Adoptions Specialist — Family Safety & Permanency Advocate

One Hope United; Bartow (FL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition assistance

Paid vacation

Paid personal days

Paid sick days

Medical, dental, vision

403b Retirement

Health savings account

Flexible spending accounts

Short-term disability

Life insurance

Voluntary Life Plans

Voluntary Legal Plans

Long term disability after 1 year

Career ladders

Professional development

Supervision hours

Job summary

One Hope United in Florida seeks an Adoption Specialist I to meet families in homes, support crisis cases, and coordinate adoption-related activities. The role involves court appearances, home studies, and coordinating with biological and foster families to ensure child safety and permanency.

Must have a related degree and 1–2 years of child welfare experience, plus Florida Child Welfare Certification. Travel to communities and non-traditional hours are part of the job.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in Social Work, Criminology, Psychology, Sociology, Counseling, Special Education, Education, Human Development, Child Development, Family Development, Marriage & Family Therapy, or Nursing from an accredited college or university
• Experience: One to Two years of related child welfare experience; one year of childwelfare adoptions
• Certification: State of Florida; Child Welfare Certification
• Other: Reliable transportation, valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record with OHU required levels of coverage for auto insurance, knowledge of FSFN adoption procedures; workable knowledge of community resources

Responsibilities

• Arranges match staffings for prospective adoptive families
• Assist individuals and families in crisis in a way that promotes positive change, growth development and safety for all families
• Attends all recruitment and match events
• Attends and is prepared for internal TPR cases with supervisors and case management at least once a month
• Attends court hearings, prepares and files all court documents within required timeframes
• Completes adopt only home studies, child studies, OTI and ICPC adoption home studies and subsidy files
• Conducts full-disclosures for potential adoptive families
• Conducts visits with children and prospective adoptive families that include the ongoing assessment of child safety, permanency and well-being
• Continually assesses risk of abuse, neglect and threatened harm by gathering appropriate information
• Engages and assesses families from a strengths based perspective
• Ensures children are registered on the adoption exchange within 10 days
• Ensures that post placement is completed within one week of the child being placed in the identified prospective adoptive family’s home
• Facilitates placement and delivery services in collaboration with biological, foster and adoptive families, including appropriate referrals
• Knowledge of the Adoption Program Administrative Rule (Chapter 65C-16)
• Meets with team on a weekly basis
• Must see the child in the home at least twice a month upon a matched placement
• Performs adoption related responsibilities in accordance with state and federal laws,Department of Children and Families Administrative Codes and Operating Procedures,funding source policies, and internal policies on child abuse, abandonment, and neglect within required time frames
• Prepare staffing packet for the adoption review committee upon a denial of an adoption home study
• Serves as a conduit of information between all parties to the case and identified stakeholders including medical, educational and mental health providers
• Utilizes empowerment approaches to provide case plan development with children and families
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Skills

Assess child welfare risk

Communication skills

Organization

Microsoft Windows familiarity

Data entry

Cultural sensitivity

Discretion and confidentiality

Team collaboration

Flexibility with non-traditional hours

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in Social Work/Criminology/Psychology/Sociology/Counseling/ Education or Nursing

Tools

FSFN adoption procedures

Job description

One Hope United in Florida seeks an Adoption Specialist I to meet families in homes, support crisis cases, and coordinate adoption-related activities. The role involves court appearances, home studies, and coordinating with biological and foster families to ensure child safety and permanency.

Must have a related degree and 1–2 years of child welfare experience, plus Florida Child Welfare Certification. Travel to communities and non-traditional hours are part of the job.