Licensing Caseworker (Spencer and Surrounding Counties)

Lutheran Services in Iowa•Spencer, IA

10h•Hybrid

About The Position

LSI is seeking a full-time Licensing Caseworker to serve Spencer and surrounding counties (Dickinson, Clay, O'Brien, Osceola, Lyon). This position requires travel and offers work from home/remote flexibility. The Licensing Caseworker is responsible for the recruitment of families to care for the kinds of children coming into care, including completing the initial licensing process for prospective foster families and approval process for prospective adoption families. This entails generating the interest of families who will meet service area priority needs and supporting them through orientation, training, writing and submitting the home study packet, and until they receive their first placement. The worker in this position is responsible for working with families to complete assigned new home studies for resource, relative and/or adoptive within project timelines. The position requires the individual to become very familiar with family-to-family recruitment strategies and all licensing rules and adoption rules through the Department of Human Services and the Iowa Code.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in social work or a related field.
Minimum of two years experience within the child welfare field.
Well organized.
Ability to communicate effectively, both verbal and written.
Skills, energy, and desire to complete initial home studies to potential foster/adoptive families.
Ability to positively promote foster care and adoption.
Ability to work with staff and leaders.
Ability to help recruit and license foster and adoptive families.
Ability to collaborate with others.
Good time management skills.
Desire to form strong and positive relationships with Iowa KidsNet leaders, staff, stakeholders, and customers.
Valid driver's license.
Auto insurance.
Good driving record.
Ability to pass an extensive background check including checks of the Dependent Adult and Child abuse registries, Sex Offender registry and a criminal history check.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Recruitment of families to care for children coming into care.
Completing the initial licensing process for prospective foster families.
Completing the approval process for prospective adoption families.
Generating interest of families who will meet service area priority needs.
Supporting families through orientation, training, writing and submitting the home study packet, and until they receive their first placement.
Working with families to complete assigned new home studies for resource, relative and/or adoptive within project timelines.
Becoming familiar with family-to-family recruitment strategies.
Becoming familiar with all licensing rules and adoption rules through the Department of Human Services and the Iowa Code.