About Little Flower,

Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York is a not-for-profit charity serving children, families, and individuals with developmental disabilities across New York City and Long Island. Our staff of over 600 people provide caring and professional services to nearly 2,000 people every year. Since 1930, Little Flower has been committed to improving the lives and well-being of those we serve by providing foster boarding home care, residential treatment care and where appropriate, adoption. Our work focuses on strengthening the family so that they can provide a safe nurturing environment for raising children and to overcome a myriad of obstacles that threaten a child’s safety.

The Behavior Specialist assists and supports the Caseworker in providing services for children and families in the Enhanced Family Foster Care Program. The Behavioral Specialist works primarily with the child (ren) in the foster home. The Behavior Specialist works in concert with the caseworker to provide broad task-oriented service delivery to families in the EFFC Program. Performs child/youth care functions relevant to daily foster home care, including the delivery of respite and crisis intervention services in the foster homes.

Principle Responsibilities:

• Share 24-hour 7-day cell phone coverage with the social worker.
• Shares in the pre-placement process with the social worker.
• During the first week a child is in placement, the Behavior Specialist should visit the foster home at least three times and have daily phone contact to monitor the child’s adjustment to the foster home.
• Helps foster parents develop sensitivity and awareness of children’s problems, including the separation and loss experienced by the child.
• Establishes and maintains regular contact (a minimum of once per week) with children and foster parents and provides support.
• Develops appropriate behavior plans, refining and revising as needed.
• Collects and reviews weekly positive time sheets.
• Maintain monthly contact with the school, by phone or in person.
• Attends CSE and other school meetings with the EFFC program Educational Coordinator.
• Maintain weekly telephone contact with each child’s therapist. Document in progress notes.
• When a child is in a respite placement for more than a weekend, the Behavior Specialist should make at least one home visit and frequent telephone contact to monitor the child’s adjustment to the respite foster home.
• For each child who is 14 or older, the Behavior Specialist is responsible for working with the child on independent living skills.
• Participates in treatment team meetings.
• Participates in the recreational activities for the EFFC program.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Psychology, or Sociology required. Previous experience preferred.

Travel Requirements:
This position is in Brooklyn, NY with some travel to other boroughs.

A Valid NYS Driver’s License if using personal vehicle or agency vehicle to drive on agency business.

Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected group status