Position Description: Siblings in foster care keep saying: we belong together!Help make this a reality by becoming a Neighbor To Family foster caregiverBe a part of a trained, professional team dedicated to helping abused and neglected children by opening your heart and your home:

• Do you have the space and willingness to accept three or more children in your home?
• Are you available to meet the needs of the children with 24/7 staff support?
• Are you willing to mentor birth parents?

SUMMARY: Neighbor To Family Foster Caregivers provide temporary care to sibling groups in foster care in their homes and serve as an integral member of the family team. The Professional Foster Caregiver acts as the link between birth families, professional team members, and the children. Professional Foster Caregivers provide a caring home environment, meet the daily needs of children placed, and remain in compliance with State licensing regulations.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following with other duties as assigned:

• Ensure childrens physical, emotional, and medical needs are met through the coordination of schedules and services in partnership with NTF staff, providers, and other stakeholders as appropriate.
• Provide nonphysical discipline techniques that promote self-esteem and respect both the childs ethnicity and culture while following agency policy.
• Arranges activities to meet the recreational, cultural and spiritual needs of the children to maintain a fundamental sense of normalcy and familiarity.
• Provide progress notes and documentation as required by NTF policy and state mandate.
• Maintain the Child Resource Book with past and current health records and educational records.
• Consult birth parents on decisions to the extent possible and permitted by the court.
• Support families in meeting their needs including transportation.
• Model and mentor birth parents in basic parenting skills.
• Include birth parents in educational and medical care by inviting them to attend and modeling/coaching birth parents when appropriate.
• Attend and participate in NTF Family Team meetings.
• Communicate all pertinent information regarding childrens emotional, educational, behavioral, health, and legal status with team members throughout service delivery.
• Demonstrates a highly professional and non-judgmental relationship with birth parents.
• Maintain in-depth and current knowledge of the following:
  • Significance of the sibling bond
  • Neighbor To Family Team Meeting Process
  • Trauma and sexual safety related to childhood abuse and neglect
  • Developmental stages of children and the dynamics of sibling relationships
  • Positive behavioral supports and/or applied behavior analysis
  • Ability to stabilize and protect children
  • Range of community resources

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The individual must be able to meet the foster home licensing requirements of both NTF and the State of Maryland.
REQUIREMENTS:

• Valid drivers license, appropriate insurance and reliable car.
• Must submit to and pass a pre-license drug test.
• Must submit to and pass random drug tests.
• Must successfully pass all background screens as required by the state.
• Must complete 70 hours of training the first year and 32 hours every year after the first year.