Adoption Social Worker

Responsibilities

• 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, teaching adoption education courses as needed, and conducting psycho‑social assessments of family members.
• Contributes to the delivery of high‑quality adoption services by producing adoption home studies and post‑placement reports that comply with provided guidelines and meet current agency, state, country and USCIS requirements.
• Provides support and case management of all assigned families by maintaining quarterly contacts throughout the process, communicating information to the family, referring the family to appropriate community support systems when necessary, and documenting all correspondence in Holt’s database.
• Prepares family for travel and assists with post‑placement adjustment by providing training and identifying resources available to help meet the child’s needs and aid in the child’s adjustment to the family. Conducts home visits as required by state law and country program guidelines, assists in early identification of problematic issues, and makes a determination regarding the stability and appropriateness of the placement.
• Assures child’s physical and emotional wellbeing and eases the family’s adjustment by providing counseling to the child and family and/or arranging counseling with a clinician outside the agency if needed. In the event of an adoption disruption or dissolution, maintains the family relationship to ensure a transition plan is developed that meets the child’s needs and assists the family with the child’s transition to a new placement.
• Contributes to public knowledge about Holt and supports Holt programs by participating in activities arranged by Holt—including parent groups, representing Holt at adoption meetings, coalitions, and organizations—and performing other outreach activities as appropriate.
• Maintains professional knowledge by attending relevant seminars and coursework, staying informed about state regulations, legislation, adoption issues, and child‑related issues overseas, and maintaining a license if required.
• Contributes to a positive, productive work environment by meeting attendance and punctuality guidelines, pre‑arranging time off with appropriate notice, treating all people with dignity and respect, and exhibiting good listening and comprehension skills, including giving and welcoming feedback.
• Contributes to team effort by working cooperatively with Branch and Eugene offices, responding to all communication from Branch and Eugene in a timely manner, providing backup to colleagues as needed, and supporting the branch office in meeting objectives.

• CA licensing requirement:
  Master’s in Social Work required or another Social Service Master’s degree with at least 2 years of adoption and/or foster care experience.
• Requires the application of clinical skills and knowledge to determine the appropriateness of an adoptive placement of a child and whether that placement is in the best interests of the child.
• Must have proven clinical and assessment skills and experience in adoption services and processes.
• Ability to conduct a psycho‑social assessment.
• Knowledge of family and group dynamics and adoption practices.
• Excellent writing and computer skills.
• Cross‑cultural sensitivity.
• Required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of training every two years on current and emerging adoption practice issues.