Family Teacher - Landmarks for Families

1. Services: Effectively develops youth behavior through positive, appropriate, and continuous use of the Teaching-Family philosophy. Initiates frequent one-to-one sessions using strategies that effectively address targets of the Comprehensive Care Plan (CCP). Actively interacts with youth and serves as a positive role model for the youth in the program:

2. Documentation: Assists with timely, thorough, and objective documentation of staff interventions and benefits of all activities. Documentation includes completing intake documentation (including obtaining signatures of DSS personnel), communication logs, progress notes, bed check logs, incident reports, USDA meal documentation sheets, and other documentation as required. Reads all logs in accordance with Landmarks for Families policies and procedures.

3. Operations: Initiates and ensures completion of all activities related to maintenance of resident schedules including completion of chores, laundry, food service/meals. Initiates reports that improve the safety and security of the building. Actively takes steps to improve physical environment in order to increase the safety of the program. Specifically, the following must be completed during every shift:

4. Staff Training: Completes all initial and annual trainings in accordance with DSS regulations and Landmarks for Families policies and procedures including but not limited to: Teaching Family Training(s), Non-Violent Crisis Prevention Training, CPR / First Aid, and Prevention of Disease Transmission/Blood Borne Pathogens. Actively seeks out trainings that build skills for assessing and/or caring for youth have experience abuse and neglect.

Must maintain education requirements of the South Carolina Department of Social Services of minimally fourteen (14) continuing education/training hours per year.

Participates in all mandatory staff meetings, and as available, on-campus special events.

5. Teamwork, Quality Improvement, and Cultural Sensitivity: Promotes the spirit of teamwork, demonstrating the ability to be a good colleague, strives to continuously improve the quality of the agency and self; accepts cultural and individual differences, upholds the vision and mission of the agency and actively participates in agency initiatives to achieve these goals.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

1. Teach youth to engage in appropriate social behavior using the Teaching-Family Model (training is provided for full-time employees).
2. Obtain Teaching Family Certification after initial evaluation.
3. Provide a loving, sensitive, and caring environment for youth.
4. Provide supervision and monitoring to youth in care.
5. Schedule doctor and dentist appointments and attend with youth.
6. Provide for social/educational development.
7. Document youth records including skill cards, incident reports, medication logs, and allowance forms.
8. Schedule and conduct weekly house meetings to discuss the home, youth schedules and goals, and upcoming events to ensure coordination among staff members.
9. Assist with daily activities.
10. Maintain physical facilities of the home.
11. Accept feedback and direction from the Residential Manager and Director.
12. Help the youth respect their boundaries with the main part of the home and the individuals who reside there.
13. Oversee preparation of nutritious meals and snacks that are in line with guidelines from a nutritionist.
14. Attend to all of the physical, emotional, and treatment needs of each individual youth in an ethical and responsible manner.
15. Perform other duties as assigned by the Residential Manager or Director.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE JOB:

1. Willingness to drive to campus to respond to crisis situations.
2. Willingness to work outside of regular business hours, including during crisis situations and/or emergency evacuations.
3. Willingness to maintain regular on-call status.
4. Ability and desire to work with youth who have experienced trauma and may exhibit behavioral challenges.
5. Must be at least 23 years of age.
6. Must be approved to drive youth in agency-owned vehicles by Landmarks for Families' insurance carrier.

EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED TO PERFORM THE JOB:

• Strong command of Learning Theory and associated goals, standards, and elements of the Teaching-Family Model. Training will be provided.
• Demonstrate exceptional professionalism, accountability, and communication skills.
• Must be willing to work a flexible work week, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Work effectively as a team member and is independently self-directed.
• Ability to observe and specifically describe behaviors.
• Ability to give and accept feedback.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to exhibit emotional control, patience, and persistence in extremely stressful situations.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and implement work activities independently.
• Ability to make decisions using sound judgment, with information at hand.
• Ability to model appropriate youth intervention skills consistent with the Teaching-Family Model.
• Ability to model professional behavior.
• Ability to negotiate crisis situations and remain calm.
• Ability to communicate professionally both orally and in writing.
• Ability to use computer programs such as word processors, email, the internet, and electronic records systems.
• Ability to become certified in de-escalation and restraint techniques.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• See well enough to read reports, skill cards, monitor youth, drive a vehicle, and observe discrete behaviors.
• Hear well enough to converse on the telephone and hear comments mumbled under breath.
• Speak well enough to teach skills, give feedback, discuss strategies, and converse on the telephone.
• Physical ability to perform physical holds if/when necessary.
• Climb flights of stairs and get into van.
• Stamina to work long shifts and drive for up to four hours.
• The ability to work under adverse conditions.
• The ability to teach to and de-escalate potential verbal and physical threats from youth.

CANDIDATES ARE REQUIRED TO:

1. Provide a certified, 10-year copy of their driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles and be approved as a driver by the agency's insurance carrier.
2. Pass a pre-employment physical and drug screen.

This job description is not intended to be a complete and exhaustive statement of the requirements of the job of a Family Teacher. It is more representative of what is typical of this job. Because a Family Teacher oversees youth on a 24-hour basis it is impossible to describe all of the things that may be involved in this job. A Family Teacher may be asked to do other things that are not listed here, as directed by his or her supervisor, or as the circumstances may dictate.

Contacts: Will work within the agency with clients, families, peers, and supervisor and with representatives of DSS and other outside agencies and community representatives.

License or Certification: Valid SC driver's license and good driving record.

Decision-Making Authority: Must possess the ability to make sound decisions based on Landmarks for Families policies and procedures and weigh all the factors of good judgment. The judgement/decision could involve the protection and welfare of a child responding to change.

Major Challenges:

1. To successfully work with a group of children with a wide variety of presenting needs and problems in a temporary setting.
2. To actively involve children of different ages and developmental stages in activities.

Functional Knowledge: Basic, with good working knowledge of appropriate child management practices.

Type of Knowledge Required: Must possess the knowledge and cultural sensitivity necessary to work with diverse population of children who have been traumatized, and must have the ability to use basic counseling techniques.

Education and Specific Training: A high school diploma or equivalent is required. Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, counseling, education, or a related human services field is preferred. Will consider an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience Level: At least one year in paid or unpaid childcare.

Responsibility Level: Works independently under the direction of the Residential Manager. Follows established procedures.

Lead Supervisory Responsibility: N/A