Overview
In support of the mission of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) and its Child Protection Training Academy (CPTA) program of training for IDCFS staff across the State of Illinois, the Simulation Facilitator of the DCFS CPTA at NIU will assume responsibility for providing coaching, support and training before and during the simulation experience to child welfare staff, inclusive of new and veteran investigators, placement workers, and intact workers. This will include facilitating debriefing for simulations, as well as providing orientation to roles. The Simulation Facilitator will assist the Associate Director/Lead Facilitator of the DCFS CPTA at NIU as necessary.
The position is housed in the area of Human Development and Family Sciences in the School of Family and Consumer Sciences. The School has 14 full-time faculty members and three supportive professional staff and offers two undergraduate degrees and one Master’s degree (
https://www.chhs.niu.edu/facs/index.shtml) with specializations in Marriage and Family Therapy and Leadership in Aging Studies. The School also houses a Couple and Family Therapy Clinic and a Child Development and Family Center. Northern Illinois University is a Doctoral/Research extensive university with a diverse student body of over 17,000, located 65 miles west of Chicago.
Position Summary
Working with the staff of the DCFS CPTA at NIU, responsible for providing coaching, support and training before and during the simulation experience to child welfare staff, inclusive of new and veteran investigators, placement workers, and intact workers.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Facilitation of Simulated Learning
Provide coaching, support, and debriefs with learning participants during residential, mock medical/multi-purpose lab, and courtroom simulations, such as:
- Modeling examples of strengths-based feedback
- Ensuring learning participants’ skills are reflected on in a safe learning environment
- Reviewing learning participants’ concerns and discussing organic questions in the moment
- Ensuring learning participants utilize and adhere to rule and procedure
- Modeling examples of suggested phrases to complete investigative or casework process
- Modeling examples of how to address safety concerns and how to mitigate
Training Support for DCFS Personnel
- Provide training to support the preparation of DCFS Investigators, as well as DCFS and private sector Intact and Permanency staff in the classroom for the simulation education experience and work collaboratively with DCFS and University Foundations training facilitators to synthesize information learned in classroom as into skill based experiential learning.
- Support field trainers or other Office of Learning and Professional Development trainers (if and when utilized) in the classroom as needed, modeling classroom management and delivery of content.
- Coordinate with personnel from the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning related to the facilitation of virtual simulation scenarios
Simulation Environment Manipulation
- Prepare/stage residential labs, mock court room, and mock medical/multi-purpose lab for simulations.
- Assist the Simulation Logistics Coordinator, Lead Simulation Facilitator and the Associate Director in ensuring actors are in place and learning participants complete all simulation experience tasks.
- Work collaboratively with university partners, DCFS, and stakeholders in providing input as it pertains to the relevance and mission of the CPTA and the Department’s ongoing use of simulations.
- Scouting, planning and implementation of “pop-up” simulation scenarios (outside of the Simulation and Training Center)
Other Activities
- Endorse and educate the community and outside interests on the mission and goals of the workforce development partnership with DCFS and the mission of the University.
- Attend other DCFS trainings as identified by the Office for Learning and Professional Development.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)
1. Any one or combination totaling three (3) years (36 months) from the categories below:
A. Coursework in social work or behavioral sciences, or closely related field as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:
- 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
- Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
- 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
- Bachelor’s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)
B. Progressively more responsible work experience in social service/counseling at a paraprofessional level under qualified supervision.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)
- Working knowledge of human nature.
- Ability to interview individuals to determine their physical, social, and/or possible psychological needs.
- Ability to organize, prepare, and maintain records, reports, files, and correspondence.
- Ability to obtain services necessary to meet participants’ needs.
- Ability to establish effective working relationships with program participants and staff.
Specialty Factors (Civil Service)
1. Demonstrated professional work experience in child protection investigations and child welfare.
2. Demonstrated professional work experience teaching, training and/or facilitating in a social service or university environment.
Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)
1. Masters degree in social work or related field
2. At least 4 years combined direct experience in child protection investigations and child welfare.
3. Two years of university teaching experience, or previous trainer/facilitation experience
4. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as a team member with individuals from diverse backgrounds
5. Cultural and linguistic competence
