Permanency Specialist

The Permanency Specialist is a highly responsible position providing organizational consultation regarding case specific issues as well as procedural issues and ensures that quality service is being monitored and tracked, including out of home care services, protective services, and adoption related services.

This position will perform advanced child welfare work that facilitates both multi-disciplinary and permanency staffings on behalf of the lead agency.  This will include the coordination and facilitation of the staffings. For multi-disciplinary staffings, the recommendation may result in competing opinions and recommendations from the Department, as well as other organizations and persons involved in the life of the child. This position reports to a Support and Oversight Coordinator.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Reviews prior and current history of child(ren) prior to all staffings to make an informed decision.
• Develops written report for the court that outlines the overall decisions of the staffings and the feedback of each individual participant.  If an MDT staffing, the court will be notified if the parties are unable to reach consensus during the staffing.
• Provides notification to the court through Children’s Legal Services and DCF Regional staff within 48 hours after the conclusion of an MDT staffing when a unanimous consensus can not be reached by all parties.
• Serves as a Practice Expert ensuring quality child welfare practice.
• Implements and evaluates policies and procedures for Partnership for Strong Families to assure consistency of services within and between service sites.
• Understands the basis in federal and state laws, regulations, and rules for the operation of child welfare programs.
• Coordinates and facilitates staffings including ensuring relevant parties are invited to staffings, that child safety and reasonable efforts to achieve permanency are consistently the focus of discussion, and barriers to timely permanency are appropriately elevated when identified.
• Mediates disagreement during staffings to ensure effective communication between participating individuals by using conflict resolution and collaborative problem-solving skills to ensure that the child and family remain the primary focus of each staffing.
• Assists participants in using the strengths within the family when determining and establishing goals for the child; confirms best interest factors and specific information related to a child 3 years of age or younger are considered during the multidisciplinary staffing.
• Give positive feedback and reinforces strengths to help people build self-esteem and feelings of self-worth.
• Helps clients/employees understand issues/problems and sets up behaviorally specific goals and expectation related to those issues.
• Facilitate permanency staffings.
• Understands and appreciates different views, expertise, and experience of others; understands the perspectives and limitations of other individuals and systems.
• Recognizes and understand the interrelationships and dynamic nature of family systems and considers them in interaction with family members.
• Understands and is able to identify standards and methods to promote permanence for children, including parent involvement in case planning, services to maintain children in their own homes, parent involvement with children separated by placement, and services for timely reunification.
• Understands and is able to identify philosophy, definition, and practices; considerations needed for determining the best interest of the child (remaining at home vs placement in care).
• Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with organizations and other agencies involved with child welfare such as community-based care providers, Children’s Legal Services, Guardian ad Litem, schools, clinical professionals, Department of Juvenile Justice, and other community agency resources.
• Identifies and understands what resources are available and builds and maintains effective working relationships with a network of systems.
• Finds creative and effective ways to engage all staffing participants.
• Offers support to co-workers. Maintains an organized tracking system to account for each staffing and confirm participation of required attendees.
• Documents the outcome of staffings in the Florida Safe Families Network (FSFN) System.
• Reviews Florida Statutes, DCF Operational Procedures, Administrative Rule, and policies. Ensure participants are aware of confidentiality and HIPAA, and identify potential problems related to case specifics.
• Acts quickly to solve problems and to get things done.
• Keeps providers, clients, constituents, and oneself directed toward objectives; redirects or refocuses as needed.
• Displays understanding of, and sensitivity to, service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree in Counseling, Social Work or comparable related field; Master’s Degree in the like preferred; Management experience in child welfare or related field preferred.

Special Qualifications:

Possession of a valid, State of Florida driver’s license to operate the motor vehicle operated.  Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment.

Experience in child welfare and/or working with at risk families and children with significant emotional and behavioral needs and their families preferred.

Certified as a Child Protection Professional (CPP) or CPP eligible.

Prior DCF experience or knowledge of child welfare systems, data management systems, and wraparound planning a plus.

Case Management, Service Coordination experience preferred.