Foster Care Specialist

Brightpoint • Rockford, IL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Brightpoint is hiring a Foster Care Specialist to work as a key member of a regional child welfare team. The role provides comprehensive, trauma-informed case management to a reduced caseload of families involved in the child welfare system and supplemental services to families assigned to Advanced and Lead Specialists. The Specialist collaborates with families, foster families, service providers, and institutions to support child safety, family reunification, permanency, and ongoing family connections. The position includes opportunities to develop required competencies for promotion to Advanced Specialist within 6–12 months of hire.

The role is hybrid, with most work taking place in Winnebago, Boone, and surrounding counties through home visits and meetings with clients in agency offices or community settings. Service documentation and case coordination may also be completed from the employee’s preferred location, in the office or remotely. The position is full-time and salaried, with general business hours and some flexibility to accommodate client schedules and special projects. Shared on-call rotation responsibilities apply.

Compensation is a fixed annual salary of $54,361, or $59,361 for qualified English/Spanish bilingual candidates. A $3,000 CWEL Stay Bonus is payable in two installments of $1,500 after six and twelve months of consecutive employment, contingent on the role requiring CWEL certification. Promotion to Advanced Specialist within 6–12 months includes a salary increase. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; more than three weeks of paid time off in the first year, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day; 11 paid holidays; supplemental insurance options; and a 401(k) with match. Emerging Leaders have access to leadership development and one-on-one mentorship. Brightpoint is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or a closely related field.
• Child Welfare Employee License (CWEL), Child Endangerment Risk Assessment Protocol (CERAP), and Child Abuse and Neglect (CANS) certification, or ability to obtain them within 90 days of hire.
• Ability to attend in-person meetings and events as needed.
• Valid driver’s license, insurance, and a reliable vehicle.
• Ability to accommodate client schedules and special projects with some flexibility.
• Ability to participate in a shared on-call rotation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience providing collaborative, strength-based services to children and families.
• English/Spanish bilingual qualifications are associated with a higher listed salary.

Responsibilities

• Manage a reduced caseload of families whose children are in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) following an indicated investigation of abuse or neglect.
• Partner with families to assess strengths, needs, and natural support systems.
• Collaborate with families and support networks to develop solutions that promote reunification, permanency, or ongoing family connections.
• Provide comprehensive and consistent family engagement, including needs assessments, service planning, coordination, child safety monitoring, resource referrals, and progress tracking.
• Participate in required meetings with agencies, community providers, and other systems to support family goals.
• Prepare and present court reports, attend hearings, and testify regarding the best interests of children and families.
• Plan scheduled and unannounced home visits in alignment with best practices and policy.
• Address safety concerns and report suspected abuse or neglect to DCFS in compliance with the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.
• Maintain accurate documentation, records, and billing in accordance with program requirements.
• Provide support to foster families to help ensure foster children’s needs are consistently and appropriately met.
• Establish collaborative relationships with service providers and institutions involved in the family’s situation.
• Monitor biological families’ efforts and progress toward goals aimed at family reunification.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• More than three weeks of paid time off in the first year, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day; PTO increases with tenure.
• 11 paid holidays.
• Supplemental insurance options.
• 401(k) with match.
• A $3,000 CWEL Stay Bonus in two installments, contingent on the role requiring CWEL certification.
• Opportunity for promotion to Advanced Specialist within 6–12 months, with a salary increase.
• Leadership development opportunities and one-on-one mentorship for Emerging Leaders.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility through Brightpoint’s approved agency status.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level