PERMANENCY SPECIALIST -CRYSTAL CITY/EAGLE PASS- HYBRID

SJRC Texas Inc•Crystal City, TX

3d•$48,000 - $55,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Permanency Specialist promotes the well-being of children in the Permanency Program and manages a caseload of permanency cases. The role coordinates with agency staff and public and private agencies to assess children’s placement and safety needs, support caregivers, and plan and facilitate permanency, including reunification, kinship care, and adoption. The position is classified as hybrid, but requires travel up to 95% of the work week. The candidate must reside in Dimmit, Zavala, Maverick, or Uvalde County within Region 8. The specialist helps children and families prepare for permanency through assessments, case planning conferences, consultations, home visits, training, and family-to-family mentoring. The role coordinates permanency and adoption services, including Permanency Round Tables, adoptive placements, targeted recruitment for children without identified adoptive resources, and support for children preparing for independent living. It also provides crisis intervention and 24-hour on-call support, compiles reports and case documentation, and supports post-adoption services. The position requires regular travel and driving, including transporting children or conducting agency business. The employee must be able to work irregular hours and attend visits or appointments after 5 p.m., and may work in isolated or high-crime areas and substandard or unsanitary living conditions. Physical demands include frequent mobility, long workdays and drives, and lifting up to 60 pounds. The position reports to the Permanency Supervisor.

Requirements

Associate’s degree from an accredited college or university in Child Welfare or a related field plus two years of relevant work experience; or 60 accredited college credit hours plus two years of relevant work experience; or 90 accredited college credit hours plus one year of relevant work experience. Experience may be substituted for education.
Valid Texas driver’s license, safe driving record, ability to provide own transportation, and proof of current automobile insurance.
Must meet agency insurance underwriting standards when driving agency vehicles or transporting clients.
Knowledge of child development and family dynamics.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and use problem-solving techniques.
Ability to operate a personal computer.
Ability to travel and attend child and family visits and other work-related appointments and meetings after 5 p.m.
Ability to be on call on a rotating basis and work irregular hours when necessary.
Ability to work in an emotionally demanding environment, including home visits in isolated or high-crime areas and possible exposure to substandard or unsanitary living conditions.
Knowledge and skills to assess placement and safety needs, family strengths and needs, placement resources, and to facilitate permanency and safe caregiving.
Skills in separation and loss, family systems, conflict resolution and mediation, loyalty issues, reunification, and adoption.
Ability to understand and assist with role changes in foster and kinship care and counsel regarding separation and loss.
Commitment to children’s right to belong to a family, preserving connections to the family of origin when possible, and reunification with biological families.
Body mobility to stoop, kneel, bend, reach, walk, and walk briskly to interact with and monitor children.
Stamina to work long days and drive long distances; ability to lift up to 60 pounds.
Ability to communicate verbally and in writing and remain calm and adapt in fast-paced, emotional environments.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Child Welfare or a related field.
Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Child Welfare or a related field.

Responsibilities

Manage a caseload of permanency placements for children in CPS conservatorship and out-of-home care.
Assess placement needs, safety, family strengths and needs, and placement resources for children and caregivers.
Plan and facilitate permanency and help care providers, kinship caregivers, and adoptive resource families provide safe, nurturing homes.
Maintain working relationships with public and private agencies involved in permanency and adoption services.
Conduct and coordinate assessments; ensure child and family case records are accurate, complete, and current.
Coordinate permanency program requirements with public and private agencies and conduct case planning conferences at required intervals.
Prepare children, youth, and families for permanency through training, mentoring, assessments, consultations, and home visits.
Coordinate cases where adoption is the primary plan or a Permanency Round Table has occurred; facilitate related requirements through agencies and the court system.
Coordinate with Care Management, Foster Care and Adoption staff, the Adoption Accelerator, the resource exchange contractor, and the Independent Living Coordinator on placements and services.
Develop targeted recruitment plans for children without adoptive resources and coordinate adoption planning and dissolutions.
Provide 24-hour on-call support and crisis intervention when required.
Meet the needs of children in kinship care and assist caregivers in providing stable homes.
Coordinate timely placement of children with Care Management staff.
Support post-adoption follow-on services and prepare children for independent living when appropriate.
Compile monthly statistical data and reports and complete descriptive, analytical, and evaluative documentation.
Coordinate service delivery with agency staff and external public and private agencies.
Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and respect for diversity in interactions with coworkers, clients, and other contacts.
Attend work regularly and perform other related duties as assigned.
Drive personal or agency vehicles for work and transport children when required.
Provide required training on processes, skills, and practices for preparing children and families for adoption.