees that includes:

• Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans
• Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards
• Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution
• Deferred compensation 457(b) account (similar to 401(k) plan) with employer match
• Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options
• A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:
  • 150 hours of paid New Parent Leave and up to eight weeks of paid Childbirth Recovery Leave for eligible mothers
  • Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave
  • Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off
  • 12 paid holidays, 14 in election years
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Group life insurance
• Referral Bonus program
• Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits
• Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Free Parking for most positions
• Free LinkedIn Learning access

Equal Employment Opportunity:

The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process as well as perform the essential functions of a role. If you require reasonable accommodations to complete this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at View email address on aiapply.co.