Kinship Specialist

DePelchin Children’s Center•Houston, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Kinship Specialist provides support, engagement, assessment, and resource coordination to relatives and fictive kin caring for children involved in the child welfare system. Using a strengths-based approach, the Specialist helps caregivers identify strengths, build supportive networks, overcome barriers, and create stable, nurturing environments that promote child safety, permanency, well-being, and lasting family connections. The role collaborates with children, caregivers, families, agency staff, providers, schools, and community partners to preserve family relationships, strengthen placement stability, and support positive outcomes. It recognizes the role relatives and fictive kin play in helping children maintain identity, culture, belonging, and hope for the future. The position is office-based and involves frequent interaction with children, families, stakeholders, providers, and governmental agencies. Work may include emotionally challenging, crisis-oriented, or high-stress situations. The schedule is Monday through Friday during standard business hours, with frequent travel across Harris County and the 12-county service region; reliable transportation is required. Specific work locations in Regions 6a and/or 6b will be assigned and communicated as staffing plans are finalized.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; relevant experience may be considered in lieu of the education requirement.
At least two years of experience in child welfare, foster care, kinship care, family preservation, family support services, case management, or a related human services field.
Knowledge of kinship care practices, child welfare principles, and permanency planning.
Knowledge of family systems, child development, trauma, attachment, and resilience.
Knowledge of community resources, benefits, and support services available to kinship caregivers and families.
Knowledge of family-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and hope-centered practices.
Willingness to learn the Science of Hope and its application to family engagement and caregiver support.
Skill in building and maintaining effective working relationships with caregivers, children, families, providers, and community partners; assessment, interviewing, problem-solving, and resource coordination skills.
Verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to engage families and caregivers in identifying goals, strengths, barriers, and pathways to success.
Ability to coordinate services and advocate for resources that promote child and family well-being.
Ability to gather, organize, and analyze information to support service planning and decision-making.
Ability to maintain timely, accurate, and thorough documentation.
Ability to manage multiple assignments and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, IMPACT, and electronic case management systems.
Reliable transportation required for frequent travel across Harris County and the 12-county service region.

Nice To Haves

Experience working directly with children, families, caregivers, and community resources.
Experience supporting relatives or kinship caregivers.

Responsibilities

Identify, engage, and support relatives and fictive kin as potential placement and permanency resources for children and youth.
Build trusting relationships with kinship caregivers through respectful, family-centered, strengths-based engagement.
Assess caregiver strengths, needs, barriers, and available support to promote placement stability and positive outcomes.
Provide information about financial assistance, benefits, community resources, and available support services.
Assist caregivers in developing plans that strengthen stability, safety, permanency, and family well-being.
Collaborate with children, families, caregivers, caseworkers, providers, schools, and community organizations to coordinate services and address identified needs.
Support kinship caregivers in navigating child welfare processes, accessing resources, and understanding available services.
Encourage caregiver participation in case planning, permanency planning, family group conferences, and other decision-making activities.
Promote and support family connections, sibling relationships, cultural identity, and lifelong supportive relationships whenever appropriate.
Connect caregivers with community-based supports, educational resources, training opportunities, support groups, and services that strengthen caregiver capacity.
Identify and address barriers affecting placement stability, caregiver well-being, and child permanency outcomes.
Participate in staffing, permanency planning meetings, multidisciplinary meetings, and other collaborative activities as needed.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of contacts, assessments, referrals, services, and outcomes.
Monitor referrals and follow up on service recommendations to ensure caregivers receive needed support.
Maintain confidentiality and safeguard sensitive client information in accordance with agency policy and applicable regulations.