This is a work from home position. Qualified candidates would need to be located in North Carolina, South Carolina or Virginia. Multiple candidates are being recruited in all three states.

AGENCY SUMMARY:

Children?s Adoption Services is comprised of several individuals delivering the highest quality adoption services to adoptees, birth families and adoptive families in the United States. Our team includes our Chief Executive Director, Director of Adoption, Operational Director, Family Services Team, and our Adoption Workers, who serve as the ?hands and feet? of our agency. Children?s Adoption Services is licensed in three states ? NC, SC, and VA. Adoption is a lifelong journey for all members of the adoption triad and we are continually looking to create more homecomings for more children, as we support our adoptive families. As an agency, our goal is to ensure that adoptees, birth parents and adoptive parents receive the highest quality services throughout their lives.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Children?s Adoption Services finds and supports permanent, loving families for children who are orphaned, abandoned or at serious risk of separation from their family. The Master?s/Bachelor Level Adoption Worker represents Children?s Adoption Services in his/her community and ensures successful adjustment of child and family by conducting an assessment of the family, and providing appropriate services throughout the adoption process, including in the post adoption/post placement period. The Adoption Worker works collaboratively with all team members, including those based in the Greensboro, North Carolina office, team members working remotely, and our partner agencies. The Adoption Social Worker position is required to travel (most often by car) to different locations within the assigned area to complete the essential functions of the position. Mileage is reimbursed at the IRS rate and travel time is reimbursed after the first hour at the hourly salary rate.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (to be completed within timeframes outlined by the Clinical Director or Operational Director):

1. Contributes to public knowledge about Children?s Adoption Services and supports the agency?s programs by recruiting adoptive families, participating in activities arranged by Children?s Adoption Services such as picnics, and performing other outreach activities as appropriate.
2. Determines a family?s ability and capacity to parent an adopted child by conducting pre-home study meetings as requested, reviewing and assessing agency-requested information, evaluating the family?s knowledge and perceptions of adoption, providing adoption education, completing the AAPI with the adoptive parents, and conducting psycho-social assessments of family members.
3. Contributes to the delivery of high quality adoption services by producing adoption home studies and post placement/post adoption reports and all supplemental materials in compliance with current country, agency, state and USCIS requirements.
4. Provides support and case management on all assigned families by maintaining quarterly contact throughout process, communicating information to the family, referring family to appropriate community support systems when necessary and documenting all correspondence in electronic database. Provides update to immediate supervisor of emergent issues when further assistance is needed for child or family members.
5. Prepares family for travel and assist with post placement/adoption adjustment by providing training including possible reactions and behaviors of the child, to include discussion of ?behavioral messaging,? identifying resources available to the family while in country and upon their return. Works in conjunction with Director of Adoption or Permanency Manager, as applicable to prepare for placement. Adoption Worker will contact the family within one week of their arrival, conduct home visits as required by State law and country program guidelines, assist in early identification of problematic issues, and follow agency policy and consult with Clinical Director/Operational Director if additional intervention is required above and beyond the standard protocol for the state/country, recommending removal of child when appropriate.
6. Assures child?s physical and emotional well-being and ease family?s adjustment at disruption by providing counseling to the child and family and/or arranging for counseling with a clinician outside the agency and maintaining relationships to ensure behaviors and contacts with the child will allow for closure for child and family. Assist child and family with transition of child to new placement.
7. Maintains professional knowledge by attending relevant seminars and course work, keeping informed about State regulations, legislation, adoption issues and child-related issues overseas; maintaining license, if required. Participates in quarterly meetings with Chief Executive Director. Submits training log and corresponding documentation quarterly to meet licensing and accreditation requirements.
8. Treats all people with dignity and respect; and exhibiting good listening and comprehension skills including giving and welcoming feedback.
9. Contributes to team effort by working cooperatively with all team members, respectfully responding to all communication within one business day.
10. Provide communication regarding any schedule changes, inclusive of vacation, emergencies and other events that would limit your ability to continue providing services to families. As the Adoption Worker assigned to a family case, it is expected that you will continue to provide the professional social work services during the completion of the home study, adoption and post adoption/post placement as applicable to each individual case. Communication to provide continuity in service to the families is essential to maximize our supports of their adoption.

INFORMATION PROCESSING:

Ability to organize, set priorities and work independently. Ability to analyze and interpret complex information from multiple sources and work through complex issues with families and children to identify root issues, potential solutions and options for intervention. Considers information from multiple perspectives and thoroughly weighs strengths and weaknesses of families before making decisions.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY:

This position requires the application of clinical skills and knowledge in determining the appropriateness of an adoptive placement for a child and whether the placement is in the best interest of the child. Include recruiting families; assessing family functioning; determining capacity to parent; identifying unusual adjustment issues and problematic family dynamics; managing families and children in crisis; providing on-going support and case management to families; completing reports on-time; documenting all contact with family; communicating with families, Children?s Adoption Services? staff; treating families and co-workers with respect; exercise good judgment and problem solve in a creative manner.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION:

Ability to express thoughts and feelings and facilitate that expression from others. Ability to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship, work cooperatively with agency staff, and work well with collateral contacts in the community including returning phone calls and emails in a timely and courteous manner.

IMPACT OF RESULTS:

Promote feelings of good will and public support for Children?s Adoption Services by ensuring successful adjustment of child and family, optimizing effectiveness of adoption process, boosting family recruitment and community awareness of adoption and agency?s services in the coverage area.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None. Reports to and is evaluated by the Clinical Director/Operational Director.