Family & Permanency Specialist

The Salvation Army Eastern Territory • Allentown, PA

1d

About The Position

The Salvation Army Children’s Services mission is “Doing the Most Good by Nurturing Children, Strengthening Families and Engaging Communities”. We do this by protecting and caring for every child, building caregiver capacity through trauma informed education and support and partnering with local community organizations that have a heart for foster care and adoption. The Salvation Army has a long rich history of serving the community and offers innovative programs that meet the diverse needs of children, youth and families.
Description of Position:
The Family and Permanency Specialist will provide services for the Adoption unit to help facilitate permanency for children in foster care. Services include matching resource families with children awaiting permanency, writing Family Profiles and Child Profiles, Child Preparation, Child Specific Recruitment, Placement, Finalization, and Post-Permanency Services.
The worker will help develop and provide training and support to resource families and work alongside the Foster and Adoption Team to help manage the matching and placement of children with resource families and participate in the intake and on-call rotation. The Family and Permanency Specialist will also oversee the coordination of the Adopt Lehigh Valley Kids television segment with the WFMZ news station anchor/reporter and caseworker of the permanency youth selected for the monthly segment. The Family and Permanency Specialist will also evaluate, assist with planning, and promote the development of agency services as they pertain to the SWAN units of service provision, including the development and implementation of resource family education and training. Additionally, the Family and Permanency Specialist will have the opportunity to gain experience understanding and utilizing the principles of Trust Based Relational Intervention© as well work with the agency’s Growing Relationships, Outcomes, and Well-being (GROW) initiative to develop new and unique educational programs that promote healing and permanency for families and children

Requirements

• Masters in Social Work or related field Preferred and Bachelors in Social Work or related field required.
• A minimum of three years’ experience in a human service setting serving children and/or families.
• Experience in foster care and adoption settings preferred.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the effects that separation and loss, neglect, physical and sexual abuse have on a child as well as complex developmental trauma.
• Training in Trauma Informed Care.
• Knowledge of Trust Based Relational Intervention Principles.
• A safe driving record, valid driver’s license, a reliable automobile, and insurance are required.
• Flexibility in scheduling work hours is necessary to meet the needs of children and families.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, engagement skills, advocacy skills, organization skills, computer skills and ability to work as a team member is critical.
• Child Protection Clearances PA Act 153 requires that all prospective employees complete the following clearance and background checks: PA Child Abuse History Clearance, PA State Police Criminal Record Check and FBI Criminal Record/Fingerprint Check.
• Must have an understanding of and appreciation for the Mission of The Salvation Army.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in foster care and permanency services providing child and family services a plus.

Responsibilities

• matching resource families with children awaiting permanency
• writing Family Profiles and Child Profiles
• Child Preparation
• Child Specific Recruitment
• Placement
• Finalization
• Post-Permanency Services
• develop and provide training and support to resource families
• work alongside the Foster and Adoption Team to help manage the matching and placement of children with resource families and participate in the intake and on-call rotation
• oversee the coordination of the Adopt Lehigh Valley Kids television segment with the WFMZ news station anchor/reporter and caseworker of the permanency youth selected for the monthly segment
• evaluate, assist with planning, and promote the development of agency services as they pertain to the SWAN units of service provision, including the development and implementation of resource family education and training

Benefits

• Generous paid time off every year that includes: holidays, vacation time and sick time.
• Employer funded Pension Plan (company contributions begin after 1 year of employment)
• Eligibility for supplemental insurance plans including Short Term Disability, AFLAC and Voluntary Term Life
• Most importantly – a job with a good purpose!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level