Foster Care​/Adoption Specialist - Rural

Position Function

Provides clinical and technical support to Foster and Adoptive families, including licensed kinship families, through intensive case management services, client behavioral support services, crisis management, home visits, weekly contact, monitoring of standards compliance, documentation, ongoing training, transportation assistance as needed, aftercare services, and advocacy. This position serves families throughout a multi-county service area, focused on Hood County but will also include Parker, Erath, Somervell and Palo Pinto counties.

The position also supports foster care and adoption recruitment, retention, and community outreach efforts. The job requires sensitivity to the service population’s cultural, geographic, and socioeconomic characteristics.

• Education:
  
  A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required; a Master’s degree in social work or related field is preferred.
• Experience:
  
  A minimum of two years of documented full-time work experience in a child-placing agency is required with a Bachelor degree.
• Functional:
  Must have excellent verbal and communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with youth, families, collaborating agencies, community professionals, and ACH Child and Family Services staff. Must be able to travel independently throughout a multi-county service area and maintain a valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and automobile insurance in accordance with agency requirements.

Position includes exposure to parents, guardians, and conservators as well as to youth with behavioral problems, including possible physical aggression. A personal vehicle is required for travel, and the position requires frequent travel throughout the agency’s service area, including Granbury, Weatherford, Stephenville, Mineral Wells, and surrounding rural communities. Travel may include home visits, family meetings, school visits, training events, recruitment activities, and collaboration with community partners.

The position provides 24/7 on‑call support to assigned foster families.

The foster care/adoption specialist will have access to confidential records including youth files, foster care/adoption records, and foster/adopt parent information. Must maintain confidentiality and follow policies related to personnel records and client records.

• Ensure that all case management practices, including crisis management, interventions, and family support, are driven by a child-centered Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) approach that respects the unique needs of each child.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and utilize trauma-informed practices when working with children and families, recognizing the impact of trauma on children’s development and emotional well‑being.
• Work with families in a culturally responsive manner, ensuring that care plans and interventions are sensitive to the cultural, environmental, and socio‑economic needs of children and foster/adopt families.
• Emphasize the strengths of both the children and the families served, helping them build resilience and increase their capacity to care for and support children in foster care.
• Establish and adhere to a regular work schedule.
• Engage in collaborative efforts with foster parents, biological families, service providers, and community agencies to create a holistic, child-centered support system.
• Advocate for the child’s needs and best interests in all settings, ensuring that the child’s voice is heard in decisions related to their care and placement.
• Empower foster and adoptive families through support, training, and crisis management, ensuring they feel capable and supported in meeting the needs of children in their care.

• Participate in the development of foster care/adoption programs, ensuring that they align with TBRI® principals and T3C requirements and are responsive to the evolving needs of children and families.
• Participate in the development and facilitation of training curriculum for foster/adopt families, ensuring that the training incorporates principles of…