at ONE FAMILY ILLINOIS in Chicago, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Why SOS Illinois?
At SOS Illinois we are committed to keeping brothers and sisters in foster care together by providing safe, stable, and loving homes. We do this by offering an innovative approach to traditional foster care. Our model of care provides a private, single-family home, access to a community center, and support from professionally trained Foster Parents and staff. With this, the children we serve benefit from the stability of remaining with their siblings as well as the support of neighboring SOS Illinois Foster Parents and the entire community.
- Work for an impactful organization with a purpose
- Corporate culture that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Hybrid/flexible work options to help balance work and life
- PTO (paid time off in the form of personal days, sick time, vacation days, and paid company holidays
- Employee Referral Bonuses
The Role: The Permanency Specialist facilitates the adoption and guardianship process for prospective parents by providing assistance to case management staff in the completion, submission, approval and closing of adoption or guardianship.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provide adoption/guardianship training certification referral for prospective foster parent seeking adoption or guardianship.
- Assess prospective parents’ capacity to determine if they will provide an appropriate home for adoption or guardianship, including interview of youth and named back up caregiver to complete the adoption/guardianship assessment.
- Mine file, contact birth family and child welfare specialist to gather a comprehensive history of medical, mental health, substance abuse, behavior and educational documentation to include in subsidy.
- Develop a comprehensive, clear and accurate foster home conversion assessment and investigatory report.
- Complete accurate adoption/guardianship (CFS 1800) subsidy packet and legal documents to submit to the DCFS Adoption Coordinator.
- Maintain and submit accurate and complete case notes on each family.
- Utilize adoption assistance/guardianship case record checklist (CFS 1800 TA) to ensure all documentation is attached, completed and sent to DCFS Adoption Coordinator.
- Complete and submit recommended modifications and/or additions upon request from prospective adoptive parent(s), guardian(s), attorney and/or DCFS within established time frames.
- Obtain background checks within appropriate timeframes according to the prospective parent’s licensing status
- Verify youth’s benefit eligibility; IV, Social Security, etc. Via Benefit Check email.
- Provide counsel to prospective adoptive/guardian on questions, concerns or other relevant issues.
- Provide training, support and/or consultation to child welfare specialist completing adoption/guardianship packets independently.
- Submit reports as required by the Director and/or Deputy Director of Case Management.
- Maintain communication with SOS, DCFS to ensure coordination of efforts.
- Communicate problems and issues within the department to the Village Director.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
- Comply with all SOS policies, state, federal, county and city laws, rules and regulations.
- Participate in ongoing professional development workshops and seminars as required by the organization and other governing bodies.
- Attend required staff meetings, agency meetings, supervision and other meetings as requested.
