Branch Family Specialist - Child Welfare

Overview Of KinnectKinnect is an Ohio-based non-profit organization dedicated to developing KinFirst strategies and delivering programs that strengthen kinship connections and inclusive support networks for families, young people, and children. Kinnect has spent 20 years collaborating with families, public agencies, and private providers to ensure young people and families have the belonging, resources, and relationships they need to thrive.Kinnect’s purpose, vision, and guiding principles center family and kin and promote a KinFirst culture in every aspect of our service delivery and advocacy efforts for families, young people, and children. Kin is family, family is kin, and whether relationships involve relatives or chosen family connections, a KinFirst culture is the way we work and live each day.Kinnect is proud to be a nationally recognized leader and pioneer in the field, which led to the development of KinnectU, a training, consulting, and replication branch of Kinnect, to provide these services to all child- and family-serving organizations. Our programs include the Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator (OhioKAN) program, Kinnect to Family (KTF), and Youth Centered Permanency Roundtables (YCPRT). Kinnect is grateful to receive support from a variety of sources, including contracts with government entities, partnerships with nonprofits, generous grants, and invaluable donations from foundations and private donors.Overview Of The Kinnect To Family ProgramKinnect to Family (KTF) engages in urgent, diligent family search and engagement to identify and connect youth in foster care or residential treatment with kin-both biological and chosen-who can provide support and permanency. Through innovative tools and best practices, KTF helps ensure that youth remain connected to the people who know and love them.Position SummaryThe Kinnect to Family Branch Family Specialist is a full-time position dedicated to the service of children and families referred to Kinnect to Family. The Kinnect to Family Program is a specialized short- term intervention that utilizes the strategies of diligent searching and relentless engagement to identify potential connections, supports, and kinship placement options for children at risk of foster care placement, children in foster care or a congregate care setting. The Branch Family Specialist works under the direction of the KTF Branch Coach. The KTF Branch Coach will also provide technical assistance, coaching, and training to the Branch Family Specialist. Goals for the specialist include increasing connections for young people served, identifying potential kinship caregivers, and creating a robust support plan (Roadmap to Family). All practice strategies are tied to the belief that all children have family, all family have value, and all children deserve to be connected to their culture, their community, and their family.Essential Functions:Collaborates with the professional team to identify and connect young people to kinIntentionally engages and explores permanency with youthResearches and coalesces information from relatives/kin to expand the child’s support system and family connections, while identifying potential kinship caregiversIdentify and document family/kin for each child through Family Finding search activities, including: internet & database searches, file reviews, child & family interviews.Facilitate communication with the team and provide the referring agencies with accurate and timely family documentation, including genograms, family contact information, and identified kin supports.Attend or facilitate meetings and court hearings, advocating for relative/kin placement.Complete assessments on the child and family functioning upon referral and conclusion of services to measure the success and outcomes of the program.Assist in preparing the family for licensure by explaining the licensing process and assisting with home licensing requirements.Maintain accurate files and records for each family served.Education/Qualification:Bachelor’s Degree required; Social Services or related field, preferred.Demonstrated experience working with interdisciplinary teams utilizing innovative strategies to overcome obstacles.Direct experience in the child welfare field with a basic knowledge of foster care and adoption, preferredUnderstanding of, or ability to learn, Genopro (family tree/genogram software program)Ability to use customer service initiatives to work with partner agenciesBasic knowledge of Microsoft Office programsPossess a valid driver’s license and dependable transportationWorking Conditions:Travel is required for site and home visits. Must have access to your own reliable transportation. Available to work a flexible schedule, which may include nights and weekendsThis job requires occasional overnight travelKinnect as an organization, has a Hybrid Work Model that combines remote and on-site work at Kinnect, as well as routine on-site or in-person work with team members, partner sites, community events, and direct service in the field.This role will utilize standard office equipment that will be provided by KinnectHiring Process:Background Check Information: The final candidate selected for the position will be required to undergo a criminal background check and drug screening process. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal conviction(s) will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.Guiding Principles and Competencies: Partnership: Bringing our collective experience and skillsets to relationships that support our connectedness and achievement of our mission.I build constructive and effective relationships to find common ground and solve problemsWhen I participate in teamwork, I will ensure that I am giving everyone accurate and timely information as needed to move forward on our common goalsI reprioritize when needed and create focus to strengthen partnerships throughout times of changeI strive to help people feel included, respected, and valuable about being a member of the teamInnovation: Continuous and dynamic process where creative ideas are valued, discussed, and implemented to significantly disrupt routing and prevailing structures.I am willing to share my ideas, even the new and unique ones, when brainstorming, problem solving and in my daily workI explore issues through a lens of equity and inclusion by co-creating solutions with people, not for people. I am committed to centering and elevating the voice of those we serve, whether it be families, youth, caregivers, team members or our partners. I am willing to design programs and solutions for the future we want to have.When faced with challenges, I remain curious, look beyond the obvious and my own lens and perspective to push myself to look for multiple solutions even though I might not have all the answers. I am open to iterating and continuous learningI choose to view failure as an opportunity to learnIntegrity: Having the courage to live the Kinnect values of dignity, respect and honesty.I strive to be self-aware and open to feedback that allows for development and growthI stay aligned with Kinnect’s values while maintaining flexibility to incorporate new ideas and perspectivesDuring difficult times, I strive to maintain composure, self-regulate, maintain my sense of self-awareness and stay in empathy when working through issuesI take responsibility for contributing to high quality and inclusive end results, for the good of the greater teamI take responsibility for my own boundaries, self-care, and rest so that I am able to engage meaningfully in my work at KinnectOutcome Focused: We strive to measure our work, to pivot, iterate, and improve to accomplish desired results.I make time and space to assess process, progress, and resultsI work with my team to make sure we all have up-to-date information so we can make accurate and informed decisionsI ask for what I need to be able to contribute and perform to the best of my abilityI keep families, youth, community partners and Kinnect team members in mind when creating goals and throughout the course of the projectCommunicate Effectively: Develop and deliver communications using various methods that conveys a clear understanding of the unique needs of the different audiences we communicate with.Attentively listens to othersProvides timely and helpful information to others across the organizationEncourages the open expression of diverse ideas and opinionsAbility to utilize multiples communication methods such as telephone, email, letters, reports, to name a few to share information and to keep people informed of progress or what is neededCritical Thinking for Managing Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.Ask questions that will help accurately analyze situationsAcquire data from multiple and diverse sources to help solve problems and to innovateEqual Opportunity EmploymentKinnect maintains a policy of nondiscrimination toward all employees and applicants for employment. All aspects of employment with us will be governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, or gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, sexual expression or identity, national origin, physical, intellectual or emotional ability, marital or partnership status, parental or family status, medical or genetic status, veteran’s or disabled veteran status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. Employment Posters stating current regulatory and legal requirements are posted in Kinnect’s main office and on the intranet.American’s With Disabilities ActThis position involves sitting in a stationary position for at least 50% of the time and the ability to ambulate without assistance to attend on-site meetings, as needed. The job requires movement in a typical office environment with file cabinets, office machinery, office furniture and typical hallway and access doorways. The position must operate typical office equipment, such as copiers, telephones, computers and peripherals. This job requires that the person must have the ability to access transportation to attend meetings and special events. The organization provides reasonable accommodations for this position.DisclaimerThe above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position.Kinnect maintains a policy of nondiscrimination toward all employees and applicants for employment. All employment decisions at Kinnect are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, and will be governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, or gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, sexual expression or identity, national origin, physical, intellectual or emotional ability, marital or partnership status, parental or family status, medical or genetic status, veteran’s or disabled veteran status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. Employment Posters stating current regulatory and legal requirements are posted in Kinnect’s main office and on the intranet.