Full Time Supportive Visitation Specialist

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark; Union City (CA); On-site; USD 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark seeks a Full-Time Supportive Visitation Specialist to serve Union City, NJ. The role supports parent-child visitation in homes or communities, updates visitation plans, documents visits, and coordinates with DCP&P and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities include scheduling visits, ensuring safety and a trauma-informed approach, and maintaining open communication with families and professionals. Travel within Hudson & Bergen counties is required.

Qualifications

• Culturally sensitive communication with families in preferred languages.
• Ability to engage families respectfully and effectively.
• Trauma-informed approach to family engagement.

Responsibilities

• Initiates and maintains communication with families in a culturally sensitive manner.
• Schedules and conducts visits in the home or community.
• Ensures the environment for parent-child contact is safe and supportive.
• Uses trauma-informed strategies to support family needs.
• Liaises with DCP&P, providers, and supports.
• Completes assessment tools and documents contacts.

Skills

Cultural sensitivity

Communication with families

Trauma-informed approach

Education

Bachelor's degree in social work, counseling, or related field

Associates degree in related field

Job description

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark is one of New Jersey’s largest non-profit social service agencies with programs and facilities serving Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties.

Full-Time Supportive Visitation Specialist

Join our Supportive Visitation Services program located in Union City, NJ.

This position requires non-negotiable travel within Hudson & Bergen County, NJ.

Starting Salary: $60k

The Supportive Visitation Specialist is responsible for supporting parent-child visitation for families in their homes or communities; completing and updating visitation plans; documenting visits and completing reports; facilitating parent debriefings before and after visits and visitation planning meetings; transporting children and/or parents, as needed; 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.

Job Description

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Schedule

• M-F 10AM-6PM; some nights, weekends, and/or holidays may be required.

Job Requirements

• Bachelors degree in social work, counseling, or related field
• Minimum 1 year experience working with children & families, particularly families involved with welfare system and/or affected by trauma preferred
• Valid NJ Drivers License

OR

• Associates degree in related field
• Minimum 1 year experience working with children & families, particularly families involved with welfare system and/or affected by trauma preferred
• Valid NJ Drivers License

Agency Mission

• In response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Catholic Charities, as a ministry of the Archdiocese of Newark, serves the poor and marginalized and advocates for their needs in order to promote the inherent dignity and worth of all people without regard to race, religion, or culture.