Foster Parent Recruiter

About Graham Windham

In full partnership with families & communities, Graham Windham strives to make a life-altering difference to children, youth and families affected by abuse, neglect and delinquency by providing each child we serve with a strong foundation for life: a safe, loving, permanent family and the opportunity and preparation to thrive in school and in the world. With over 600 full-time employees serving children and families in multiple programs throughout Westchester County, Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Harlem, Graham Windham provides an exciting & enriching work experience.

Graham Windham is one of the first organizations in the New York City to implement Solution – Based Casework. Solution – Based casework helps children and families to be the solution to the seemingly insurmountable problems in their lives, from generational cycles of poverty, abuse, and neglect to unemployment, domestic violence, and severe health problems. By recognizing and reinforcing their innate strengths and ability to cope, we at Graham Windham empower them to take the lead in making change in their lives.

About the Program

At Graham Windham our 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, the Bronx and Westchester County- who serve as our foster children's substitute family.

About the Position

Graham Windham's Recruitment, Development and Support program seeks a Foster Care Recruiter responsible for recruiting, screening, training, and the retention of foster families so that there are adequate foster family resources available for children referred to the Foster Boarding Home Program.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responds to and processes inquiry forms for prospective applicants.
• Engages in vigorous recruitment efforts for foster parents.
• Conducts focused interviews and secures required documents and completes documentation of SCR and finger prints (of foster parents, relevant family members and babysitting/transportation resources) as required by NYC Children’s Services, Office of Children and Family Services.
• Uses SBC practice to interview prospective foster parents.  Review completed application and track with prospective foster parents on their ability to foster/parent special populations and the concerns/issues that may arise with such special populations.  Ability to search for exceptions in where the foster parent was able to parent/foster regarding the issues/concerns that were identified for the special populations.  Is able to define and describe CWBOs.
• Maintains and updates foster parent “soft” files, pipeline tracking spreadsheet and CONNECTIONS records by completing related reports and inputting data in a timely fashion.
• Prepares and submits reports, calendars and other deliverables as required by agency supervisor, NYC Children’s Services and/or OCFS.
• Facilitates monthly precertification (Orientation, MAPP) & In-service trainings (Recertification) according to the training curriculum.
• Assures scheduling, monitoring and tracking of orientation for foster parents.
• Assists the Intake Department in making matches of foster parents to children based upon service needs and foster parent skill level and expertise.
• Participates in weekly supervision sessions with supervisor to discuss status and progress of foster homes, certifications etc. as well as to apprise of any impending problems and/or unresolved issues.
• Participates 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.
• Acts as a conduit between foster parents and agency based resources for support and referrals especially pending assignment of cases to the Homefinder.
• Demonstrates a willingness to travel within the NYC area to prospective  and  active foster homes
• Models and promotes 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.

Qualifications

Requires BSW or Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field; Experience as a Home-Finder or foster care/ residential caseworker preferred; Community organizing experience and bi-lingual (Spanish/English) a plus; Must be able to travel within NYC Metropolitan area; Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills, time management and organizational skills; Computer literate, MS Office; NYS Connections; Ability to work with diverse populations; Flexibility to work evenings and occasional weekends as needed; Valid NYS driver’s license a plus

Full-time position; salary commensurate with experience.  Graham Windham offers eligible employees a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, holiday pay, retirement savings plan, and much more.

Salary and Benefit

• Base annually salary $50,000
• Medical Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Pension plan - Holiday pay

EOE