New Alternatives for Children, Inc. (NAC) is an award-winning not-for-profit agency in Midtown Manhattan, with a satellite Bronx office, dedicated to serving children and families with medical complexity, chronic health conditions, significant disabilities and behavioral challenges. To assist in achieving this mission, NAC is currently seeking a Kinfinding Specialist to join its Foster Care-Homefinding.
• Title of Position: Kinfinding Specialist
• Position Type: Full Time
• Location: 37 West 26th Street, New York NY 10010
• Department: Foster Care-Homefinding
• Hours: Full-time position with flexibility to work some evenings as needed. Description of Responsibilities:
•Collaborates with the foster care team to locate kinship resources for children in foster care by utilizing a combination of casework, family and child meetings, case record and public record review, genograms and technological search engines.
•Develop individual family search and engagement strategies.
•Assesses prospective kinship foster parents for suitability as a foster/adoptive parent in collaboration with the Homefinding staff, case planning, medical department, and mental health as appropriate.
•Provides on-going advocacy and support for kinship and non-kinship foster parents.
•Works with the foster care team to preserve challenging foster care placements through family support and mediation.
•Assists with the matching placement process between children and potential/active foster families.
•Participates in family team conferences, case reviews and department meetings as needed.
•Completes all ACS and NAC paperwork in a timely manner and ensures that documentation in child records conforms to agency, city and state regulatory requirements.
•Assists the Intake Unit with assessing referrals received from Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) when needed.
•Co-trains prospective foster families in approved pre-certification training curriculum.
•Assists with facilitation of foster parent support groups with the Assistant Director of Intake and Foster Parent Support and Child Placement Specialist.
Required Education and Experience:
•Master's degree in social work, mental health counseling, psychology, or a related field.
•Child welfare experience preferred.
•Bilingual Spanish speaking preferred not required.
•Willingness to develop strong relationships, and ability to demonstrate patience, compassion, and empathy for clients.
•Strong interpersonal skills to foster healthy and productive relationships with clients and colleagues.
•Good mediation/conflict resolution skills.
•Good investigative/exploratory skills.
BENEFITS:
•Competitive salary and benefits.
•Midtown location.
•Excellent training opportunities.
