Kinship Notification Unit Specialist | Program Specialist ; PS- Vancouver

Overview

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy— thriving physically, emotionally, and academically, nurtured by family and community.

Job Title: Kinship Notification Unit Program Specialist 2 (PS2)

Location
:
Vancouver, WA - This is a full-time/hybrid position, which includes a flexible schedule of four (4) days working remotely, and one day in office. Although the position's duty station is listed as Vancouver, the incumbent may work from home anywhere within Washington state.

Closes: Friday, January 16th, 2026

Salary
: $3,752 - $5,011 Monthly

As a Kinship Notification Unit Program Specialist 2 (PS2) you will provide community and agency support and will utilize data to understand the placement of children with respect to kinship caregivers. To ensure timely home study referrals, this position will collect, assess, validate and assign to initiate the initial license and the kinship care home study process. This position will implement strategies to prevent delay in permanency outcomes for children, ensure timely home study referrals, at its earliest when children cannot be returned home.

KNU promotes Kin-First Culture. KNU works in partnership with internal DCYF staff, licensing staff, regional licensing staff and our tribal partners. KNU's focus is to educate, assess and guide our kinship caregivers, while ensuring they are able to navigate the complexity of the kinship care portal.

• Ensure background checks are initiated for all required applicants and household members.
• Submit background checks for all required applicants and household members.
• Provide technical assistance to kinship applicants on completing background check clearances.
• Provide technical assistance to kinship applicants on Initial Licensing, Kinship Home Study or Reassessment Application.
• Outreach to kinship caregivers for engagement in the program.
• Provide technical assistance and interpretation of policy and statute governing home study and/or licensing process.
• Provide technical assistance to kinship caregivers to initiate the home study and/or licensing process.
• Provide technical assistance to kinship caregivers for set up through the foster care portal.
• Work collaboratively with other programs and divisions within DCYF in order to maintain safe and stable kinship placements.
• Provide backup to other Licensing Division KNU staff.
• Maintain Famlink and foster care portal system.
• Utilize independent judgement when there are program limitations and implement strategies for program success.
• Review early notification of placement and home study requests.
• Validate the accuracy of the placement and home study request.
• Validate and create person and provider in Famlink and/or foster care portal.
• Validate and eliminate duplication of applicants and household members in Famlink and/or the foster care portal.

• A Bachelor s degree in social work, psychology, social science, health care or a related field.

OR

• Equivalent education and experience totaling four (4) years of planning, policy analysis, coordination, and consultation with a variety of public and private agencies, organizations, and/or levels of government.

AND

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

• Previously demonstrated working understanding of agency policies, WAC, RCW related to kinship placement, kinship home studies, and licensing procedures.
• Experience in the field of child welfare.
• Experience understanding and working effectively with diverse populations.
• Experience compiling, organizing, and evaluating data into reports to inform policy and practice.
• Experience assessing and understanding program complexities and developing recommendations for improvement to meet outcome goals.
• Experience using business applications (Microsoft Office, Fam Link, etc.)
• Knowledge of state and federal law related to child welfare.
• Knowledge of racial disproportionality and disparity in child welfare.

In addition to…