Adoptions & Permanency Consultant

Northern Children Services•Philadelphia, PA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

Northern Children's Services Wins the 2026 Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Award and the 2026 Top Workplaces Professional Development Award For more information, visit https://topworkplaces.com/company/northern-children-s-serv/ Join Our Team as an Adoptions and Permanency Consultant and help make a difference in the lives of children, youth, and families! SUMMARY The services of this position are paid on a contracting basis and are not connected to full-time benefits. Under the direction of the Adoption/Permanency Supervisor or Coordinator; the Adoptions Consultant will be assigned SWAN units of service consisting of (Family and Child Profiles, Child Preparation, and Finalization). Payments of services are compensated upon service completion, and all required documentation has been received. Some services qualify for partial payment which can be compensated if all necessary documents have been completed and submitted. The Adoptions and Permanency Consultant is responsible for making outreach to all professional and family contacts, requesting necessary documents to complete the SWAN unit for service, as well as maintaining contact with the Adoption/Permanency Supervisor monthly throughout the assigned service and after for necessary follow-up. In completing Family Profiles, the Adoptions and Permanency Consultant will assess the identified family’s readiness for permanency through behavioral interviewing; and will be provided with a NCS documentation packet for families to complete or address within a timely manner to approve families for Permanency. In completing Child Profiles, the Adoptions Consultant will complete request all necessary historical records pertaining to the identified Child’s birth to present age, and make appropriate outreach to birth parents, birth family members and former or current caregivers and case managers. In completing Child Preparation, the Adoptions and Permanency Consultant will request necessary historical records, meet with the identified child for 10 sessions to assess readiness for Adoption or Permanency, as well as complete a Lifebook at the end of the service. In completing Finalization, the Adoptions and Permanency Consultant will work with identified families monthly to ensure Adoption remains appropriate for the family, complete a legal packet to identified Adoption attorneys for processing and attend final Adoption hearings. All SWAN units of service are time sensitive and require efficient follow-up to meet designated submission timeframes. The Adoptions Consultant is expected to make outreach to families and CUA Teams within 5 business days of each referral assignment to begin the work forecasting any possible barriers that may hinder timely submission. The Adoptions Consultant is expected to schedule and complete home visits, maintain follow-up with families through consistent contact. The Adoptions Consultant is expected to complete daily/monthly benchmarks in the SWAN Portal for assigned referral. The Adoptions and Permanency Consultant will be required to complete necessary SWAN trainings and other trainings if deemed appropriate by the Adoptions/Permanency Director or Supervisor. The Adoptions and Permanency Consultant will be required to be open to all SWAN services for assignment that are listed above.

Requirements

Knowledge of social services, child welfare and family systems services.
Culturally sensitive to the needs and diversities of multi-cultural communities.
The ability and willingness to adjust work hours in accord with client need.
Strong writing and oral presentations skills
Must be accurate and detail oriented.
Strong organizational skills, an ability to multi-task and prioritize.
Ability to attend evening and weekend home visits.
Strong interpersonal skills, respectful, and courteous nature.
Practices good customer service skills in all working relationships.
Ability to handle confidential information appropriately.
Skills in typing, basic computer operations, Microsoft, PowerPoint, Excel.
Able to work independently, demonstrating good judgment.
Good working knowledge of the Child Welfare System.
Working knowledge of the use of computers and pertinent software programs.
Bachelor’s Degree (required)
Current valid driver’s license and the willingness to drive through the five county area and beyond.
Requires some flexible work schedule, evening and weekend hours.
Required to carry emergency pager on a rotating basis.

Nice To Haves

two years experience (preferred)
Master’s Degree (preferred)
Experience in child welfare.
Working knowledge of clinical issues relating to children, adolescent, and/or families.

Responsibilities

Making outreach to all professional and family contacts, requesting necessary documents to complete the SWAN unit for service.
Maintaining contact with the Adoption/Permanency Supervisor monthly throughout the assigned service and after for necessary follow-up.
Assessing the identified family’s readiness for permanency through behavioral interviewing.
Requesting all necessary historical records pertaining to the identified Child’s birth to present age.
Making appropriate outreach to birth parents, birth family members and former or current caregivers and case managers.
Meeting with the identified child for 10 sessions to assess readiness for Adoption or Permanency.
Completing a Lifebook at the end of the service.
Working with identified families monthly to ensure Adoption remains appropriate for the family.
Completing a legal packet to identified Adoption attorneys for processing.
Attending final Adoption hearings.
Making outreach to families and CUA Teams within 5 business days of each referral assignment to begin the work forecasting any possible barriers that may hinder timely submission.
Scheduling and completing home visits.
Maintaining follow-up with families through consistent contact.
Completing daily/monthly benchmarks in the SWAN Portal for assigned referral.
Completing necessary SWAN trainings and other trainings if deemed appropriate by the Adoptions/Permanency Director or Supervisor.
Being open to all SWAN services for assignment that are listed above.
Communicating and interacting with all staff.
Defining problems, collecting data, establishing facts and drawing valid conclusions.
Effectively presenting information and responding to questions from groups of managers, consumers, vendors, and the public.
Accurately calculating numbers such as in addition, subtraction and percentages.
Giving clear and concise oral and written instructions.
Navigating other systems.
Reading and understanding complex instructions such as regulatory policies.
Maintaining appropriate contact with consumers, natural families, foster parents, and other treatment team members as required by state and local regulations and agency standards.
Notifying all participants of consumer meetings, appointments and scheduled visits.
Advocating for the needs of the consumer and natural family to obtain needed resources.
Clearly and effectively communicating all pertinent information to all involved parties as required by state and local regulations and agency standards.
Participating in weekly supervision with family services supervisor or Level II SW.
Completing all required documentation that includes but is not limited to Child Profiles, Family Profiles, Finalization Supervisory and Individual Permanency Service Plan Reports, Child Preparation Plans, Initial Contact Forms, Meeting Activity Summary Reports, Final Summary Reports etc., in a timely manner.
Documenting using agency guidelines and format all contact in chronological order, with consumer, natural family, foster parents and other relevant parties on an ongoing basis, that are submitted via benchmarks on a monthly basis to his/her supervisor for review and processing.
Attending all required training and pursuing other training for professional growth.
Scheduling file reviews and visits at times convenient for all involved parties.
Managing time in order to complete both direct service requirements as well as paperwork.
Organizing and preparing for meetings such as Child Preparation Plan meetings.
Working jointly with other agency staff in administrative meetings in the development and review of agency policy and planning.
Participating in performance improvement activities.
Working jointly with other agencies to ensure continuity of care on behalf of the consumer and natural family.
Preparing adequately for weekly supervision to ensure case reviews occur on a consistent basis.
Maintaining the appropriate number of training hours as required by local, state and federal regulations.
Assuring record keeping is adequate and in conformity with all regulatory funding sources requirements.
Developing and implementing Child Preparation Plans or Individual Permanency Service Plans, for example, with input from the consumer, natural family, foster parents, and other relevant parties.
Attending all pertinent meetings, appointments, and hearings on behalf of the consumer and natural family.
Completing permanency service delivery requirements as per local, state and federal regulations.
Assuring that consumer’s basic needs are met i.e. social, emotional, educational, physical and safety needs.
Providing linkage with appropriate community resources by staying current of resources of other systems.
Representing the agency at conferences training and meetings.
Consulting and collaborating with agency personnel and other external organizations.