Family Support Specialist

Lutheran Community Services Northwest; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Vacation and sick leave

Holidays

403(b) retirement plan

EAP

Student loan forgiveness eligibility

Job summary

Lutheran Community Services NW is seeking a Family Support Specialist for the Refugees Northwest Foster Care Program. You will execute and facilitate foster family and host home support services, including recruitment, training, and retention of caregivers for Unaccompanied Refugee Minors.

As part of the recruitment and outreach team, you will support licensing when needed, collaborate with social workers, and help ensure high-quality, trauma-informed care.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in social work or related field or equivalent experience.
• Experience in child welfare or working with caregivers.
• Strong communication skills in reading, writing, and speaking English.
• Ability to pass a criminal history background check.

Responsibilities

• Execute and facilitate foster family and host home support services.
• Recruit, train, and retain caregivers for Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (URMs).
• Support licensing of caregivers and ensure compliance with state regulations.
• Collaborate with social workers and Independent Living Case Managers as appropriate.
• Develop caregiver onboarding resources and ongoing training.

Skills

Communication skills

English proficiency

Organizational skills

Teamwork

Cultural competence

Trauma-informed care

Independent decision-making

Criminal background check clearance

Driving license

Community networking

Interviewing skills

Assessment experience

Education

Bachelor’s in social work or related field

Job description

Lutheran Community Services NW is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving communities throughout Washington, Oregon, and Idaho with a wide range of services for individuals of all ages and backgrounds. All LCSNW team members will contribute to our mission of partnering with individuals, families and communities for health, justice and hope

WHAT WE WILL DO FOR YOU:

As an employer of choice, we’re deeply committed to supporting our employees, because when you’re empowered, our mission thrives. We provide resources, tools, and care that allow you to focus on what matters most: delivering Health, Justice, and Hope to the communities we serve. We’re proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and peace of mind

• A 37.5 per hour work week to ensure work/life balance
• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription benefits to keep you and your loved ones healthy
• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance coverage at no cost to you
• Up to 2 weeks of vacation in your first year (based on hours worked)
• Up to 2 weeks of sick leave (based on hours worked)
• 12 paid agency recognized holidays
• 2 floating holidays to use your way
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching (eligibility applies)
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and your family
• Potential eligibility for Student Loan Forgiveness through our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT:

All LCSNW team members will contribute to our mission of partnering with individuals, families and communities for health, justice and hope. As a Family Support Specialist with the Refugees Northwest Foster Care Program, you execute and facilitate foster family and host home support services, including recruitment activities, training, and retention and support of caregivers for Unaccompanied Refugee Minors. This role is part of the recruitment and outreach team and supports the licensing of caregivers when necessary.

• Support the licensing process as needed by participating in intake interviews, reviewing licensing applications, ensuring compliance with state regulations, and keeping informed of WACs and DLR policies and procedures.
• Support caregivers through individual consultation, caregiver support groups, and/or topical discussions relevant to caregiver and Unaccompanied Refugee Minor youth needs, including collaboration with social workers and Independent Living Case Managers as appropriate.
• Develop educational resources and facilitate ongoing caregiver training as part of the caregiver onboarding process to enhance knowledge, strengthen skills, and improve care that addresses the specific needs of URMs, including individual consultation and collaboration with the social work team.
• Assist with development and execution of a family recruitment strategy that is responsive to program needs and strives to include a diverse group of homes that are culturally and/or linguistically matched with youth whenever possible, including the recruitment of host home opportunities.
• Support marketing efforts for caregiver opportunities, including participating in program and agency recruitment activities.
• Develop and facilitate information sessions for prospective caregivers; participate in community events to promote Refugees NW and the Foster Care program. Recruit new foster and host home families
• Contribute to foster parent/caregiver newsletter and other relevant communication.
• Support the placement team to review referrals, identify appropriate placements, and determine the best available placement options for new arrivals and youth in need of placement.
• Perform all job functions in accordance with LCSNW's agency and program specific personnel and administrative policies and procedures; current federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations; and the code of ethics of professional social work.

HOW YOU WILL BE A GREAT FIT:

• Bachelor’s in social work or related social services field, or equivalent experience
• Experience in child welfare or working with caregivers
• Well-developed communication skills with the ability to read, write, and speak English
• Strong organizational skills (ex. prioritization, multitasking, etc.)
• Independent decision-making abilities when circumstances warrant such action
• Ability to work well in a team
• Strong level of cultural competence and trauma-informed care understanding
• Ability to pass a criminal history background check
• Experience developing strong community networks to support caregivers
• Experience in marketing and communication to support program networking events and increase engagement of caregivers and community networks
• Interviewing and assessment experience
• Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity in the delivery of client services as it relates to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of populations served by the program, including individuals who have experienced loss and trauma
• Ability to make independent decisions when circumstances warrant such action
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form
• Must have a current Washington State driver's license, auto insurance, and access to a reliable vehicle
• Successfully completes tasks in a moderately noisy environment
• Interacts with others and performs tasks in-person and using technology, with long periods of stationary activity and minimal periods of increased physical activity including and not limited to sitting, standing and walking.
• Moves equipment/materials weighing up to 10 pounds; may be responsible for moving/carrying children weighing up to 25 pounds
• May travel between worksites; may be responsible for transporting clients in personal and/or agency vehicles, which may require valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and motor vehicle records clearance
• May work in a variety of settings, including and not limited to LCSNW office locations, partner agency and community-based settings, client home/community settings, outdoor settings in varying weather conditions, and faith-based settings such as churches
• Meets LCSNW criminal background clearance requirements and other job-relevant clearances as required by the State or program

Thank you! We sincerely appreciate your interest in joining the Lutheran Community Services NW team and thank all applicants for taking the time to apply. While we’re unable to respond to every candidate individually, please note that only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Lutheran Community Services NW is deeply committed to our mission of Health, Justice and Hope in all aspects of our work. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and experiences to help us build a stronger, more compassionate community.