Overview of Kinnect

Kinnect is a private non-profit that was founded in 2005. Kinnect leverages its leadership expertise to design programs, products and services that transform the child welfare system. Kinnect leads innovation to reduce the time that children spend in the child welfare system and to prevent entry into the child welfare system. Kinnect achieves this by partnering with organizations to transform beliefs, values and actions to ensure permanent families for all children in the shortest time possible. We believe that childhood is a fundamental human right and that all children deserve permanent families. We believe that every day that a child is in foster care, separated from their kin and community is a day in crisis. We embrace hope, possibility and innovation and we treat everyone with dignity and respect.

Overview of the Kinnect to Family Program

Kinnect to Family is a specialized, intense, family search and engagement program. Diligent search strategies are used to identify a vast array of connections for children and families encountering child welfare. We empower kinship caregivers and wrap them in stabilizing supports using relentless effort, focus and determination. As with all Kinnect programs, we embrace family to be defined as biological, adoptive, foster and all other kin and persons who have meaningful relationships with the family of origin; such as neighbors, coaches, and life-long friends. We believe all children have caring and capable extended families that are willing to help raise their kin when needed. With the right tools and engagement, families can be united together to support one another through kinship care.

Position Summary

The Kinnect to Family Coach is responsible for providing coaching and support for Kinnect to Family Specialists and their Supervisors in counties and partner sites located in a geographical region in which Kinnect to Family operates.  The support comes in the form of ensuring fidelity to the model and facilitating communication among assigned counties and assigned congregate care facilities to develop mutual support and case consultation.  The Coach also provides technical assistance to support family searches and genogram development, as well as provides training to support and sustain the program.

Essential Functions

• Coach Family Specialists and Supervisors in designated pilot counties and partner sites and model best practice strategies
  provide direct support to Kinnect to Family Specialists, including:
  • Interpreting and articulating the program model and benchmarks
  • Communication among designated counties to develop mutual support
  • Regular check-in with Specialists and Supervisors for technical assistance, including relative/kin searching to help move service forward, barrier busting, and finding family supports
  • Regular consultation with each Specialist, including review of search tools, genogram, and family engagement tools
  • Conduct regular program reviews for each Specialist
• Provide technical assistance on the intake and referral process for prospective Kinnect to Family families
  Accompany Specialist to home visits, meetings and hearings for families, as needed
• Utilize technology to ensure that all electronic and paper files are properly maintained
• Identify, develop, and facilitate trainings to Specialists, Supervisors, and stakeholders as needed
• Capacity to work among child welfare and court teams
• Demonstrated commitment to the above core philosophies
• Ability to work outside of a “business as usual” model, including:
  • a “relentless” search for family
    vigorous search for and engagement of fathers
  • a strength-based approach to engaging family members in a problem-solving process to identify and organize their collective resources to support relative placement
  • Professional maturity to work independently, while also engaging with peers and supervisory staff
  • Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships
    Superior advocacy skills

Education, Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree required; Social work or related field, preferred
• Experience in the child welfare field with knowledge of foster care and adoption, strongly preferred
• Licensed social worker preferred, but not require
• Past supervisory experience, preferred
• Demonstrated experience working with interdisciplinary teams utilizing innovative strategies to overcome obstacles
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Organization and superior time management skills with the ability to meet multiple program deadlines and manage multiple tasks
• Facilitation and conflict resolution/mediation skills
• Able to adapt quickly and comfortable working with diverse populations in various environments
• Understanding of, or ability to learn, Genopro (family tree/genogram software program)
• Works independently exercising keen assessment skills
• Ability to use customer service initiatives to work with partner agencies
• Available to work a flexible schedule, which may include nights and weekends
• Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office programs
• Possess a valid driver’s license and dependable transportation

Additional skills/competencies necessary:

• Teaming: Ability to motivate and inspire a team. Must show a commitment to establishing and maintaining vision in a fast-paced fluid environment and to help team members to understand their role in helping to accomplish the vision.
• Initiative: Measure self against a standard of excellence. Undertake self-development activities and learn new skills, seek increased responsibilities, and ask for and offer help when needed.  Demonstrate the ability to work independently and harmoniously with a variety of personalities and leadership styles.
• Communication Skills: Clearly and persuasively communicate, including public speaking; listen and seek clarifications; participate in meetings; write clearly and informatively.
• Integrity: Work well in a rapidly changing environment; treat others with respect and consideration; accept responsibility for own actions. Understand business implications of decisions, align work with strategic goals, complete administrative tasks and develop strategies to achieve organizational goals.
• Flexibility: Able to multitask in a changing work environment. Handle competing demands and unexpected events. Willingness to change approach to best fit the situation.
• Dependability: Follows instructions, takes responsibility for own actions; keeps commitments.

 

Working Conditions:

Some examples of working conditions:

●      This position requires frequent travel throughout Ohio including overnights.

●      This job generally operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, etc.

All employment decisions at Kinnect are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, size, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

American’s with Disabilities Act

This position involves sitting in a stationary position for at least 50% of the time and the ability to ambulate without assistance to attend on-site meetings, as needed. The job requires movement in a typical office environment with file cabinets, office machinery, office furniture and typical hallway and access doorways. The position must operate typical office equipment, such as copiers, telephones, computers and peripherals. This job requires that the person must have the ability to access transportation to attend meetings and special events. The organization provides reasonable accommodations for this position.

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position.