390-25 Therapeutic Visitation Specialist

SUPPORTIVE VISTATION SERVICES (SVS): Parent-child visitation services for Child Protection & Permanency- involved families with children in out-of-home placement to maintain and strengthen familial interactions and facilitate permanency. Services are provided in the least restrictive setting that maintains safety along a continuum of supervision based on family need. Core activities include ongoing assessment, visitation, aftercare (post-reunification support), transportation and documentation.
 

DESCRIPTION: Responsible for supporting parent-child visitation for families in their homes or communities who require therapeutic intervention; completing initial intake assessments, assessment tools, and visitation plans; documenting visits and completing reports; facilitating parent debriefings before and after visits and visitation planning meetings; transporting children and/or parents; communicating with children, parents, relatives, resource parents, DCP&P, and/or other stakeholders by phone and in person; attending various meetings and trainings; and assessing families’ service needs and linking them to appropriate community providers.

SPECIAL NOTE: The NJ Department of Children and Families is posting these job opportunities as a courtesy on behalf of its contracted provider community in an effort to assist and support their search for qualified staff. Please note that successful candidates will be employed by Acenda, Center for Family Services, Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Newark, The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey, Center for Evaluation & Counseling, Family Connections or the YMCA of the Jersey Shore. These are not New Jersey State positions.
 

SPECIAL NOTE: Positions are available in multiple locations. Please indicate in your cover letter the counties for which you would accept a position.

RESPONSIBILITIES
 

Engaging:
• Initiates and maintains ongoing communication with families in a culturally sensitive manner utilizing a family's preferred language taking into consideration a family's faith and culture.
• Schedules and conducts visits in the least-restrictive, most home-like location (the first preference being within the family's home) while ensuring the safety of the children.
• Ensures the environment for parent-child contact is safe, non-traumatizing, and promotes healthy attachment.
• Uses strengths-based, solutions-focused, family centered, trauma informed strategies to elicit family input.
• Initiates and maintains ongoing communication with DCP&P, other providers, and supports.

Assessing:
• Uses a process to gather information which includes reviewing collateral information and inquiring about family's natural supports.
• Completes required assessment tools including but not limited to bio-psychological assessments, Rose Wentz Matrix and SVS Caregiver Surveys and documents contacts with families in agency's progress notes and DCP&P contact sheets.
• Creates a visitation plan with active familial involvement and updates the plan at regular intervals.

Active Listening:
• Creates an environment that empowers family members, including parents, children, and caregivers to communicate their goals and needs.
• Utilizes various interviewing and/or communication techniques in a culturally competent manner.
• Recognizes non-verbal communication and maintains good eye contact and posture.

Teaming:
• Advocates for parents/families as necessary and supports them in advocating for themselves.
• Links the family to community resources and formal and informal supports and coordinates with DCP&P.
• Collaborates with and shares relevant information with DCP&P staff, other providers, and supports.
• Facilitates visit planning meetings and participates in other relevant meetings.
 

Therapeutic Intervening:
• Uses clinical interventions and trauma informed approaches to promote behavioral change in caregivers and children through education, modeling, reinforcement, and empowerment.
 

Coaching:
• Enhances parental skills by goal setting, modeling, mentoring, reinforcement and feedback and reflection through a trauma-informed perspective.
• Prepares for each visit with caregivers reviewing goals and expectations and encouraging them to be the lead in visit planning.
• Debriefs with caregivers after each visit to allow for processing and self-reflection and discussion of strengths and challenges.

REQUIREMENTS
 

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or other related area.
 

Experience: Minimum of one (1) year of work experience with children and families, particularly families involved with the child welfare system and/or affected by trauma. Experience working with diverse populations.
 

License: Valid professional license (LPC, LAC, LSW, CSW). May be in process of obtaining licensure (passing score achieved and application has been submitted). Must possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey.
 

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Organizational skills with the ability to manage numerous visiting families and systems of care simultaneously to promote best practices.
• Outstanding human relations skills and the ability to function autonomously and in a team environment.
• Effective oral and written communication skills.
• Effectively solve problems and communicate information, including the identification and communication of problems and/or issues with appropriate team and management staff.
• Experience/willingness to work with culturally diverse populations.
• Knowledge of resources and/or services in the community for the target population.
• Knowledge of trauma and its effects on children and families.
• Knowledge of infant, child and adolescent stages of growth and development.
• Knowledge of and ability to use therapeutic approaches when working with children and families.
• Model, coach, support, and mentor parents on use of nurturing and safe parenting.
• Deliver and score assessment tools.
• Excellent computer skills with proficiency and working knowledge of database and reporting tools such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and/or electronic health record systems.
• Safely operate a motor vehicle abiding by all applicable traffic laws.
• Ensure safety of all passengers through appropriate safety measures including use of seat belts, car and booster seats and/or child safety locks.
• Knowledge of county’s local and highway roads.

Working Conditions:
• A flexible working schedule is required to accommodate families which includes night, weekends and/or holidays.
• Some working time is spent out of the office transporting children and/or parents to and from visits and observing visits in families’ homes or in the community (parks, libraries, restaurants, jails, etc.).
• Work may include lifting individuals up to, or in excess of, 50 pounds, and performing work that requires frequent standing, sitting, bending, reaching, squatting, kneeling, and moving.