Close:                Open Until Filled

Department:     Children’s Services
Reports To:      Director   

Hours:               40 Hrs/Wk – Full Time                                    

Position Summary:

To develop, implement and evaluate permanency case plans for families within Puyallup Tribe Children’s Services. Complete Guardianship/Adoption reports and home studies to achieve permanency for a child in PTCS care with PTCS recommendation for permanency. Maintain the case post permanency for 30 days to 6 months depending on the case needs. The permanency worker will complete monthly health and safety visits, assist guardianship/adoptive families and children during the transition with services such as child care and any other pertinent supportive services within the Tribe. Provides on-going and long-term assistance to children and families in permanent placements and adoption by assessing the needs of the families and providing resources and tools to preserve and sustain children in permanency.  Assist with children remaining connected to their family and cultural throughout and after permanency is achieved.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provide permanency planning case management for children in a permanent placement, which may include guardianship, adoption, long-term foster care or other arrangements as indicated.
2. Conducts home visits to assess health and safety with children, parents and placement providers to maintain the wellbeing of children in the care of Puyallup Tribe Children’s Services.
3. Work with families and caregivers to find the best possible outcome for child placement that will nurture the child’s cultural and family ties.
4. stability and preserve permanency  in collaboration with guardianship and adoptive parents and families
5. Consistently engage after permanency is reached providing ongoing support to children, adoptive parents, guardians and families.
6. Performs case consultation and collaboration with court personnel, professional therapists, medical personnel, school officials, legal professionals, and other community agencies for optimal outcomes of case plans to provide up to date wellbeing of children in court ordered guardianships.
7. Prepares detailed, comprehensive and fact based Social Service reports and testimony to court in accordance to the Child and Family Protection Code and by court order ie guardianship show cause, filling of information and affidavit and attends predetermined court proceedings.
8. Adhere to all of the Child and Family Protection Code time frames which includes all court required filings. 
9. Submit court reports and distribute to all legal parties in a timely manner.
10. Schedule Family Team Decision Meetings when needed
11. with parents, siblings and extended family members to maintain familial bond when safe and appropriate
12. Also responsible for administration of financial support records, service agreements, service episode information, tribal affiliation
13. Prepares and presents various case summaries for team, supervisor and the Puyallup Tribe Indian Child Welfare Act Committee when needed and applicable.
14. Maintains and ensures extreme level of confidentiality and appropriate professional boundaries regarding clients.
15. Participate in regular case staffing with supervisor and promptly inform of any significant changes in the case.
16. Prioritize workload based on client needs.
17. Transport clients to and from appointments as needed.
18. Available to respond to after hours emergencies as needed.
19. Ability to adapt and be flexible to constant changes in Tribal and State Children’s Services systems.
20. Adheres to the Child and Family Protection Code; Duty to Report Child Abuse and Neglect.
21. Participates in departmental staff meetings and trainings.
22. Will continuously engage in professional development including but not limited to, cross training throughout the department and keeping up with the latest trends and best practices of child welfare service delivery.
23. Participate in departmental community outreach.
24. Responsible for rotating as back-up coverage for after hour emergencies.
25. Performs other duties as assigned. 

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree (B.A. in a related field or a B.S.W.) from a four-year college or university and two years of experience in direct case management.  Working with Native American children and their families is preferred. Experience interviewing children and families is preferred.  Intermediate word processing skills (Microsoft Word) is required.  Knowledge and experience using spreadsheet applications (Microsoft Excel) is preferred. Internship hours completed in a social work setting may count as experience.

Note: Part-time work is prorated in crediting experience (e.g., if you work 20 hours per week for a 12-month period you will be credited with 6 months of experience).

Language Skills

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.  Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.  Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability

Must possess independent decision making skills, have or be willing to learn de-escalation and crisis intervention techniques.  Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Licenses Or Certificates

Current First Aid and CPR certification and HIV/AIDS training certificate.

Must pass Washington State Department of Social and Health Services criminal history and CPS background inquiry every two years unless otherwise indicated.

Must have valid Washington State driver’s license and proof of insurance.

Willing to attend training for professional development.

Other Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of legal requirements of Puyallup Tribal Court- Children’s Code, and U.S. Federal Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.

Knowledge of Native American family dynamics.  Sensitive to and familiar with the social/cultural needs of Tribal children and their families.

Must pass tuberculosis test.

Knowledge of DCYF systems and procedures.

Willing to travel with little or no notice.

This position may be required to telework on either a part time or full time basis depending upon the needs of the department and the organization.  If required to telework, employee agrees to complete the Telework Agreement and abide by the Telework Policy and work expectations.

Physical Demands

• Requires the ability to operate a typewriter, personal computer, multi-line telephone, calculator, facsimile and photocopier.
• Requires the ability to read, write, communicate, and interpret information accurately in English.
• Requires the ability to concentrate and consistently produce accurate work.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required talk or hear.
• The employee is frequently required to sit.
• The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; reach with hands and use hands to finger, handle and feel.
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• The noise level is low to moderate.
• The physical exertion is low to moderate.
• Work is performed in an office setting with some occasional outside travel.
• There are frequent employee contacts and interruptions during the day.
• Position may be stressful at times due to the sensitive or confidential issues being addressed.
• Requires local travel using employee’s personal transportation.

The Puyallup Tribe of Indians reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. This position description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.

Indian Preference Employer as Required by Law