Overview

Children’s Aid provides comprehensive community services to children of all ages and their families residing in underserved communities. An array of services supports families from cradle to college to alleviate societal challenges that can interrupt a child, adolescent or young adults’ abilities to thrive and maximize their potential.

Children’s Aid offers a continuum of short term evidence based interventions of varying levels of intensity, in four boroughs. The prevention services continuum consists of Family Support, therapeutic and Family Assessment Program (FAP) program services as well as the Safe Way Forward Program for families impacted by Domestic Violence. Our prevention service interventions are charged with the responsibility to avert current, future or repeat involvement child welfare, juvenile justice systems.

Solution Based Casework Program (SBC) is an evidenced-informed casework practice model that prioritizes working in partnership with families, focuses on pragmatic solutions to difficult situations, and notices and celebrates change. The model is based on three theoretical underpinnings: solution-focused family therapy, family life cycle theory and relapse prevention. Solution Based Casework (SBC) provides a common conceptual map for child welfare Case Planners, Supervisors, Leadership staff, and treatment providers to help focus everyone’s efforts on clear and agreed upon outcomes. The Solution Based Casework Program (SBC) of the Children’s Aid serves 384 families in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Using an evidence-based, family-centered framework we strive to strengthen families and reduce the incidence child abuse and neglect. Our evidence-based clinical approach supported by the case management piece is crucial in addressing safety and risk issues for our families to become independent of system involvement. 

Position Summary: The Solution Based Casework (SBC) Case Planners assist parents/caregivers in addressing any barriers to their children’s health, safety, and well-being, so that families can stabilize, strengthen, and reduce the need for future involvement with the child welfare system. Case Planners’ primary responsibilities are to make safety-focused assessments of child and family functioning, develop intervention plans, and help families activate change in their situations. This is a wonderful opportunity for an early career social worker to gain experience in a wide range of social work areas in a very supportive environment with a strong team culture. Clinical supervision is offered for those interested.

Responsibilities:

  • Maintain an average caseload of 12 families with a minimum of 2 contacts/month, 1 being in the home. Visit to all families on caseload and all children seen each month.
  • Complete all required documentation both SBC model and ACS.
  • Provide services including family and individual therapy, advocacy (Public Assistance, Child Support, Housing, and School systems), educational monitoring, parenting support and general case management services.
  • Receive training and certification in Solution Based Casework Model and provide services to families in adherence to model fidelity.
  • Collaborate with and refer to appropriate service providers for case coordination.
  • Be responsible for maintaining up to date progress notes, completing Family Assessment and Service Plans, inputting contact data into PROMIS and CONNX systems, and obtaining any other documents required by ACS, such as school records and medical records. 
  • Participate in weekly individual supervision and monthly group supervision, other professional development activities, including trainings and workshops.
  • Schedule and participate in Family Team Conferences for all cases on caseload.
  • Attend staff meetings as required.
  • Participate in division events and core training at Children’s Aid.
  • Complete required training hours through Work Force Institute (ACS).
  • Other tasks assigned, and as necessary to support the program’s needs.

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s Degree OR Bachelor’s in Social Work required.
  • Strong interest to learn Family Therapy theories and interventions from a systemically-oriented perspective.
  • Commitment to working in a strengths-based framework with at-risk families and individuals. 
  • Self-starter: We are looking for highly motivated workers who will intervene actively and support families as needed while keeping an eye on how to build the client skills. 
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Ability to manage many tasks and respond to crises.
  • Strong engagement skills and experience with children, teens, parents or families.
  • Bilingual in Spanish/English preferred.
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