Youth Care Professional

Since 1975, Shelter Youth and Family Services has been a leader in Chicagoland for providing the emotional and physical care, programs, and services that children need to build safer, healthier, and brighter futures. We are the only agency in the state of Illinois to provide fully comprehensive and community-based services for children and families at risk and in need. Our programs include emergency housing, transitional living, foster care, home visiting, and clinical support services.

We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Shelter Youth and Family Services is committed to providing safe, inclusive, and supportive resources for youth and families from all backgrounds and identities. We actively strive to create an environment that supports all employees, placing value in contributions from people from diverse backgrounds, and honoring all experiences, perspectives, and unique identities. Our mission is to protect children, strengthen families, and transform communities.

Joining us in this role will give you a chance to help fulfill that mission and help the community. Shelter Youth and Family Services is a smoke free and drug free workplace.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. At Shelter, Inc., we offer sixteen (16) paid holidays for full time employees and employees who work on the holiday. In addition, we offer floating holidays to recognize the religious and cultural needs and the diverse background of our employees.

Work is performed primarily in the assigned facility, and occasionally transporting clients in vehicles, meeting rooms both in the facility and at other agency sites. Shelter, Inc.'s Emergency Group Homes (Buckholz Group Home in Palatine and Jennings Home in Schaumburg) serve youth ages 11-17 who are in need of housing and support due to experiencing crises such as abuse, neglect, homelessness, runaway, and/or family conflict.

Youth stay in our programs anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks, or longer-term as needed. Staff provide intake and referral, direct supervision for the youth assigned to each emergency shelter and house management. It is a voluntary, hands‑off program (no restraints) with up to 6 youth placed at a time at each home. We also have a Transitional Living Program for male youth 17-21 located in Arlington Heights.

These are youth who are aging out of the foster care system and working more long‑term on independent living skills.

The Youth Care Professional will be working on-call or as needed, part-time (15-29 hours per week) and full-time (30 hours or more) positions. You will work with the Emergency Shelters or Transitional Living Program (if you are at least twenty‑five (25) or older). In these positions you will work with young people who are living at our facilities and help to keep them safe, provide an inclusive and welcoming environment, and help them in their development as they complete school and get ready to enter the world  staff each home 24 hours/ day and seek to hire professionals with a flexible schedule who can work days or afternoons or overnights and weekends in all cases.

We require applicants who are available to work some time during the weekend in each case. We offer competitive salaries, $21-22 per hour, and benefits for full‑time employees who work 30 hours per week or more on average. We also offer a $250 new hire bonus after 2 weeks worked and tenure bonuses at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months.

• Must be at least 21 years of age in accordance with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Licensing Standards for Emergency Shelters.
• Must be at least 25 years of age to work at the Transitional Living Program.
• Must have experience working with young people (10-25 years of age).
• Two years/60 hours of college credit from an accredited school or comparable experience preferred. Degree in human services field desired.
• Must…