Permanency Specialist

A Second Chance; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 46,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A Second Chance is seeking a Permanency Specialist in Pittsburgh, PA to support foster care and adoption services for children and families. The role includes home visits, documentation, and coordinating with county agencies to promote permanency outcomes.

The position requires an Associate’s Degree in Social Work or substantial child welfare experience, plus strong organizational and communication skills. It is a full-time, nonExempt role with flexible hours, including evenings and some

Qualifications

• Must have excellent organizational, verbal and written communication, and inter-personal skills.
• Must demonstrate leadership tenants and the ability to work independently with children and families.
• Knowledge of Kinship Foster Care services and adoption preferred.
• Must possess excellent case management and client assessment skills.
• Must have the ability to work effectively and cooperatively with other professionals and service providers.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a Child Preparation caseload and complete Child Preparation services in accordance with SWAN Standards and agency expectations.
• Conduct home visits, child interviews, caregiver meetings, and collateral contacts as required.
• Develop and maintain Lifebooks and other permanency preparation activities that promote emotional readiness for permanency.
• Complete all required documentation, progress reports, and service plans within established timeframes.
• Monitor Child Preparation referrals to ensure timely engagement and service completion.
• Provide consultation and support to Child Preparation workers as assigned.
• Track Child Preparation outcomes and identify barriers to timely completion
• Maintain a CSR caseload and complete Child Specific Recruitment services in accordance with SWAN Standards.
• Develop individualized recruitment strategies to identify permanent family connections for children and youth.
• Facilitate Permanency Planning Meetings and participate in CUA, DHS, provider, and court-related meetings as appropriate.
• Coordinate recruitment efforts with county agencies, providers, resource families, and community partners.
• Monitor CSR referrals, timelines, and permanency outcomes to ensure compliance with contractual expectations.
• Review completed CSR reports for quality, accuracy, and adherence to SWAN requirements prior to submission, when assigned.
• Analyze recruitment trends and recommend strategies to improve permanency outcome
• Maintain a Post-Permanency caseload providing Assessment and Case Advocacy services.
• Coordinate services and supports for adoptive, kinship, and guardianship families to promote placement stability.
• Facilitate family meetings and collaborate with community providers to address identified service needs.
• Monitor service plans, referrals, and family progress to ensure timely delivery of services.
• Maintain accurate documentation and submit all required reports within established timelines.
• Track post-permanency outcomes and identify trends affecting family stabilization
• Interface with CYF/County agencies, DHS, CUA, providers, courts, schools, and community partners to coordinate service delivery.
• Prepare monthly reports, progress notes, service plans, and other documentation required by CYF/County agencies, DHS, CUA, SWAN, and A Second Chance, Inc.
• Maintain accurate electronic case records and ensure documentation meets agency and contractual standards.
• Adhere to all agency policies, confidentiality requirements, and professional standards.
• Participate in agency meetings, trainings, committees, and special projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Work on-call hours as directed.
• Work evening and weekend hours, as needed.
• Interface with all service providers for the purpose of service delivery and goal planning meetings.
• Prepare monthly progress reports, service plans and other reports are required by DHS/CUA, DPW, and the agency.
• Adhere to all other program and agency policies and procedures governing the objective of the agency and program.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Organizational skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Interpersonal skills

Leadership

Case management

Independent work with children and/or

Education

Associate’s Degree in Social Work

5 years experience in Child Welfare

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Pittsburgh Corporate Office - Pittsburgh, PA 15221 Salary Range: $51,604.80 Permanency Specialist

Educational Requirements

Associate’s Degree in Social Work or 5 years experience in Child Welfare or related field required. Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Work Experience

Experience working directly with children and families in the areas of foster care and adoption.

Supervisory Requirements

None

Status

Full-time; Non-exempt

Qualifications

• Must have excellent organizational, verbal and written communication, and inter-personal skills. Must demonstrate leadership tenants and the ability to work independently with children and families. Knowledge of Kinship Foster Care services and adoption preferred. Must possess excellent case management and client assessment skills. Must have the ability to work effectively and cooperatively with other professionals and service providers.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Child Preparation Services

• Maintain a Child Preparation caseload and complete Child Preparation services in accordance with SWAN Standards and agency expectations.
• Conduct home visits, child interviews, caregiver meetings, and collateral contacts as required.
• Develop and maintain Lifebooks and other permanency preparation activities that promote emotional readiness for permanency.
• Complete all required documentation, progress reports, and service plans within established timeframes.
• Monitor Child Preparation referrals to ensure timely engagement and service completion.
• Provide consultation and support to Child Preparation workers as assigned.
• Track Child Preparation outcomes and identify barriers to timely completion

Child Specific Recruitment Services

• Maintain a CSR caseload and complete Child Specific Recruitment services in accordance with SWAN Standards.
• Develop individualized recruitment strategies to identify permanent family connections for children and youth.
• Facilitate Permanency Planning Meetings and participate in CUA, DHS, provider, and court-related meetings as appropriate.
• Coordinate recruitment efforts with county agencies, providers, resource families, and community partners.
• Monitor CSR referrals, timelines, and permanency outcomes to ensure compliance with contractual expectations.
• Review completed CSR reports for quality, accuracy, and adherence to SWAN requirements prior to submission, when assigned.
• Analyze recruitment trends and recommend strategies to improve permanency outcome

Post-Permanency Services

• Maintain a Post-Permanency caseload providing Assessment and Case Advocacy services.
• Coordinate services and supports for adoptive, kinship, and guardianship families to promote placement stability.
• Facilitate family meetings and collaborate with community providers to address identified service needs.
• Monitor service plans, referrals, and family progress to ensure timely delivery of services.
• Maintain accurate documentation and submit all required reports within established timelines.
• Track post-permanency outcomes and identify trends affecting family stabilization

Administrative Responsibilities

• Interface with CYF/County agencies, DHS, CUA, providers, courts, schools, and community partners to coordinate service delivery.
• Prepare monthly reports, progress notes, service plans, and other documentation required by CYF/County agencies, DHS, CUA, SWAN, and A Second Chance, Inc.
• Maintain accurate electronic case records and ensure documentation meets agency and contractual standards.
• Adhere to all agency policies, confidentiality requirements, and professional standards.
• Participate in agency meetings, trainings, committees, and special projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Work on-call hours as directed.
• Work evening and weekend hours, as needed.
• Interface with all service providers for the purpose of service delivery and goal planning meetings.
• Prepare monthly progress reports, service plans and other reports are required by DHS/CUA, DPW, and the agency.
• Adhere to all other program and agency policies and procedures governing the objective of the agency and program.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Valid Pennsylvania Driver’s License
• Registered and insured vehicle
• Certificate of Insurance for vehicle
• Valid PA Inspection (even if vehicle is registered in another state)
• Valid/Clean Motor Vehicle Record *
• Current Act 33, Police Clearance and FBI Clearance
• Reporting to the regional office Monday to Thursday and working remote (as needed) on Fridays
• Available to work flexible schedule (weekend hours as scheduled)
• City/County travel
• On Call

A Second Chance is an Equal Opportunity EmployerAll qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious; national origin or ancestry; sex; gender identity or expression; sexual orientation disability; marital status; familial status; age (40 or over); or use of a guide or support animal because of blindness, deafness or physical disability of any individual or independent contractor or because of the disability of an individual with whom the person is known to have an association; or on any other basis prohibited by federal, state, or local law.