Kinship Home Finder

Description

About Graham:

Graham provides life-changing tools and resources for children, young adults and families who face some of the most difficult obstacles caused by poverty, racial injustice, and lack of access to educational opportunities, living wage employment, quality healthcare, and affordable housing.
 

We collaborate with communities and strong partners to create and implement innovative strategies so everyone can lead healthy, joyful, and successful lives.

Program Description:

At Graham Windham our Enhanced Family Foster Care programs help children to get back to their families, adopted into a new family or connected to someone who is willing to be an anchor for children, throughout their childhood and into adulthood. To help us do that, we have hundreds of loving & highly qualified foster parents primarily in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx - who serve as our foster children's substitute family. 

Principal Objective/Role Overview:

The Kinship Home Finder Specialist will search for and identify maternal and paternal relatives and fictive resources for children placed in non-kinship homes in our community foster care and EFFC programs, within 30 days of placement with Graham using the Family Finding Model. Work in collaboration with case planners to engage and support kinship families through coaching and facilitation of support groups specifically for Kinship resources.

Job Responsibilities:

• Identify kinship resources for children in non-kinship placements.  Build relationship by having regular contact with kin/fictive resources to develop openness and trust. Builds a network with persons close to and knowledgeable about the child and maintain regular and on-going contact with them.
• Engage in recruiting Kinship foster parents, by utilizing data base, social media, etc.  
• Provides family search efforts by implementing the process of identifying, locating, and contacting persons with whom the child already has, or had, a bond or positive relationship with, with the knowledge and approval of the child’s caseworker. 
• Prepares and submits reports, calendars and other deliverables as required by agency supervisor, NYC Children’s Services and/or OCFS. Assure scheduling, monitoring and tracking of all possible kinship resources.
• Facilitate and scheduled 30-day conference with case planning team to discuss the outcome or barriers in identifying kinships. Tracks all identified kinship resources until placement.  Actively participate in the Initial placement conference for non-kinship cases
• Maintain and update foster parent “soft” files and CONNECTIONS records by completing related reports and inputting data in a timely fashion.
• Collaborate and work with families, case management team (Case Planner, Supervisor and/or Director) in identifying next to Kin
• Participate in weekly supervision sessions with supervisors to discuss status and progress of identifying Kinship resources, etc. as well as to appraisee of any impending problems and/or unresolved issues.
• Participate in staff meetings, seminars and training as scheduled; maintains and applies a current knowledge of internal and external regulations and policies applicable to foster care and adoption.
• The core of the kinship finder is to continuously assess, connect and sustain family relationships.
• Schedule and facilitate monthly Support groups

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s in social work, Education, Psychology or related field required, Master's preferred.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience working with children and families. Experience in adoption recruiter and home finder preferred.
• Experience with NYC child welfare programs and ACS requirements.
• Computer literate, MS Office; NYS Connections.
• Excellent time management, organizational, relationship building, active listening, problem-solving and presentation skills.
• Energetic, self-directed and goals-focused approach to work with young children and families.
• Ability to travel within the NYC area to prospective and active foster homes (the five boroughs of New York, Westchester County, and Long Island.)
• Candidate must be flexible as evenings hours may be required
• Bilingual Spanish/English preferred.
• Valid NYS driver’s license a plus.

Competencies & Traits:

• Dedication for working with at-risk children and youth and their families
• Mission focused on helping children and families have the opportunity and preparation to succeed in life.
• Models and promote dependable, responsible, professional and accountable behavior; promotes positive program norms and teamwork primacy; supports program mission and philosophy; effectively integrates with other disciplines; models enthusiasm and participation in program activities.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully navigate bureaucracy
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate within a team and to build and maintain strong relationships with internal staff and external care providers Ability to work with diverse populations (including LGBTQ) and cultures, process information and respond appropriately.
• Demonstrated ability to meet tight deadlines. Ability to multi-task. 
• Ability to work and communicate with senior levels. 
• Must be hospitable, flexible, a team player, and have a passion for serving children and families.
• Possess a strong belief in people’s ability to grow and change; forge a mutually respectful partnership with persons served and their families.

Salary & Compensation:

• Base pay range $60,000/yr + Potential to Earn Performance Based Merit Award for Eligible Staff + Comprehensive Benefits + Professional Development Opportunities)
• Benefits Eligibility: This role is eligible to participate in our Performance Based Merit Award program at the end of each fiscal year, and eligible for benefits including health insurance, retirement plans (pension and 403B thrift), career coaching via Bravely, and more!

EEO Statement

The Equal Employment Opportunity Policy of Graham is to provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability. Graham hires and promotes individuals solely based on their qualifications for the job to be filled.

Graham believes that associates should be provided with a working environment which enables each associate to be productive and to work to the best of his or her ability. We do not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability.

We expect and require the cooperation of all associates in maintaining a discrimination and harassment-free atmosphere.

Qualifications