Foster Care Licensing Specialist

Lutheran Child & Family Service of Michigan, Inc.; Kentwood (MI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

403(b) plan with employer matching

Employee assistance program

Mileage reimbursement

Professional development

Team environment

Meaningful work

Job summary

Wellspring Lutheran Services in Kentwood, MI seeks a Foster Care Licensing Worker to guide families through licensing, complete home studies, and coordinate resources for children in foster care.

The role focuses on assessing family strengths, providing training, and coordinating with licensing agencies to ensure safe, nurturing placements across the service area. Full-time, on-site position with meaningful, community-driven impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related human services field.
• Experience working with children and families.
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record, and auto insurance.
• Strong assessment, communication, and documentation skills.
• Ability to evaluate family strengths, needs, and readiness for foster care.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Commitment to strength-based, family-centered practice.

Responsibilities

• Guide prospective and licensed foster families through licensing process, home studies, and training requirements.
• Conduct comprehensive home studies to assess family readiness and safety.
• Provide ongoing guidance and monitor compliance for licensed foster homes.
• Support foster parent recruitment and retention within the service area.
• Coordinate with licensing agencies and community partners to match children with suitable families.
• Conduct home visits, orientation sessions, and assist with placements and training.

Skills

Empathy

Relationship building

Organizational skills

Documentation skills

Communication

Assessment

Time management

Professional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social work or related human services field

Job description

Job Description: Foster Care Licensing Worker | Creating Safe Homes and Brighter Futures Wellspring Lutheran Services - Kentwood | Serving Kent & Kalamazoo counties | Full-time, on-site | Salary $41,500 +

You chose social work and child welfare because you believe every child deserves a safe place to belong. You understand that behind every successful foster care placement is a family that was prepared, supported, and equipped to meet the needs of a child. You know that foster care is about more than finding an available bed. It's about finding the right environment, the right support, and the right people to help a child feel safe, valued, and cared for. You entered this field because you wanted to make a difference in the lives of children and families. As a Foster Care Licensing Worker, you'll play an essential role in creating the homes that make healing, stability, and permanency possible. At Wellspring Lutheran Services, we're looking for a Foster Care Licensing Worker who is passionate about helping foster families succeed and ensuring children have access to safe, nurturing homes. In this role, you'll partner with prospective and licensed foster families throughout their journey, helping them understand the licensing process, complete home studies, navigate requirements, and prepare for the important responsibility of caring for children in foster care. You'll help identify strengths, provide guidance, and support families as they open their homes and hearts to youth in need. Most importantly, your work will help create safe, stable environments where children can grow, heal, and thrive.

What Your Impact Will Look Like

You’ll build relationships with individuals and families who are considering foster care, helping them understand the difference they can make in a child's life. You'll guide families through the licensing process, helping them navigate paperwork, training requirements, home assessments, and important decisions about fostering. You'll conduct comprehensive home studies that help identify each family's strengths, readiness, and ability to provide safe, nurturing care for children. You'll support licensed foster homes by providing ongoing guidance, monitoring compliance requirements, and helping families access resources and training opportunities. You'll play an important role in foster parent recruitment and retention efforts, helping create a strong network of foster families within the communities we serve. You'll collaborate with foster care teams, community partners, and licensing agencies to help ensure children are matched with families who can best meet their needs. Some days you'll be conducting home visits, facilitating orientation sessions, or completing home studies. Other days you'll be supporting licensed foster parents, helping coordinate placements, providing training, or celebrating as a family reaches an important milestone in their fostering journey. Every day, your work helps create opportunities for children to experience safety, belonging, and hope.

Why This Role Matters

Children in foster care need more than temporary housing. They need families who are prepared to meet their needs, support their growth, and provide stability during difficult transitions. The work of a Foster Care Licensing Worker helps ensure those families are equipped, supported, and ready for the responsibility of caring for vulnerable children. Through thoughtful assessment, training, guidance, and relationship-building, you help create the foundation that allows foster care placements to succeed. The impact of your work reaches every child who enters one of those homes.

The Professional We're Looking For

• You believe every child deserves a safe, supportive family environment.
• You are passionate about strengthening families and helping foster parents succeed.
• You approach people with empathy, respect, and a strength-based perspective.
• You enjoy building relationships and guiding others through important life decisions.
• You are organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable balancing multiple priorities.
• You value collaboration and teamwork.
• You are committed to ensuring quality care for children and families.

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related human services field.
• Experience working with children and families.
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record, and auto insurance.
• Strong assessment, communication, and documentation skills.
• Ability to evaluate family strengths, needs, and readiness for foster care.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Commitment to strength-based, family-centered practice.

Why Wellspring Lutheran Services?

At Wellspring Lutheran Services, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, stable, and caring environment. Our foster families make that possible, and our Foster Care Licensing Workers help make those families successful. Through recruitment, assessment, training, support, and advocacy, you'll help ensure children have access to the nurturing homes they need. This is more than a licensing role. It's an opportunity to help build the homes where children can heal, belong, and build brighter futures.

We Offer

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching
• Employee Assistance Program (SupportLinc)
• Mileage reimbursement
• Professional development and training opportunities
• A collaborative, mission-driven team environment
• Meaningful work that impacts children and families every day

Schedule

• Full-time
• Primarily daytime hours with evening and occasional weekend responsibilities to accommodate foster parent training, orientations, and home visits.
• Community-based work includes home visits, meetings, recruitment activities, and training events throughout the service area.
• Local travel requires using a personal vehicle within the service area.

About us

For more than 130 years, Wellspring Lutheran Services has been a trusted partner for families across Michigan, providing compassionate support and critical services to help people thrive during times of challenge and change. With deep roots in communities statewide, our team is united by a shared vision of changed lives, strong families and transformed communities. Our mission: Motivated by Christ's love, we engage people as they experience and embrace their God-given potential.

Full job description available during the interview.

We have a bold vision at Wellspring. We truly believe that through the way we serve and love others, we can change lives, strengthen families and transform communities. We also believe each person who walks through our doors has purpose. One of the most rewarding gifts we receive daily is the opportunity to embrace that purpose, by using our God-given gifts to transform the lives of others. This may be the people we serve – or it may be through our interaction with each other as coworkers. And we'd love to have you join our team.