Foster Care Recruiter and Placement Coordinator
Requisition # : req15563
Location: Athens, Savannah, and Augusta, GA
Hours: Full-time (40 hours/week)
Candidates must be able to serve clients in the listed Georgia cities: Athens, Savannah, and Augusta
At Bethany Christian Services, we believe families provide the strongest foundation for care and connection. That's why we focus on strengthening and empowering families, always advocating for family-centered solutions to keep children safe. Our work began in 1944 with the care of a single child. Today, inspired by our faith, our aim is to demonstrate the love and compassion of Jesus in our services for children, youth, and families. Working at Bethany means joining a team of nearly 2,000 dedicated professionals with diverse skills, serving communities across the country. Together, we’re united in our mission and these shared values: we’re motivated by our faith, we support one another, we champion justice, we pursue excellence, and we’re in it for the long haul.
As a Foster Care Recruiter and Placement Coordinator, you will be primarily responsible for effectively coordinating the planning process and implementation of recruitment activities to generate a pool of culturally diverse resource families to serve vulnerable children through Foster Care in the respective state. This individual will also develop and maintain positive community relationships and pursue new relationships with community partners where recruitment efforts are possible.
The FC Recruiter and Placement Coordinator is expected to be actively involved in Resource family orientation and training, retention, and advocacy efforts, while also being involved in community resource family coalitions. This job includes regular outreach to client referral sources as well as the provision of excellent counsel and encouragement to our expectant parents. The ideal candidate will thrive in a high-touch environment, navigating new relationships every day, while operating within new contexts where they will need to improvise solutions based on position requirements and Bethany best practices.
This position is expected to function effectively with moderate supervision while following the guidelines given on procedures, along with agency, federal, and state regulatory requirements.
ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
• Recruit potential families, churches, and community supports to provide foster care services for Bethany;
• Develop, plan, and implement recruitment activities, events, or presentations;
• Coordinate publicity for recruitment initiatives by developing brochures or sharing existing materials;
• Develop needed advertisements or publications in collaboration with Bethany’s marketing team, and ensure promotion of recruitment events and program highlights in local media outlets;
• Establish and maintain visible working relationships with church pastors and leaders;
• Promote and coordinate community relations;
• Coordinate collaborative efforts with referral sources;
• Support the planning, coordination, and facilitation of orientation and training for interested families;
• Provide birth family services and reunification services in a timely manner;
• Administer the matching process for placing children according to policies for families that have been studied and approved for foster care placement;
• Receive placement referrals from other agencies and coordinate placement plans with the foster care supervisor when Bethany has a potential resource;
• Assist with the maintenance of written communications for resource families to include but not limited to the handbook, recruitment materials, and program forms;
• Actively participate in local coalition meetings, events, and other efforts;
• Participate in team meetings and/or individual supervision to review recruitment progressions and ongoing recruitment plan efforts;
• Evaluate and escalate issues of recruitment, retention, and advocacy of resource families;
• Network within the community to build positive alliances and create opportunities for the recruitment of new foster parents;
• Build and maintain positive relationships with church representatives and community agencies;
• Effectively present adoption as a viable alternative with on-going counseling if client chooses this option, as needed;
• Attend training as needed and apply newly gained knowledge on the job;
• Facilitate flexible appointment times outside of regular business hours, and work nontraditional hours in the community, as needed;
• Stay abreast of all agency, federal, and state regulatory requirements related to social services;
• Complete other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or equivalent field of study from an accredited college; Master’s degree in Human Services or related field of study from an accredited college, preferred;
• At least one (1) year of prior experience in child and family services focused on expectant parent counseling, a plus;
• Prior experience in recruitment and assessment services in a child welfare agency;
• Knowledge of state, community and agency resources;
• Demonstrated public speaking and training skills with strong interpersonal skills;
• Must possess the ability to engage, develop, and maintain positive community relationships with a diverse group of individuals;
• Must possess excellent interviewing, observation, diagnostic, and family assessment skills;
• Must be highly motivated and able to take initiative;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Work well under pressure and adaptable to change;
• Computer and typing skills sufficient to perform essential job functions;
• Must be 21 years old with a valid driver’s license with at least 3 years driving experience in the U.S. to operate a vehicle on behalf of Bethany. Must also pass a Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) check and maintain a reliable vehicle with proof of adequate insurance coverage;
• Pass a criminal history screen, including state and local child protection agency registries;
• Subscription to and integration of the agency Statement of Faith, Mission Statement, and Commitment to Unity.
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