Foster Care Specialist

Company Overview

Youth Villages is a nonprofit organization striving to help troubled youth and families live successfully. We are a team of 4,500 individuals who’ve come together across 27 states to change the landscape of child welfare and juvenile justice across the country.  Our work involves providing an array of counseling and treatment services to youth with severe emotional and behavioral problems. 

Eighty eight percent of those who go through treatment are succeeding two years after leaving our program. These youth are living at home, remaining in school, and are not experiencing trouble with the law.

We believe strongly in investing in and supporting our employees. We offer candidates opportunities to develop a career and be part of a positive change in our country’s treatment of at-risk youth and families. 

Program Overview

Our Foster Care program works with the foster care children to talk about their referral issues and to discuss why they are in foster care. Foster Care Specialists serve as a liaison between the child and the court and is always an advocate for the best needs of the child. The Youth Villages Foster Care Program uses intensive in-home based treatment where interventions are parent focused bringing change through the family, school, community, and peer groups.

Position Overview

• Specialists provide services to the entire family, rather than just the identified youth. They work with the family hands-on to build trust and align them with treatment
• Specialists are responsible for a caseload of 8-10 families
• Intensive but flexible schedule. Specialists deliver services in the family's home or wherever they need us (school, court, etc.) and flexibly schedule sessions to meet the family's needs; on-call rotation required.
• Documentation that is on-line/ web-based and available to you from home
• Specialists meet with supervisors at least three times per week to discuss progress and personal development. 

Additional Information

Our leadership is always available for backup in difficult situations. 
All specialists complete a thorough training schedule designed to maximize clinical skill.

Schedule is flexible and non-traditional; based around the availability of youth and families served.
Applicants must have a valid driver’s license, a personal vehicle to use for work purposes and auto insurance.
Community Based staff will be reimbursed for applicable mileage

Salary

$52000 - $60000 / year based on education and clinical license

Requirements

A Master's degree in a social services discipline is required
Experience with counseling adolescents in a clinical setting is required
Degrees that can be considered include: social work, drug and alcohol education or counseling, psychology, criminal justice, guidance counseling, or marriage and family therapy. Other degrees will have to be evaluated further to determine if they meet the qualifications.
Experience with the Foster Care System is preferred
Excellent written, verbal, and oral skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
Basic computer knowledge
Ability to maintain a flexible schedule
You must have your own vehicle to use for work purposes as well as have liability insurance

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
401(k)
2 weeks paid vacation
12 paid sick days per year
11 paid holidays

Paid Parental Leave
Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)

Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision

Growth & development through continuous training

Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.