Role Name: Foster Care Social Worker – Tushinde Children’s Trust

Background

Tushinde Children’s Trust was founded in the UK in March 2010 and was registered as an NGO in Kenya in March 2011.Tushinde works with vulnerable families in the informal settlements of Mathare and Kiambiu with a main focus on providing them with access to education, health care and social support. Tushinde’s Foster Care Social Worker will work alongside the Social Work Manager in the delivery of Tushinde’s Family Support programme and associated programmes.

Tushinde is a child-focused employer and committed to child protection and the protection of vulnerable adults. All candidates will be screened prior to employment and every candidate, regardless of post applied for, will be expected to understand and adhere to the principles of child protection.

Key Skills

• Community mobilization skills: must be willing to participate in the activities, events and circles for the acquisition of cultural diversity.
• Ability to interpret, apply and blend a wide range of Social Work practices and child protection principles and Tushinde’s methods to help children/youth/families achieve a healthier lifestyle.
• Proven knowledge of Case Management standards, the Children Act 2022 and other relevant international and national care reform legislation.
• Knowledge and ability to interpret and apply a wide range of social work practices, child protection principles and alternative family-based care methods in respect to protection and placements of children at risk and understanding the principles and goals of families in crisis.
• Proven knowledge of theories of human behaviors and family systems and proven ability to apply social work theories in assessments, planning, action, measure and monitor to ensure competence and excellence of services provided.
• Fluent written and spoken English and Kiswahili
• Understanding of child protection systems and urban poverty issues
• Good understanding of MS Office/ G-Suite

Qualifications and Experience

• Preferred education is a Bachelor of Social Work degree or related field.
• Minimum is a Social Services Diploma or related field Diploma with at least five (5) years direct experience in child Protection and Case Management Process.
• Management, coordination and capacity building experience preferred.
• Experience working with DCS and other key government agencies is an added advantage.
• Good communication, presentation, training and report writing skills.
• A passion for ensuring that every child can enjoy their basic rights.
• An ability to be flexible and adaptable in a young and growing organization.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Delivering the Tushinde’s foster care program and ensuring adherence to the agency’s policies and procedures.
• Promote, support and maintain a network of foster care parents within the implementing Sub-Counties.
• Recruit, select, train and support Foster Parents and children within the Mathare and Kiambiu.
• Apply and ensure the consistent adherence to Tushinde’s case management approach for the placement of children in foster care families.
• Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of each foster care placement.
• Assess and recommend and/or decide upon financial requests from Foster Parents within the financial authorities delegated by the Tushinde’s CEO.
• Provide a comprehensive orientation and training package for Foster Parents as per the National Foster Care Training Manual.
• Conduct monthly follow-ups and monitoring visits as per the Foster Care Operating Procedures
• Prepare narrative reports and briefing reports for recommendations to the Foster Care Program to the Sub-County Children’s Offices and the Social Worker Manager.
• Apply performance measures and implement improvement requirements and techniques to meet program benchmarks and standards as directed by the Social Worker Manager.
• Prepare and submit to the Social Worker Manager monthly reports on program developments and CPIMS.
• Participate in job performance in accordance with the Tushinde’s policies and procedures.
• Adhere to and ensure all reporting obligations under the program’s funding arrangements and Tushinde’s policies and procedures are met.

Other Responsibilities

The Emergency Foster Care Caseworker’s role requires a dedicated caseworker who is ready to work 24 hours to efficiently respond to the emergency cases. In addition to the above roles, the caseworker will also:

• Provide information to the Social Worker Manager to allow for the development of strategies for communicating service and program impacts as part of the Agency’s overall communications and advocacy strategy.

Maintain liaison with Tushinde staff, DCS at the Sub-county offices, relevant personnel of community resources such as chief and police, foster care key partners, Child Protection Volunteers and all others concerned with the provision of the Foster Care Program.

Reporting line

The Foster Care Social Worker will report to the Lead Foster Care Social Worker and the Social Work Manager.

Salary Range: 35,000-45000 per month (gross); comprehensive individual health cover provided as a benefit.