Kaleidoscope, a non-profit, child welfare organization located in Chicago, Illinois is seeking highly-skilled and motivated Specialist level professionals to join us in serving youth and families in our Foster Care program. In addition to our competitive compensation and benefits package, we are also offering a $2,000 signing bonus for a limited time!

Founded in 1973, our mission today is to empower children, youth and families impacted by abuse and neglect to build resourcefulness, resiliency and supportive relationships through innovative, individualized case management and clinical services. Our vision is that all children and youth have the opportunity to enjoy safe and healthy lives nurtured by responsive adults.

At Kaleidoscope, we stake our reputation on providing the highest quality child welfare services to children, youth and families involved with the Department of Children and Family Services. The work we do is both challenging and rewarding. To accomplish this high level of success, we place the utmost value on our employees and seek to provide them with opportunities for professional growth through supportive supervision, ongoing attachment and trauma-informed clinical training, small caseload and supervision ratios, flexible work schedules, competitive pay and excellent benefits.

Job Summary

The Foster Care (FC) Specialist is responsible for providing a variety of community and home-based case management services to assigned children, youth and their biological and foster parents with the goal of promoting safety, wellbeing and permanency.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Position-Specific

• Demonstrates agency clinical philosophy in all aspects of program activities.
• Promptly responds to new foster care referrals by actively participating in pre-placement and placement activities.
• Develops and documents thorough initial and ongoing assessments of each assigned child/ youth.
• Provides support, information and referrals for services to biological parents with the goal of addressing the conditions that led to child welfare involvement.
• Collaborates with the Child and Family team to develop, review and modify Service and Treatment Plans that address assessment needs related to safety, wellbeing and permanency.
• Prepares for and attends Administrative Case Reviews (ACR’s), CIPP meetings, school staffings and court hearings for all children/youth.
• In consultation with supervisor, makes recommendations to DCFS and court personnel on services, placement, visitation, and permanency.
• Monitors the safety and wellbeing of assigned children/youth through face-to-face visits in the home and community, as required.
• Monitors the adherence to licensing standards of each foster home and promptly reports concerns to agency licensing staff.
• Promotes family connections through the implementation of approved family visiting plans.
• Consults regularly with professional and family members of the child/youth’s team to ensure quality service coordination and communication.
• Provides support and information to foster parents in the safe, nurturing and therapeutic care of children with the goal of providing a stable home which meets the child/youth’s needs.
• Monitors the safety and appropriateness of the biological family home environment through a minimum of one in-home visit per month for all cases with return home goals and/or children living in the home.
• Ensures that client case files are complete through completing and/or obtaining required, consents for release of information or authorization for treatment and current documentation regarding medical, developmental, school, therapeutic and other services.
• Documents all admission, ongoing and closing activities in a timely manner using approved forms.
• Maintains an awareness of community resources appropriate to child, youth and family needs, and makes proper use of these resources through referral and follow-up.
• Demonstrates a working knowledge of FC Program Plan requirements, COA accreditation standards and related DCFS and policy and procedures.
• Provides on-call crisis response as scheduled.
• Completes other duties as assigned by the FC Team Supervisor

Educational Requirements/General Qualifications

Minimum Degree Required: Bachelor’s degree in social work or social service related degree
Degree Preferred: Master’s degree
Minimum Years of Experience: Bachelor’s degree requires at least 2 years of experience in social services; Master’s degree requires at least 1 year of experience
Licensure: LCSW or LCPC licensure preferred
Information Technology Skills Required: Microsoft Office Proficiency
Other Requirements:

• Must possess or pass CWEL, CANS, CERAP and other state of Illinois certifications, as required
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication and time management skills
• Full time use of minimally insured, operating automobile and valid driver’s license