Foster Family Recruiter and Training Specialist - Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains : Job Details

Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains is a nonprofit, human services agency where you have the opportunity to provide support to children and families across the Rocky Mountain region. We are passionate about what we do and dream of inspiring community through our commitment and mission. We are a welcoming agency that believes that ALL people from the newborn to the elderly are valued members of our communities. If you want to make a difference where you live while serving alongside other amazing professionals, Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains invites you to apply.

The Foster Care Recruiter and Training Specialist is responsible for cultivating a robust network of strong foster families for the foster care program. This role requires the development and implementation of a foster family recruitment and retention plan. Additionally, this position will be responsible for the initial and ongoing training of foster parents and broader foster care network, in accordance with agency, state, and federal expectations. A successful Recruiter/Trainer will have a creative and strategic approach to foster family recruitment and retention, maintain a working knowledge of the program, and a strong sense of child welfare best practices.

Occupational Competencies:

• Meet standards of practice: Familiarity with or the ability to learn social work practice, human development, child welfare system and family systems, including appropriate local, state, and federal regulatory rules.
• File management: Experience with keeping organized, complete, and accurate files, including regular auditing to ensure compliance.
• Deliver services within diverse cultural communities: Skills and sensitivity in working with youth and families from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds with a variety of challenges.
• Adapt teaching to student's capabilities: Familiarity with identifying the learning struggles and successes of students. Select teaching and learning strategies that support students' individual learning needs and goals.
• Respond to enquiries: Experience with processing initial applications and paperwork from prospective foster parents and facilitating the application process.
• Observe confidentiality: Knowledge to observe rules establishing the nondisclosure of information except to another authorized person.
• Leading events: Experience with supporting program activities, including room reservations, securing donations of supplies and/or services for foster parents and foster children, assisting with foster parent recognition and retention activities.

Foundational Competencies:

• Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting.
• Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Example Activities:

• Coordinate the scheduling, development, and implementation of recruitment activities to maintain a pool of diverse and culturally-sensitive families for the program.
• Foster strategic partnerships with community stakeholders.
• Oversees on-going foster parent trainings, hires speakers, and maintain training records.
• Develops and manages Recruitment and Retention plan by developing and facilitating supportive activities for existing foster families.
• Develops resources to support foster families, including but not limited to: foster family access to cultural, sporting, and recreation events.
• Supports licensing responsibilities, as needed.
• Conduct home visits for initial licensure and licensure renewal, as needed.

Must maintain a valid driver's license and carry personal auto liability insurance at the level of $100,000/300,000/100,000. Occasional local travel with personal vehicle.

Required Certifications:

• Bachelor's degree in the behavioral sciences, human services, or social services fields.
• Child welfare and/or case management experience is strongly encouraged.
• Bi-lingual English and Spanish strongly preferred.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this job description are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.