Youth Caregiver

JOB SUMMARY: Assists in guiding youth through their treatment program, while providing for the health and security of youth in the residential program.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

•Work within the framework of the philosophy, function, and Personnel Practices of The Children's Home, Inc.

•Work with the treatment team to facilitate therapeutic relationships in group and individual settings. Serves as the caregiver/advocate for the kids residing in the cottage program

•Provides milieu services to teach youth, goal setting, problem resolution, educational activities, social development, employability, anger/crisis management, independent living, and life space interviews

•Work with the staff, youth and family in the milieu, assisting in mentoring and working with families that are in transition to adaptive, foster and/or reunification placements

•Assist the Educational Case Coordinator (ECC) in the implementation of an educational plan for assigned youth, to promote academic enrichment and educational development. Assist youth with homework, school projects, monitor point sheets and overall academic progress of youth to report to the ECC

•Responsible for working within the established program, inclusive of routines and adhering to a consistent Daily Living Program. Role model expectations by assisting youth with performing daily routines/chores and thorough up keep of living quarters and the milieu

•Provide supervision and monitoring of youth at all times to insure the best care, welfare, safety, health, and security. Establish a positive relationship with residents

•Perform and document environmental rounds inclusive of all youth in order to provide accountability and safety. Report and document all abnormal or suspicious situations via the information report. Maintains documentation within guidelines for information reports, critical incidents reports, and daily shift accountability, medical administration records, and communication/pass-On, meal count sheets, Medicaid BHOS, COA, NAPPI, Eckerd and DCF

•Responsible for meeting the physical needs of youth, fostering healthy hygiene and good living habits within the cottage. Responsible for ensuring that youth are adequately dressed for the environmental conditions

•Schedule, and encourage opportunities for staff and youth to engage in family style dining. Perform the required documentation via the meal count accountability log

•Follow agency policy guidelines for financial transactions of allowances, clothing, and supply purchases

•Attend and participate in treatment plan reviews with treatment team. Assist in guiding youth to having success with their goals and related plans in accordance with the Individual Treatment Plan. Is accountable for supervising and monitoring residents to insure the safety, health, and security of those residents

•Follow agency professional standards and policies regarding reporting laws and reporting critical incidents and runaways

•Ability to manage the behavior of youth therapeutically, and via the individual treatment plan. Integrates the clients’ history and all corroborating information into the milieu treatment process. Identifies and integrates the client’s cultural, ethnic, and religious values into the treatment process

•Responsible for operating within program guidelines with respect to discipline, Behavior Management, verbal de-escalation techniques and non-violent physical crisis intervention techniques. Demonstrates knowledge and practice of agency policy and procedures for restraint- NAPPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention

•Responsible for learning the psychiatric review process, including facilitation techniques, documentation requirements etc. May be required to fill in at scheduled TPR psychiatric conferences.  Attends and participates in Intakes, Treatment Plan Reviews and Psychiatrics

•Adhere to all daily cleanliness programs and ensure that health and safety standards are consistently meet including nightly cleaning/sanitation of common area floors, cleaning/organizing the pack room and janitorial supplies cabinet. Maintain a safe, clean, homelike environment and meal preparation

•Actively participate in the planning and implementation of therapeutic, community based, recreational, social, spiritual, and education activity opportunities as provided. Work with Therapist in assessing youth eligibility for community based activity

•Assist in the coordination and implementation of activities and be responsible for making appropriate transportation arrangements, too and from said activities

•Coordinate the successful integration of recreation therapy with in each child’s treatment plan. Integrates the clients’ history and all recommendations information into the milieu treatment process

•Communicate all scheduled cottage plans, departures/returns to campus to the Cottage supervisor on duty (SOD) prior to leaving the campus and upon return

•Communicate all visitations, to the cottage supervisor and SOD, if prescheduled, and/or immediately upon arrival

•Dispense and document all medications given to youth, and medication deficiencies with established procedures. Coordinate with medical personnel to ensure the physical/health needs of the child

•Prepare for and participate in bi-weekly group supervision with Cottage Supervisor for opportunities for orientation, communicating pertinent program/kid issues, in addition to review and evaluate progress and performance

•Attend and participate in weekly team meetings, and may be required to assist in recording meeting minutes in established format

•Foster and maintain a positive and productive relationship with all youth and cottage team. Maintain an effective working relationship with team members, school personnel and clinicians. Act as liaison between sponsor, auxiliary, volunteer, and school personnel

•Adhere to agency policy and procedures maintaining security and confidentiality of all office space, equipment and documentation

•Provides transportation in agency vehicles in accordance with policy and procedure. Abide by all Florida state highway and local traffic laws. Demonstrate regular utilization of agency vehicle log as required by policy and procedures

•Attend specialized training and team meetings as scheduled

•Perform other duties as assigned

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

High School diploma or GED with a minimum of 6 month experience working with children and be at least 21 years of age

Preferred: Associates Degree in Human Services related field, one year experience in residential setting, or an equivalent combination

Licenses & Certifications:

•Must possess a valid Florida driver’s license with no record of criminal driving offense and be insurable under The Children’s Home insurance criteria

•Must possess means of providing job related transportation and show proof of required insurance

•Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends

•Must successfully complete Federal background, state criminal background check and sexual predator background check

•Current First Aid/CPR certifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

•Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing. Ability to establish effective working relationships with residents, co-workers, supervisors and other individuals. Possess effective interpersonal skills

•Knowledge of agency's organizational structure, standard operating procedures, and policies. Knowledge of the Department of Children and Families rules and regulations regarding the care of children. Knowledge of child abuse or neglect reporting procedures and methods

•Ability to drive a commercial van. Agency insurance company must approve as insurable

•Computer literate, with ability to operate basic computer software applications

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL SKILLS:

•Ability to perform physical restraints using the NAPPI method and participate in physical activities with children that may include running, bending, stooping and moderate lifting

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

Treatment center environment with outdoor activities. Possible exposure to verbal and physical threats. Possible exposure to communicable disease.