Kinship Navigator- Ridgeland

The Kinship Navigator is responsible for working directly with kinship caregivers to provide support as they care for their relative children. The Kinship Navigator assists in identifying needs, providing referrals, providing emotional support and guidance as well as connecting kinship families with community resources. Resources include locating child care, securing basic needs such as food, clothing, and furniture, applying for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Food Stamp assistance, locating respite care, mental health counseling, and health care. The Navigator acts as a liaison between the relative family, the biological family, the Department, other agencies, and community resources and assists the relative family in developing a support network.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

1. Provides support and guidance to the kinship family, including helping to navigate the child welfare system, gain access to public and private community resources, permanency planning, and interpreting policies and procedures for programs serving families and children
2. Makes accurate needs assessment and makes appropriate referrals
3. Maintains regular and consistent contact with kinship families in the office, client's home, or in the community
4. Helps kinship caregivers to determine eligibility, obtain and complete forms, and attend necessary appointments for services or resources
5. Refers to community outreach programs
6. Ability to seek out additional funding for kinship family's needs
7. Assists in linking family to recreational activities/resources for relative children placed in kinship caregiver's home
8. Safeguards the family's dignity and protects the rights and individuality of each kin family under his/her supervision
9. Maintains appropriate boundaries and remains in compliance with HIPAA privacy laws
10. Collaborates as a team member with biological families, the Department, judicial staff, and other collaterals
11. Maintains good communication with the team
12. Participates in assigned meetings
13. Completes and maintains all service documentation and statistics as required
14. Other duties as assigned

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:

Kinship Navigators will have a Bachelor's Degree (preferably in social work, human services or related field). Two (2) years experience working directly with families including identifying needs and linking families to appropriate services such as health services, legal services, housing, counseling, social services, child care, and respite resources.

SKILLS/ABILITIES:

1. Ability to provide education and advocacy on behalf of kinship families; and strong empathy and understanding of the unique role, needs, and challenges of kinship caregivers
2. Ability to promote placement stability and positive permanency outcomes
3. Ability to respond quickly to time-sensitive requests
4. Ability to engage with high level personnel and build partnerships
5. Knowledge of Child Protective Services and Foster Care best practices
6. Ability to travel within assigned district
7. Demonstrates excellent problem-solving and conflict resolution skills
8. Demonstrates strong commitment to children being placed with kinship families as well as holds a value that family connections are paramount and demonstrates competence in working with families involved in the child welfare system
9. Demonstrates ability to evaluate situations and make decisions regarding case services or family needs
10. Possesses excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with a specific emphasis on transparent and sensitive communication with clients, colleagues, supervisors, and community members including the ability to communicate at all levels
11. Knowledge of community resources available for support of kinship families
12. Demonstrate awareness of, sensitivity to, and competence in dealing with a culturally and socioeconomic diverse client population