Foster Care Case Manager

Job Description:

Foster Care Case Manager Kalamazoo County & Surrounding Communities | Wellspring Lutheran Services Full-Time, Salaried There’s a reason you chose this field. Maybe it was the belief that every child deserves to feel safe. Maybe it was the moment you realized families don’t need perfection — they need support, compassion, and someone who won’t give up on them.

Or maybe it’s simply that you know how powerful it is when someone shows up, consistently, when it matters most. At Wellspring Lutheran Services, that’s the work we do every day.

What This Role Really Means As a Foster Care Case Manager serving Kalamazoo County and the surrounding West Michigan communities, you’ll become a steady, trusted presence in the lives of children and families navigating incredibly difficult seasons.

Your days will take you out into the community — down familiar roads and into neighborhoods where resilience and hope are being rebuilt, one step at a time. You’ll sit across from children in foster homes, listening, encouraging and reminding them they matter. You’ll partner with foster parents, birth families, schools, and service providers to create a circle of care that helps every child move toward stability and belonging.

You won’t just manage cases; you’ll help write new chapters.

And you won’t do it alone from day one. As you begin, your training, onboarding, and early support will come from our experienced Kentwood-based team—giving you a strong foundation, consistent guidance, and a team you can rely on as you transition into serving families in the Kalamazoo area.

What You’ll DoIn this role, you’ll guide and coordinate the journey toward safety and permanence:

Walk alongside children and families as you develop thoughtful, individualized plans that build on their strengths

Stay closely connected with monthly home visits and consistent communication, so no one feels alone in the process

Help families access the right resources at the right time, from healthcare to community supports

Serve as the thread that connects everyone involved — schools, therapists, foster parents and courts

Advocate for each child’s well-being by preparing for hearings and giving them a voice when it matters most Support meaningful connections by coordinating visits between children and their parents, siblings and loved ones

Step in during moments of crisis, offering calm, capable support when it’s needed most

Keep clear and accurate records so every decision is informed, and every step forward is intentional

This work is structured, but it’s also deeply human. It calls for both organization and heart.

Why Kalamazoo We are expanding our services to better meet the needs of Kalamazoo County, so your work will be rooted there and the surrounding areas — a region known for its strong sense of community, vibrant neighborhoods and commitment to supporting families. It’s a community where local schools, nonprofits and community partners come together to make a meaningful difference, and you’ll play a key role in that network.

Whether you’re meeting a family in a quiet neighborhood, collaborating with a school team, or heading to a court hearing downtown, you’ll see firsthand how your work strengthens the fabric of this community.

What You Bring You don’t have to be perfect — but you do need to be committed.

A bachelor’s degree in social work or a related human services fieldA valid Michigan driver’s license, with reliable transportationA strong sense of empathy, accountability and professional ethics

The ability to balance independence with teamwork

Clear communication and thoughtful problem-solving skills

Experience in foster care or child welfare is helpful — but your passion for the mission is what matters most

What You’ll Receive…