Adoption Permanency Specialist-ATCP

Location: Roanoke

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

DePaul is seeking a Full-Time Adoption Permanency Specialist-ATCP (Adoption Through Collaborative Partnerships) that will serve the Roanoke region, working 37.5 hours per week.


JOB SUMMARY:
This position will provide casework services to children, adoptive families, and potential adoptive families. The road to adoption can be very challenging for families to navigate. Throughout the journey, our pre-adoption program's adoption specialists help children transition from foster care to adoption. Primary responsibilities include intensive recruitment efforts for children awaiting adoption, preparation for children to join an adoptive family, therapeutic lifebook work, pre-placement visitation assistance, locating appropriate community resources, and helping navigate the legal adoption process.

The Adoption Specialist will work closely with local Department of Social Services workers and assist them with completing adoption-related reports and paperwork.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED:
The Adoption Permanency Specialist will report directly to the Adoption Supervisor.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND DUTIES:
This list is not an exhaustive & all-inclusive list of job responsibilities. The distribution of time allotted for any function or duty is subject to change with or without notice. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign other responsibilities to this job or reassign them elsewhere at any time.

• Provide child-specific adoptive family recruitment
• Coordinate with Local Departments of Social Services (DSS) and Adoption and Family Resource Consultants regarding adoptive cases and home
• Prepare children and families for adoption through education and therapeutic support (including lifebook work when appropriate)
• Perform comprehensive and ongoing assessment of the child's and family's needs
• strengths and adoption readiness
• Educate families on the adoption court process and assist families and DSS with the completion of related adoption paperwork
• Prepare and maintain case records and reports according to program and grant
• standards concerning timeliness, content, accuracy, and confidentiality
• Collaborate with supervisor, adoption team members, other DePaul staff across programs, and community partners as needed to optimize services and program outcomes
• Provide outreach and education/training to LDSS offices as needed
• Complete other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES & OTHER CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED:
Knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics or KSAOs are attributes needed to perform a job that are demonstrated through qualifying training, education, and experience. This list is not an exhaustive & all-inclusive list of all KSAOs for this job.

Knowledge of:

• Office and records administration techniques and procedures
• The structure and content of the English language, including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
• Microsoft Office Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, Sharepoint, Teams, and virtual meeting applications such as Zoom, Web Ex, Google Meet
• DePaul's policies, procedures, and standard practices and the rules and guidelines established by regulatory and governing agencies
• Relevant policies, procedures, and strategies to promote the safety and protection of people, data, and property
• Office procedures and spelling, grammar, punctuation, and arithmetic
• Policies, procedures, and guidelines established by DePaul, professional organizations, governing agencies, and local laws, statutes, regulations, codes, and standards related to the area of responsibility
• Motor vehicle operations, traffic rules and regulations, and maintenance of motor vehicles

Skill/Ability to:

• Demonstrate interpersonal and verbal skills to defuse emotional situations, calm upset individuals, allay fears, and lessen confusion.
• Give full attention to what other people are saying, take time to understand the points being made, ask questions as appropriate, and not interrupt at inappropriate times
• Demonstrate verbal and written communication and body language that purveys professional composure, emotional intelligence, thoughtfulness, patience, and respect amidst change, ambiguity, and within the daily trajectories of work
• Operate standard office equipment such as telephone, calculator, printer, scanner, cellular phone, tablet, computer, postage machine, shredder
• Collect and analyze data
• Manage multiple priorities and complete assignments on time, accurately, and with attention to detail, and ensure a high-quality work product
• Develop and maintain professional working relationships and appropriate boundaries with individuals served, coworkers, management, community partners, and business associates, and work collaboratively in a team environment
• Operate a computer and utilize computer applications, including spreadsheets, databases, word processing, email, internet, virtual meetings, internet, and department or program-specific…