Description
About the Organization:
The Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) is a national leader in mental health services for the adoption, foster, and kinship care community. We envision a world where every child and family connected to adoption, foster, and kinship care thrives, embracing our individual and collective diversity. We improve the well-being and permanence of children and their families by delivering adoption-competent mental health services, training a national network of professionals, and informing the field through research and advocacy. We work nationally to build the capacity of States, Tribes, and territories to create competent systems and service arrays and improve access to those services.
For over 25 years, C.A.S.E. has combined best practices and innovation to provide specialized individual and family therapy, psychiatric services and support groups, education, and training. We have become a local, national, and international resource for adoptive, kinship, and foster families and the professionals who support them. C.A.S.E. set out in 2021 on a new strategic direction to grow our clinical and training programs into our Academy for Elevating Clinical Practice in Permanency. It is an exciting time as we grow our evidence-based, adoption-competent clinical model and our accredited, award-winning training programs nationwide.
C.A.S.E has an annual budget of $14M and a staff of 70+ employees.
About the Position:
The Wendy’s Wonderful Kids (WWK) Recruiter position is supported through a signature program of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Using a child–focused recruitment model, the WWK Recruiter will connect youth in foster care in Virginia to permanency by implementing and coordinating effective recruitment, matching and support services for a caseload of 12-15 youth in active recruitment status. The recruiter will use the evidence-based, child-focused recruitment model to identify legally permanent resources for youth in the county’s permanent custody or APPLA status. This position requires willingness and ability to work outside normal business hours with considerable flexibility with scheduling and travel. To perform the essential functions of the job, the WWK Recruiter must be able to use their personal automobile, have a valid driver’s license and registration in Virginia, and automobile liability insurance. This position requires the candidate to reside in the Northern region of Virginia, to include Frederick/Winchester, Clark County, Loudoun County, Warren County, Shenandoah County, Falls Church/Arlington/Fairfax/Alexandria, Fairfax County, Fauquier County, Manassas/Manassas Park, Prince William County, Page County, Rappahannock County, Culpeper County, Stafford County, King George County, Spotsylvania County, Fredericksburg, Rockingham/Harrisonburg, Greene County, Orange County, or Louisa County.
The position requires the recruiter to:
1. Utilize internet search tools to identify resources within the youth’s network
2. Commit to being highly responsive to communications from county agencies and families regarding a wide array of inquiries.
3. Maintain accurate files and ensure all documentation is completed in a timely and accurate manner. This includes a thorough review of the case record and development and maintenance of a child-focused recruitment plan.
4. Ensure all contact notes are complete, up to date, and accurate.
5. Meet with youth monthly face-to-face.
6. Maintain monthly contact with county case workers assigned to cases.
7. Meet with family members and supportive connections to discuss the progress of locating permanent resources for the youth
8. Attend case coordination and treatment team meetings regularly.
9. Work with child welfare and other professionals involved with the child’s case for informational and planning purposes and to support recruitment efforts.
10. Conduct diligent search for biological family members, friends, and other previous connections who may be resources for the youth using internet search tools.
11. Once matched, work with the caseworker, youth and the permanency resource to ensure pre-placement visits are implemented
12. Assist with the development and coordination of the transition plan with the youth and matched family. Work with the youth and family during the transition process to assist with placement support
13. Work in conjunction with the case worker to ensure progress toward legal permanency.
14. Attend educational opportunities provided by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption including but not limited to: WWK classroom training virtually and in Ohio, database training, webinars, and the annual Wendy’s Wonderful Kids Summit hosted by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in Ohio.
15. Submit monthly data in the WWK database
16. Meet annual match and adoption goals set by the Dave Thomas Foundation.
17. Support children and families once matched to help ensure stability of placement and finalization.
18. Refer children and families as appropriate to services in the community and within C.A.S.E.
19. Attend and actively participate in a variety of internal and/or external meetings, committees and/or events which may not be job related, but are related to the agency’s clients, mission, and/or its employees, such as but not limited to, participation on staff committees, All Staff Meetings, the KAN conference for families, annual employee meetings and retreats, ad-hoc benefits meetings, or any other agency-wide effort.
20. Perform other related duties as may be required.
Requirements
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Ideal candidates will possess at least two years of experience in child welfare, including (but not limited to) issues surrounding foster care, adoption, trauma, medical and developmental needs of youth and the importance of legal permanency.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
· A bachelor’s degree plus two years of directly related experience, or a master’s degree in social work or a related field plus one year of directly related experience, may be substituted. Lived experience are welcomed.
· Possess a high level of understanding of the child welfare client population, foster families, and the child welfare system.
· Familiarity with the child welfare system in Virginia.
· A core belief that all children deserve legal permanency.
· Demonstrated knowledge and the ability to implement proactive, child-focused recruitment programs targeted exclusively on moving long-awaiting kids from foster care into adoptive families.
· Thorough working knowledge and demonstrated expertise in developing community/organizational partnerships.
· Ability and willingness to travel with flexibility to work evenings and occasional weekends
· Good interpersonal skills including the ability to work with youth and adults
· Good verbal and written communication skills, including proper grammar and spelling. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and provide oral presentations appropriate for advocacy purposes.
· Demonstrated ability to complete accurate and thorough documentation.
· Good basic arithmetic skills including attention to detail and follow-through.
· Skilled in the use of Windows-based PC environment and using Microsoft Office tools such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
· Ability to learn and navigate industry-specific software tools and applications necessary for the job.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
· Valid Driver’s License
SUPERVISION
· Supervision Exercised: NONE
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hand and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, telephone keypad, and calculator; and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, or bend. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
· This is a full-time, exempt hybrid position reporting to the Director of Case Management.
· Note: May require evening hours. Must occasionally attend specific agency functions in the evening and/or on weekends. Extensive local travel is required.
Summary
CLEARANCES: Ability to pass required state and local background checks. Required.
Salary: 65-68k Annually
Benefits: Competitive benefits including medical, dental, vision and supplemental benefits. Employer contribution to 403(B) retirement plans. Flexible work hours. Hybrid (remote/in-person) work 12 Paid Holidays, including your birthday! Vacation and Sick leave.
Please visit www.adoptionsupport.org to submit a letter of interest and a resume.
C.A.S.E. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, military or veteran status, or any other category protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.
Emboldened by the core belief that all children deserve a safe, loving, permanent home and dedicated to providing inclusive, family-focused services, C.A.S.E. draws on expertise, research, and lived experience to innovate and pay it forward by educating and empowering others. Together, we commit to work both internally and externally with Compassion, Integrity, Excellence, and Innovation.
C.A.S.E. maintains a drug and alcohol-free workplace.
C.A.S.E. participates in E-Verify.