Youth & Family Specialist

Language Bank; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascentria Care Alliance is seeking a Youth and Family Specialist to support youth in home settings and assist with permanency efforts across our Child and Family Services team.

The role involves collaborating with schools, therapists, lawyers, and court personnel to advocate for youth, coordinate services, and recruit foster homes. Strong communication, flexibility, and a valid driver’s license are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related field is required.
• Bilingual preferred to support diverse communities.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a human centered, strength-based, trauma-informed approach in work with clients, families, and collaterals.
• Build trusting relationships and support personal growth of clients.
• Advocate for youth needs to ensure equitable and quality care.
• Provide clinical case management across multiple systems for foster youth and families.
• Offer group and/or individual counseling, mediation, and guidance as training allows.
• Coordinate supervised family visits and provide parent coaching as appropriate.
• Attend meetings and ensure effective interagency collaboration.
• Develop and maintain documentation to meet licensing and program standards.
• Support recruitment and training of foster families; participate in matching processes.

Skills

Bilingual

Driver's license

Flexibility

Interpersonal skills

Case management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related field

Tools

Word processing

Computer skills

Job description

Help us Build a Thriving New England!

Ascentria Care Alliance has been transforming underserved communities for over 150 years, providing a wide range of services to children, families, and seniors across five states. Recognized as one of the largest human services nonprofits in New England and one of the top 100 women-led businesses in Massachusetts, we envision vibrant communities where all individuals have access to resources to support one another to overcome challenges and seize opportunities. The Youth and Family Specialist can serve dual roles in the Child and Family Services because the work supporting youth in home like settings and achieving permanency, and the work of recruiting and supporting families, needs to be a shared responsibility across the team. Each youth and each foster family will have their own Youth and Family Specialist with differing roles. Both roles require close collaboration with school personnel and educational teams, child welfare staff, Family Networks lead agencies, therapists, lawyers and court personnel, the general public and intra-agency collaterals.

Help us Build a Thriving New England!

Ascentria Care Alliance has been transforming underserved communities for over 150 years, providing a wide range of services to children, families, and seniors across five states. Recognized as one of the largest human services nonprofits in New England and one of the top 100 women-led businesses in Massachusetts, we envision vibrant communities where all individuals have access to resources to support one another to overcome challenges and seize opportunities. The Youth and Family Specialist can serve dual roles in the Child and Family Services because the work supporting youth in home like settings and achieving permanency, and the work of recruiting and supporting families, needs to be a shared responsibility across the team. Each youth and each foster family will have their own Youth and Family Specialist with differing roles. Both roles require close collaboration with school personnel and educational teams, child welfare staff, Family Networks lead agencies, therapists, lawyers and court personnel, the general public and intra-agency collaterals.

Primary Responsibilities

• Demonstrate a human centered, strength-based, and trauma informed philosophy by treating all clients, families and collaterals in a non-judgmental and respectful manner while building on their strengths.
• Create a trusting and safe relationship with the client and encourages personal growth of the client
• Advocate for the youth’s needs to ensure equitable and quality care
• Provide clinical case management working in multiple systems and settings providing services to foster children, foster families and biological families
• Depending on level of training, provides group and/or individual counseling and coaching services, mediation and guidance to children and their biological and/or foster families.
• Facilitates supervised family visits, and provides parent coaching as appropriate
• Consistently demonstrate discretion and independent judgment with regard to assessing and making decisions around the best interest for children and families
• Undertake the responsibility of “on-call” duty as assigned and is responsive to crises independently either by phone or in person, demonstrating a calm and professional approach while assuring safety for all involved.
• Facilitate treatment meetings/ foster care review, and invites the appropriate attendees, while ensuring effective interagency collaboration
• Coordinate dental, medical, psychological and community support for youth
• Ensure that educational needs are met including advocacy for special education services
• Attend all meetings called by collaterals and support a team approach to best serve the needs of children, youth and families
• Support and participate in the development and implementation of strategic plans for program-specific foster care recruitment in conjunction with foster care recruitment across the Children and Families Service.
• Recruit qualified foster homes on a continuous basis to meet the growing and challenging needs of clients
• Support foster families through the recruitment and training process.
• Participate in “matching process” and prepares foster parents for their work with the child/youth and family of origin
• Promote the program through community networking and positive representation to internal and external committees, government entities, etc.
• Maintain an excellent relationship with state or private funding sources and other state authorities responsible for regulating foster homes or child placing agencies
• Develop and maintain expertise regarding regulatory requirements for foster parent qualification and renewal including record checks, evaluations and updating of file materials
• Complete all documentation required by state licensing regulations in a timely manner, including but not limited to home studies, background checks, annual foster care review and waivers
• Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein to help meet the goals of the program or the agency
• Document all contacts and incidents and ensure files are up to date
• Develop and complete assessments/homestudies, service plans x plans, progress notes and any other necessary documentation
• Provide updates to the court both in writing and in person
• Maintain organized up to date case/foster care files in accordance with contractual standards, state and federal law
• Keep supervisor updated on any incidents or concerns involving clients and foster families
• Attend weekly staff meetings and any other meetings or events required by the Agency
• Complete all mandatory training on a timely basis to meet certification standards, including 20-30 hours of specialized training each year including ethics, current practice and needs of the service population.

Here’s What We’re Looking For

• MA - Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a related field
• NH - Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or a related field
• Bilingual Preferred
• Ability to work within the Mission of the agency.
• Significant experience working with children with social/emotional/physical problems desirable. Mediation and conflict resolution skills helpful.
• Word processing/computer skills preferred.
• Open to new ideas and desire to grow professionally. Flexibility in thinking and scheduling.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.
• Ability to utilize independent sound clinical judgement and decision making with regards to best interest of children and families
• Ability to work flexible hours and be available to meet for emergency situations.
• Ability to effectively manage client behavior, foster independence, and maintain perspective and a sense of humor.
• Ability to handle people and situations with compassion, diplomacy, and tact.
• Ability to work independently by setting priorities; organizing resources and effectively performing tasks in a timely manner.
• Ability to provide documentation such as valid driver's license, evidence of automobile insurance and a clear criminal record check.
• Ability to work cooperatively in a team environment and to problem solve unexpected/unpredictable circumstances calmly.
• Knowledge of federal, state and local regulations, protocols and/or procedures.
• Computer skills required.
• Ability to travel to meet client needs
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
• Ability to use independent judgment and discretion; investigate, analyze and draw professional conclusions.

When you join Ascentria, you’re not just taking on a job—you’re stepping into a role that empowers you to grow personally and professionally while contributing to a meaningful mission.