New Beginnings Caseworker

GLADNEY CENTER FOR ADOPTION•Fort Worth, TX

About The Position

The New Beginnings Caseworker is a dedicated professional who supports adoptive families from admission through legal finalization, providing empathetic guidance and adapting to the evolving needs of each case. This role involves developing comprehensive case management plans, coordinating regulatory compliance, facilitating child matching and placement, and maintaining thorough documentation. The caseworker is a skilled communicator and problem solver who travels frequently, works flexible hours, and is committed to promoting best practices in trauma-informed parenting.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Human Services, or a related field.
Two years of experience with case management.
Valid driver’s license and ability to travel regularly (up to 30%).
Experience working with families and children in a social services, adoption, or child welfare setting.
Knowledge of adoption processes, child welfare laws, and regulatory compliance requirements.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
Ability to build trusting and empathetic relationships with families facing complex emotional situations.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple cases and maintain accurate documentation in case management systems.
Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as needed.
Commitment to confidentiality, professionalism, and ethical standards.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW), Counseling, or related field.
Licensed Social Worker (LMSW, LCSW) or equivalent clinical licensure.
Specialized training or experience in trauma-informed care and adoption-related counseling.
Experience conducting home studies and post-placement supervision.
Familiarity with Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) or similar parenting approaches.
Bilingual skills, particularly Spanish, are a plus.
Experience presenting educational workshops or training on parenting children who have experienced trauma.

Responsibilities

Provide professional casework services to support adoptive parents throughout the entire adoption journey, from admission to legal finalization, ensuring families feel guided and supported.
Collect and assess comprehensive information from adoptive families to identify individual needs and develop tailored case management plans that address both parent and child requirements.
Build and maintain trusting, empathetic relationships with adoptive parents, offering counseling, guidance, and education to help them navigate the adoption process successfully.
Coordinate and oversee the collection of all necessary documentation and information, ensuring full compliance with state, federal, and agency regulatory requirements.
Leverage a wide range of agency and community resources at local, state, and federal levels to meet the diverse needs of adoptive families and children.
Employ a holistic approach in working with families by focusing on the well-being and unique needs of both the child and the adoptive parents, recognizing the complexities involved.
Adapt to dynamic situations and solve problems creatively, demonstrating flexibility to work evenings or weekends as needed to meet the evolving demands of adoption cases.
Travel regularly, potentially up to 30% of the time, to conduct home visits, attend meetings, and facilitate adoption-related activities.
Accurately document all client interactions, activities, and case progress within case files and electronic case management systems to maintain thorough records.
Facilitate child matching, placement, and post-placement supervision activities, ensuring smooth transitions and ongoing support after placement.
Maintain and close adoption case files, ensuring all legal documentation is complete and sealed according to agency and regulatory standards.
Conduct home studies and prepare detailed post-placement reports to assess family suitability and adoption outcomes.
Serve as a compassionate advocate and relationship builder, meeting families and children “where they are” in their unique adoption journey.
Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively convey complex information and foster understanding.
Present and teach trauma-informed parenting best practices to adoptive families, equipping them with the tools needed to support children who have experienced trauma.
Perform other duties and special projects assigned to support organizational objectives and enhance operational efficiency.