Foster Family Advocate

Independently coordinates the placement of children in foster family homes and develops all aspects of the child's program including developing and implementing the child's service plan and setting long and short term goals. Supervises and monitors foster families to ensure they are providing safe and humane service to the children in their home.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

Independently coordinates youth referrals.

• Screens and assesses child referrals and interviews youth to determine eligibility.

• Schedules pre-placement visits with child and potential foster family and assists in matching youth with an appropriate family.

• Participates in the recruiting and selection process of Foster Parents including home study evaluations.

Develops all aspects of the child's program and sets short and long-term goals and objectives for the youth.

• Consults and collaborates with referral source, Foster Parents, teachers, school counselors, and other professionals involved with the youth.

• Assists families with referrals to other community services identified in the plan of service and provides advocacy for the youth and their families to receive entitlements or needed services.

• Prepares intake and discharge summaries, routine progress reports and plans. Evaluates plan and recommends changes.

• Develops and monitors the child's service plan to include collecting initial and ongoing assessment data, developing the service plan and making modifications as necessary.

• Maintains monthly statistics and data needed for program accountability and billing for client services.

• Conducts periodic consumer evaluations.

• Responds to client emergencies within or outside normal work hours.

Supervises and develops Foster Parents.

• Meets with Foster Parents following scheduled reporting guidelines, and as needed, to discuss administrative and programmatic issues, review progress, and provide support and guidance in areas of concern.

• Supervises the care and service that the Foster Parents provide including observing their interactions with the foster children and providing them with ongoing feedback on how to best meet their needs.

• Initiates and modifies development plans for each of their foster families to ensure they are aware of their strengths and areas to develop and understand their role as Foster Parents

• Provides ongoing training and teaching to the Foster Parents through formal group training opportunities, web-based learning and one-on-one training in the Foster Parents home.

Coordinates communication between the child and his/her family.

• Maintains contact with the family and responds to issues/concerns from the family in a supportive and timely fashion.

• Encourages and expects Foster Parents to communicate openly with the family regarding the care and service that they are providing to the child in their home as appropriate.

• Assists with the reunification of child into his/her home communities.

• Assists with follow-up and aftercare services to family as needed.

• May be trained to become a certified Common Sense Parenting Instructor and as a certified instructor may be asked to conduct Common Sense Parenting (CSP) Courses at designated locations as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Experience working with local and state agencies and foster care services.

• Intermediate knowledge of the child welfare system.

• Independent decision-making skills and competencies to work in crisis situations when circumstances warrant such action.

• Ability to work with confrontational clients and their families; necessary temperament to work with children and families experiencing crisis.

• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality, professionalism, and role modeling.

• Computer skills in Microsoft Office.

• Ability to communicate with individuals at all levels in the organization and with external contacts in an articulate, professional manner.

• Knowledge of Boys Town Model.

• Ability to function independently and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with children and families, staff, and support agencies.

• Advanced critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, including ability to make assessments and use sound judgment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Human Services or related field required.

• Minimum 1 year of experience including working with children and families required.

• Possess a valid driver's license with a good driving record and pass an annual Motor Vehicle Registration (MVR) check required.

• Ability to provide own transportation to complete travel requirements of job required.

• Meet auto insurance requirements established by Boys Town policy and/or State and Local laws required.

• Available rotationally to provide crisis response and must be available to work non-traditional business hours including early mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working with children and families in community-based programs or Boys Town Programs preferred.

Diversity is more than a commitment at Boys Town—it is the foundation of who we are and what we do.

At Boys Town, we cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better business results.

About Boys Town:

Boys Town has been changing the way America cares for children and families since 1917. With over a century of service, our employees have helped us grow from a small boardinghouse in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, into one of the largest national child and family care organizations in the country. With the addition of Boys Town National Research Hospital in 1977, our services branched out into the health care and research fields, offering even more career opportunities to those looking to make a real difference.

Our employees are our #1 supporters when it comes to achieving Boys Town's mission, which is why we are proud of their commitment to making the world a better place for children, families, patients, and communities.  A unique feature for employees and their dependents enrolled in medical benefits are reduced to no cost visits for services performed by a Boys Town provider at a Boys Town location.  Additional costs savings for the employee and their dependents are found in our pharmacy benefits with low to zero-dollar co-pays on certain maintenance drugs.   Boys Town takes your mental health seriously with no cost mental health visits to an in-network provider.  We help our employees prepare for retirement with a generous match on their 401K or 401K Roth account. Additional benefits include tuition assistance, parenting resources from our experts and professional development opportunities within the organization, just to name a few. Working at Boys Town is more than just a job, it is a way of life.

This advertisement describes the general nature of work to be performed and does not include an exhaustive list of all duties, skills, or abilities required. Boys Town is an equal employment opportunity employer and participates in the E-Verify program. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. To request a disability-related accommodation in the application process, contact us at 1-877-639-6003.