Foster Care Supervisor - Central Region

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is seeking a dynamic individual to fill the critical role of Foster Care Supervisor. The selected candidate will provide supervision and guidance on complex or specialized casework to Social Workers in their unit and act as the liaison between Social Workers in the field and agency management.

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all-inclusive):

• Assign casework based on the overall caseload as well as the qualifications and abilities of direct reports.
• Review all unit casework, both in the field and through written and verbal reports, to monitor performance and to ensure agency needs are met in compliance with policies and practices.
• Assess the level of safety and risk and monitor case decisions and activity to protect the safety of involved Social Workers and to determine if decisions and actions are appropriate and in the best interest of the client and family.
• Provide or arrange training regarding current issues in the field, problem-solving techniques, available resources, and navigation of the agency and systems to encourage professional development and to improve Social Workers’ ability to assist families and clients.
• Reconcile complaints from families, community contacts, or others within the agency regarding Social Workers in the unit to ensure appropriate case management, maintain effective relationships, and ensure the safety of the client involved.
• Serve as a role model and help Social Workers prepare for interactions with the community and agency contacts to provide support for the unit and to ensure effective and professional unit representation in the community, building awareness of the agency and improving collaboration with contacts.
• Build morale and address personnel issues within the unit and across the agency to maintain a positive working environment.
• Assist unit members to coordinate and implement services that will address clients’ needs as outlined in their respective action plans.
• Act as a liaison between Social Workers and management to request and negotiate needs and resources for the unit and to implement agency policy in the field.

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated knowledge of state agencies and family systems.
• Proven ability to lead others and organize work.

TO APPLY:

Please upload both the resume and cover letter for this position when applying. First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days.

About the Department of Children and Families:

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is committed to upholding the fundamental mission of protecting children from abuse and neglect to ensure they are able to grow and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment. DCF’s vision is that all children have the right to grow up in a nurturing home, free from abuse and neglect, with access to food, shelter, clothing, health care, and education.

DCF works toward establishing the safety, permanency, and well-being of the Commonwealth's children by stabilizing and preserving families; providing quality temporary alternative care, when necessary; safely reuniting families; and, when necessary and appropriate, creating new families through kinship, guardianship, or adoption. Preferred applicants will possess a demonstrated commitment to the core practice values: 1) child-driven, 2) family-centered, 3) community-focused, 4) strength-based, 5) committed to diversity/cultural competency, and 6) committed to continuous learning.

For more information about our agency and programs, visit: www.mass.gov/dcf

Pre-Offer Process:

A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit