Senior Caseworker

Job Overview: The IRC’s Home Study and Post-Release Services (HSPRS) for unaccompanied children in the U.S. is growing from six current IRC offices to more than 17 offices throughout the US. This is a national, multi-million-dollar project with ambitious delivery goals in a short time frame. This position is part of an anticipated 36-month contract.

The goals of the Home-Study Post Release Services Program (HS/PRS) are to:

• Assess the safety and suitability of a sponsor before an unaccompanied child is released from custody into a sponsor’s care (Home Study).
• Provide case management support via remote and / or conducting in-home visits to ensure the continued safety and stability of children in sponsor’s homes and linking children to resources in the community (Post Release Services).
• The Home Study and Post Release Services Senior Caseworker conducts home studies to determine a potential sponsor’s ability to meet an unaccompanied child’s needs upon release from the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s custody and provides post release services to help unaccompanied children and sponsors meet their presenting needs. The Senior Case Manager is responsible for assessing safety, developing a strengths-based service plan, providing psychoeducation, developing safety plans where needed, ongoing assessment, and referring and connecting children to community-based services.

Major Responsibilities:

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: 

• Conduct an initial in-home assessment with child and sponsors followed by regular weekly or monthly contact depending on safety and need for six months or until their 18th birthday or the child obtains legal relief; requirement that there at a minimum be in person contact at 14, 90- and 180-days.
• Develop individualized service plan that guides the provision of high quality, trauma-informed case management services.
• Complete home visits to meet with children and their sponsors post-release, to assess the safety of the child, flag any safety and protection concerns, and assess needs across multiple life domains.
• Conduct a comprehensive assessment to provide a recommendation for the purpose of reunifying children with their potential sponsors, including conducting interviews with shelter case managers, clinicians, the minor, sponsor, and all household members. This includes completing an in-person home visit and documenting findings in a comprehensive report within 10 days of referral.
• Conduct a mental health assessment of the child and/or sponsors, using validated instruments.
• Continually assess ongoing changes in behavior and general conditions that could impact the safety, wellbeing, and success of children
• Partner with crisis support staff to develop safety plans and ensure appropriate crisis intervention support when necessary, including involving Child Protective Services, law enforcement and various local stakeholders that can include placement disruptions.
• Provide referral and connection to: Legal services; Education and English language classes; Medical care and behavioral healthcare; Placement stability and safety services; Assistance with immigration proceedings; Assistance with guardianship proceedings; Family stabilization/counseling; Substance abuse treatment; Gang prevention services; Youth programming (such as youth mentoring, tutoring, afterschool and vocation programs, sports clubs, or other extracurricular clubs, etc.); Services related to cultural heritage and other traditions; and Integration and independence support as appropriate.
• Use a child centered, developmentally appropriate and trauma-informed approach to address the needs and concerns of children and sponsors.
• Maintain a strong understanding of trauma-informed principles and approaches, protection and safeguarding, and mandatory reporting.
• Provide timely documentation of all check-ins, in-home visits, referrals and referral outcomes, and progress and outcomes in case file.
• Build and maintain relationships with community services providers in relevant areas.
• Maintain accurate records in electronic case files and required databases.
• required reports and documentation in a timely manner.
• Ensure the confidentiality of children and their cases.
• Other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, sociology, or other related behavioral sciences, human services or social services field.

Work Experience:

• Minimum of two years of related professional experience working with children, family reunification/ preservation, kinship care, foster care, child welfare, and/or conducting home studies required, or one year of related experience with a master’s degree.
• Experience working with immigrant populations; experience working with unaccompanied minors preferred.

Source: https://careers.rescue.org/us/en/job/req53299/Senior-Caseworker-HSPRS