FOSTER LIAISON
SUMMARY DESCRIPTION
This position serves as an intermediary or point of contact between foster children, foster families, and the organizations overseeing child welfare or foster care services. The Foster Liaison will be facilitating cross-functional communication, supporting each foster child, and coordinating with all supporting entities to ensure that the needs of both the children and the foster families are effectively met, which directly correlates to improved attendance.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Student Monitoring & Support
- Track foster students that qualify for being chronically absent - and determine how they need to be further supported
- Attend weekly school visits with students to build rapport/support.
- Compile and share chronically absent list with HSA - keeping updated spreadsheet of students and notes about each case that is shared with HSA and other entities who are supporting the student.
- Create an excel spreadsheet that compiles information about each student (i.e., school changes, moving, out of state, residential, or no longer in foster care) ensuring all foster students are accounted for within Washoe County School District
- Send in referral forms for foster students and families, collaborating with the Family Resource Centers
- Collect and distribute BIG reports for court reports to caseworkers.
Collaboration & Communication
- Serve as a point of contact for Re-Engagement officers and attendance officers about foster student caseload.
- Facilitate communication between Human Services Agency (HSA) case worker, educational advocates, and all other positions, as needed.
- Ensure the HSA caseworker receives current educational information when a school placement is needed to promote educational stability.
- Attend and schedule home visits with attendance officers and case workers.
Educational Stability & Enrollment
- Serve as the school designated contact to promote educational stability for students in foster care, including supporting best practices for local policies and procedures. (Student IEP meetings)
- Participate in training to ensure understanding of regulations and processes as they pertain to the enrollment and educational stability of youth in foster care.
- Serve as a resource to school administration and staff, parents, foster parents, and other providers to ensure educational stability policies and procedures are followed and always documented.
- Provide a child's support team with the benefits of educational stability and immediate enrollment.
- Provide appropriate guidance documents and forms for schools for immediate enrollment.
- Encourage a cooperative, cross-functional process to complete the enrollment process.
Transportation & Meal Support
- Assist in coordinating transportation for youth in foster care to remain in the school of origin
- Write up and deliver In Lieu Contracts for Foster reimbursement.
- Send schools monthly lists of new foster students qualifying for free meals.
Outreach & Community Engagement
- Distribute monthly newsletters regarding foster support and new student lists to all schools, via counselors, in the district.
- Attend community events to help promote and advocate for foster youth and foster funding, gain community partners and donations.
- Create fliers and pamphlets for community members to promote WCSD Foster
- Buy and deliver essential items to homes or schools for foster students.
QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of education and experience that could provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way to obtain knowledge and skills would be:
Education: An associate degree or class credits in an educational or social work field.
Experience: Two (2) or more years of experience in a school or community agency working with children in foster care or at-risk families.
Licenses/Certificates: None required.
COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE OF JOB DUTIES
Knowledge of: Foster Care, Foster Laws, or Trauma Informed approaches.
Skill in: Infinite Campus, BIG or other reporting and data tracking systems.
Ability to: Compose professional emails, documents, and trainings. Maintain and decipher data.
WORK ENVIRONMENT / PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Lifting objects up to 25 lbs.: Occasionally
- Lifting objects over 25 lbs.: Rarely
- Sitting for extended periods: Continuously
- Standing for extended periods: Occasionally
- Walking for extended periods: Occasionally
- Bending or stooping: Rarely
- Reaching above shoulder height: Rarely
- Pushing/pulling objects: Rarely
- Climbing stairs or ladders: Rarely
- Operating heavy machinery: Never
- Exposure to outdoor weather conditions: Occasionally
- Exposure to loud noises: Continuously
- Working in confined spaces: Rarely
- Working at heights: Never
- Working with hazardous materials: Never
- Repetitive hand or arm movements: Never
Definitions:
- Never: The activity or condition does not occur.
- Rarely: The activity or condition occurs less than 10% of the time.
- Occasionally: The activity or condition occurs 10-30% of the time.
- Frequently: The activity or condition occurs 30-60% of the time.
- Continuously: The activity or condition occurs more than 60% of the time.
THIS JOB SPECIFICATION SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED TO IMPLY THAT THESE REQUIREMENTS ARE THE EXCLUSIVE STANDARDS OF THE POSITION. INCUMBENTS MAY BE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW ANY OTHER INSTRUCTIONS, AND TO PERFORM ANY OTHER RELATED DUTIES AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THEIR SUPERVISOR.
The Washoe County School District is committed to providing a safe and respectful learning and working environment for all students, staff, and visitors. The District prohibits bullying, cyber-bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, and/or discrimination based on an individual's actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veterans or military status, marital status, disability or the presence of any sensory, physical or mental handicap in any of its educational programs/activities and employment, or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The District prohibits discrimination against any youth group listed in Title 36, as a patriotic society, (i.e., Boy Scouts of America) from access to public school facilities use.
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
Washoe County School District is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Washoe County School District is committed to providing all applicants and employees equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, military status, or other characteristics protected by applicable law. Here in Washoe County School District, we are a diverse group of people who honor the differences that drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our students and employees. We believe that through a culture of inclusivity, we have the power to reflect on the community we serve.
