Foster Parent Trainer
Regular full-time
Location: Bronx/Harlem/Brooklyn
Position Overview:
Graham Windham seeks to add a dynamic Resource Parent Trainer to our Recruitment, Development and Support team to train, coach and support to our strong foster and adoptive parent community. The Resource Parent Trainer will ensure Grahams best practice are in compliance with regulatory standards promulgated by the New York City Administration for Childrens Services (ACS) and the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) through timely certification and recertification Trainings. The Trainer will partner with the RDS team to onboard new foster parents by enhancing their skills to care for children with an array of needs. Using Solutions Based Casework practice framework, the Trainer will ensure that foster and adoptive parents receives the skills, knowledge and ability to attend to the physical and emotional well-being of the children placed in their homes. Trainer would provide appropriate trainings needed to help Foster and Adoptive Parents provide nurturing foster homes based on Childrens developmental needs. The Foster and Adoptive Parent Trainer will also support Home finding and Foster Parent Recruitment teams when needed.
Duties & Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Ensuring every foster parent is programmatically trained to meet Graham, ACS and OCFS requirements.
- Conduct TRIPP, MAPP, Deciding Together, Caring for Our Own, Special and Exceptional needs and individual Foster Parent trainings as required.
- Conduct Recertification and Mini-MAPP trainings within the regulatory time frame.
- Track and enter all completed training attendance in CONNECTIONS.
- Coordinate with the Home- Finding and Support staff in providing personal outreach to maximize foster parents attendance and participation in trainings.
- In collaboration with the support staff, ensures training information, referrals, community workshops are mailed to Grahams foster parents.
- Conduct surveys for training needs, assess, evaluate, develop and update training curricula to meet the needs of foster families.
- Develop monthly training calendar and maintain foster parent trainings curriculum to ensure current and accurate information are taught.
- Identify, schedule and conduct training specific to the needs of children in foster care, including child development, adolescent behavior, behavior management, navigation of DOE and OMH programs, parenting children/youth with mental/behavioral health disorders, etc.
- Collaborate with the Home-Finding and Support staff to ensure training attendance sheets and completion certificates are filled appropriately in the foster parent records.
- Attend Train the Trainer (TOT) training curriculum provide by ACS, OCFS and other external partners.
- Attend and participate in ACS stakeholders meeting and OCFS trainers network.
- Maintain accurate training data for all foster parents in preparation for OCFS and ACS annual review.
Providing excellent individual and team support:
- Create and maintain a supportive working and learning environment.
- Provide formal and informal supportive and programmatic support to each team member; participates actively in monthly team meetings to build camaraderie.
- Model and promote dependable, responsible, professional and accountable behavior; promote positive program norms and teamwork primacy; supports program mission and philosophy; effectively integrates with other disciplines; models enthusiasm and participation in program activities.
- Work collaboratively and communicate clearly and respectfully with staff and stakeholders in all of Grahams branches.
