Permanency Unit Caseworker

COBYS Family Services Seeks Permanency Unit Caseworker

About COBYS Family Services

Motivated by Christian faith, COBYS Family Services educates, supports and empowers children and adults to reach their full potential. Located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, COBYS Family Services provides a range of foster care, adoption, permanency, family life education and counseling services throughout the region.

At COBYS, you can expect an organization environment where kindness and respect matters, where colleagues work collaboratively and strive for excellence in the care provided to our clients. Delivering direct human services is not an easy job, but we believe it is our organization’s calling in assisting those we serve in our community. We encourage you to be your best self and to serve joyfully, while practicing empathy, grace and humility.

As reflected in our mission statement, COBYS views employment in the social services we provide as a calling, as much as a vocation. In doing so, we care for our employees, the caregivers, by adopting a family approach toward our team leadership. Support and cooperation are built into how we operate.

Position Title: Permanency Unit Caseworker

Work Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Reports to: Permanency Unit Supervisor

Summary:

The Permanency Unit Caseworker functions in the capacity of a Lancaster County Children and Youth Social Service Agency (LCCYSSA) Placement Caseworker. The caseworker supervises, coordinates and provides services to biological families and their children who are placed in foster homes, group homes, and residential facilities, and to families whose children remain in home, but are receiving services.

For all cases, the caseworker is responsible for creating and implementing written case plans for children and their families. The caseworker supervises the client's progress and develops written reviews of plans and presents those to the Court. With the assistance of the supervisor, the caseworker is required to prioritize tasks to complete job requirements while maintaining a focus on providing quality services to all clients.

Qualifications:

1. Minimum of a four-year college degree in social sciences

2. Must pass Pennsylvania ChildLine and State Police Record checks, FBI Clearances, and a pre-employment medical appraisal.

3. Valid Driver’s License, vehicle registration and insurance required.

Summary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Continuously assess the safety of children in placement setting or in care of parents. If necessary, develop and implement safety plans with caregivers to assure on-going safety and protection from abuse or neglect. Casework includes evaluation and documentation of quality of care provided to children in agency care through visits with the child.
• In support of the goal of assuring child safety, the caseworker can expect to facilitate, and when necessary, supervise parent/child visits, as well as refer parents and children to additional services in support of goals of case plan. Caseworker routinely provides transportation in a timely manner to case-related appointments.
• As part of ongoing case management, caseworker will assist biological parents in completing their plan requirements, making home visits to monitor conditions and care, assessing families’ strengths and needs.
• Case management with foster parents includes identifying and obtaining needed services for child and ensuring quality substitute care for children.
• Completion of all mandated paperwork, including that for court, is required while developing and monitoring the case plan, using various treatment modalities and assessment tools.
• Court attendance is a significant requirement and includes, but is not limited to, activities such as preparing petitions and testifying at Permanency Hearings for all children in placement and testifying at hearings to terminate parental rights.
• Organizational expectations include attending staff meetings, identifying financial needs and completing necessary financial documentation.

Required Skills & Training:

• Commitment to enhance the mission of COBYS Family services which is, motivated by Christian faith, COBYS educates, supports and empowers children and adults to reach their full potential.
• Communicate effectively in both oral and written communication with clients, their families and professionals.
• Establish relationships with clients that will facilitate development and implementation of case plans, and which balance the roles of assistance and protection of a child.
• Flexibility and energy to meet the unpredictable and emergency nature of caseload demands.
• The ability to gather sufficient information, to analyze complex situations accurately, to respond to stressful situations in a constructive manner and to pursue effective courses of action.
• The ability to work cooperatively to enhance team functioning within the Permanency Unit, and to contribute to the overall agency goals.
• Caseworker will complete and document a minimum of 40 hours of training annually based on organizational requirements and individual caseworker needs. Training to include CPR/FA.

If you have recently applied to COBYS Family Services, you do not need to reapply.

Pay: $1.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person