Foster Care Community Advocate & Recruiter

State of Maine; Augusta (ME); On-site; USD 31,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13 paid holidays

3+ weeks vacation leave annually

Health insurance coverage (employer)

Job summary

The State of Maine is seeking a qualified candidate for a position in Augusta to conduct home studies and kinship assessments for resource families, and to assist in securing placements for youth entering care. The role emphasizes communication, collaboration, and detailed documentation to support families and children.

Responsibilities include recruiting and training resource families, providing ongoing support, and traveling within the district as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Social Services or Behavioral Science area -OR- a four-year combination of education, training, and/or professional experience providing services to and working directly with children and/or families.
• Knowledge of motivational interviewing and information gathering methods and techniques.
• Proven ability to gather and analyze information, reach valid conclusions, and make sound recommendations (please provide specific examples representative of your experience).
• Ability to develop and conduct recruitment and training workshops and meetings.
• Strong oral and written communications skills.

Responsibilities

• Conducting home studies, foster home investigations to determine possible violations, or kinship assessments for relatives and fictive kin placements
• Assisting in securing placements for youth entering care through OCFS utilizing available resources and best placement practices.
• Playing a key role in providing information to teams about strengths which an approved resource family can contribute toward meeting the needs of a specific child.
• Providing ongoing support to resource family applicants and approved resource families
• Recruiting and providing training and support to resource families.
• This work requires frequent overtime, emergency kinship coverage, and other overtime according to operational need. Additionally, this position regularly travels within the geographic area served by the District Office.

Skills

Motivational interviewing

Information gathering methods

Public contact work

Analysis of information

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Social Services or Behavioral Science

Job description

The State of Maine is seeking a qualified candidate for a position in Augusta to conduct home studies and kinship assessments for resource families, and to assist in securing placements for youth entering care. The role emphasizes communication, collaboration, and detailed documentation to support families and children.

Responsibilities include recruiting and training resource families, providing ongoing support, and traveling within the district as needed.