Respite Care Provider

Description

SUMMARY OF JOB PURPOSE:

Provides live-in respite care to foster youth during house parent time off. Responsible for providing parental role modeling using the therapeutic model to care for youth in a nurturing, caring and safe home-like environment. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

This class specification lists the major duties and requirements of the job and is not all-inclusive. Incumbent(s) may be expected to perform job-related duties other than those contained in this document and may be required to have specific job-related knowledge and skills. 

• This position provides on-going direct care, emotional nurturing, and daily supervision of children ages 0-18 years and lives on campus 3-4 days per week to provide respite for Foster Parents on staff.
• Works with Behavioral Health staff to provide updates and follow through on clinical recommendations.
• Coordinates and facilitates needed services and interventions.
• Identifies and responds to children's needs; including hunger, medical care, transportation, appointments, school, etc.
• Administers and documents medication. Works with person legally responsible to begin, continue, or discontinue medication.
• Teaches youth social, self-help, academic, independent living, problem solving, personal hygiene, money management and employment skills to maximize skill development and independent living.
• Provides crisis intervention to youth while maintaining emotional self-control.
• Attempts to de-escalate youth in crisis. Uses approved containments if child poses a physical threat to self or others.
• Provides home cooked meals in family style dining.
• Communicates with youth’s team to provide information in regard to youth behaviors, strategies, and progress.
• Provides emotional and moral support and serves as a role model.
• Attends court sessions, team meeting, and conferences on behalf of youth and advocates for youth’s best interest.
• Continually provides support for academic success; monitors academic performance; assists with homework; provides transport to extracurricular school activities.
• Completes documentation as required.
• Interacts with, engages, and teaches youth while at home, on campus, in the community, and during events.
• Conducts routine house maintenance; reports repair needs to supervisor; and performs housekeeping duties as required.
• Ensures home meets DFS licensing, health department, and USDA requirements at all times.
• Ensures financial responsibility of household and youth funds. Responsible for submitting receipts, reconciliation, and reports.
• Maintains line of sight supervision on youth at all times, depending on age and maturity.
• Represents the organization with dignity, integrity, and a spirit of cooperation in all relationships with staff and the public.
• Performs House Parent duties as required, when providing respite breaks.
• Will be required to work in any licensed St. Jude’s home as a live-in,(3.5 days a week) capacity.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education and Experience:

• Associate's Degree in Child Development, Early Childhood Education, Psychology, Social Work, or a related field; AND one (1) year of child care experience; OR an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Must be a minimum of twenty-one (21) years of age. 
• Must have a valid driver's license with a minimum 5 years driving history. 

Required Knowledge and Skills

• Basic principles and theories of social work and early childhood development.
• Assessing and responding to children's needs.
• Rules and regulations related to work.
• Record keeping and report writing.
• Basic principles of behavior management and modification for children.
• Communicating effectively in oral and written forms.
• Techniques for working with a wide variety of people from various backgrounds.  
• Performing effective crisis intervention and counseling.
• Organizing own work, setting priorities and meeting critical deadlines.
• Assessing and analyzing client situations and developing and implementing effective recommendations.
• Using initiative and independent judgment within established procedural guidelines.
• Contributing effectively to the accomplishment of team goals

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Mobility to work in a home and office setting, use standard home appliances and office equipment; drive a motor vehicle in order to transport youth; strength to lift, carry children; vision to read printed materials; stamina to sit, stand and walk for extended periods of time; strength to lift and carry up to 50 pounds; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen, and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone.

Work is subject to performance under exposure to adverse environmental conditions, hazardous chemicals, biohazards, gasses, dust, noxious odors and extensive travel.