Foster Care Licensing Worker

Lutheran Child & Family Service of Michigan, Inc.; Traverse City (MI); On-site; USD 37,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

PTO and paid holidays

403(b) retirement plan with employer"s

Employee Assistance Program (SupportL1

Mileage reimbursement

Professional development and training

Collaborative, mission-driven team

Meaningful work

Job summary

Wellspring Lutheran Services seeks a Foster Care Licensing Worker in Michigan (Traverse City and Gaylord) to guide foster families through licensing, home studies and required training. You’ll assess readiness, provide ongoing support, and collaborate with teams to place children in safe, nurturing homes.

This full-time role emphasizes relationship-building, organization, and empathetic practice. You’ll work with prospective and licensed families to ensure safety, stability, and permanency for

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related human services field.
• Experience working with children and families.
• Valid driver’s license with good driving record and auto insurance.

Responsibilities

• Guide families through the licensing process, including home studies and training requirements.
• Conduct comprehensive home studies to assess strengths, readiness, and safety.
• Support licensed foster homes with ongoing guidance, monitoring, and access to resources and training.
• Collaborate with foster care teams, community partners, and licensing agencies to match children with suitable families.

Skills

Empathy

Relationship-building

Organization

Detail-oriented

Teamwork

Communication

Strong assessment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social work

Job description

Job Description: Foster Care Licensing Worker | Creating Safe Homes and Brighter Futures Wellspring Lutheran Services – Traverse City and Gaylord

Full-time | Salary $41,500 Accepting applications through October 1, 2026

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.