Home Developer

We are seeking a Foster Care Home Developer to join our Foster Care and Adoption Program. The Home Developer serves in a strategic function at Buckner Children and Family Services and are responsible for the coordination and implementation of recruiting families to become Buckner foster parents and promoting Buckner Foster Care services to the community. The role will also provide an ongoing assessment of the prospective families. The role will also provide monitoring and development of the licensed foster parents Join our team and shine hope in the lives of others! 

What you'll do:

• Coordinate and implement the recruitment of foster parents for the Foster Care program. Recruitment should follow approved recruitment annual plan in collaboration with foster care and adoption program, church engagement.
• Timely and accurately complete the required licensing, assessment, and support processes to ensure that families meet Licensing Standards and are appropriately prepared to care for children and young adults.
• Make recommendations for foster care license utilization; introduce families to the need for treatment services, amend individual licenses relative to capacity, age ranges, etc. and renew licenses at required intervals.
• Maintain a supportive relationship with foster care resources, which includes identifying on-going training and support needs; assisting in obtaining such services along with other team members; coordinating, with assistance from other team members; providing support and strengthening Department relationships with foster parents; monitoring licensed foster or adoptive homes as required to ensure the home is in compliance with Licensing Standards and assisting families in resolving compliance issues.
• Make contact with and oversee foster children as required by state licensing and Buckner policy.
• Work with foster parent in coordinating visits with placing agency and/or family for family visits and contact. Assist foster parents with transportation for family visits and other necessary appointments.
• Assist foster parents with age-appropriate therapeutic and recreational activities.
• Consult with DFPS staff with recommendations about the selection of foster family resources that best meet the needs of the children, which includes recommendations for support services to maintain the least restrictive setting.
• Conduct investigations relative to complaints about licensed foster /adoptive homes in accordance with the TDFPS; identify issues and assist families in developing corrective action plans; and make recommendations for licensing enforcement when appropriate.
• Participate in foster care capacity needs assessment process by identifying and prioritizing foster / adoptive care needs at the local level.
• Provide education to foster parents on the special education services that children in care would qualify for due to the trauma history.
• Serve on call on weekends and holidays on a rotating basis. Provide crisis intervention as needed during on-call responsibilities.
• Report suspected child abuse/neglect to Administrator and appropriate law enforcement agencies.

 What you’ll bring:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field required.
• Requires extensive knowledge of modern methods and techniques required for specialized training programs.
• Requires working knowledge of the administration of training programs and knowledge of available literature in the social work field.
• Requires skill in the development of foster parents through the planning and conducting of training sessions; requires ability to maintain effective professional relationships with foster parents, staff, and 
  other disciplines.
• Requires working knowledge of current social and economic problems of community and individual health, educational and recreational needs and community and State resources.
• Requires proficient ability to speak, read and write English.
• Requires flexibility to work nights and weekends as needed to meet business needs.
• Requires ability to drive assigned vehicle(s) or personal vehicle, with appropriate state license, following all laws applicable; must provide proof of liability insurance and must be eligible to be insured under Buckner’s insurance policy. Must be age 21 or older to drive on behalf of Buckner.
• Requires ability to use up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force continuously to move objects and/or people.
• Requires ability to walk, stand and sit, sometimes for prolonged periods of time.

The above description reflects the details considered necessary to describe the essential functions of the job and should not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be performed in the job.