Family Find Specialist (Child Welfare)

We're growing our innovative team at Paths for Families, dedicated to the life-long work of building and sustaining families.

Position Overview

The Family Find Specialist plays an important role in connecting the Baltimore City Department of Social Services referred children/youth in foster care with permanent family resources by using engagement and case management skills. The Family Find Specialist works collaboratively with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, the Family Find team, and other providers to overcome barriers in achieving successful permanent connections for children/youth in foster care.

The Family Find Specialist is a full-time, hybrid position that requires a flexible work schedule, with the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends if necessary.

Who We Are

Paths for Families is one of the area's top 501(c)(3) nonprofit child and family service agencies in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. We are passionate about the work we do and believe in supporting and strengthening every child, every family, every step of the way. Our mission is to build healthy, lifelong family connections for every child and to advocate for the continuous improvement of systems that promote the well-being of children. 

One of our agency's guiding principles is inclusivity: all children and families are welcome regardless of gender expression, age, race, religion, wealth, health, marital status, or sexual orientation. With this guiding principle in mind, we believe in cultivating a healthy environment in which all employees feel supported while working to achieve our mission. 

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Provide a range of permanency services with a holistic Child Welfare approach for children/youth in the care and custody of Baltimore City Department of Social Services.
• Conduct a variety of assessment activities in collaboration with the children/youth.
• Coordinate and facilitate team meetings.
• Perform case mining on individual cases where appropriate, to include searching for family and significant figures in the child's life.
• Identify barriers and determine the most effective approach to achieving permanency.
• Meet with children/youth, foster parents, family members, extended relatives, and community members as a part of the search and engagement process.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's in Social Work, Human Services, or related field preferred, but not required
• Familiarity and knowledge of the public Child Welfare system.
• At least one year of relevant experience working with the public Child Welfare system (i.e. social services, child & family services, child protective services, etc.), especially foster care and adoption, is preferred.

Preferred Skills & Abilities

• Excellent clinical skills and comfort interacting with a wide variety of adults and children from different socioeconomic, ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds.
• Excellent communication and time management skills.
• Ability to think and work independently and adjust work priorities and flow in fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
• Computer literacy inclusive of Microsoft office suite to include Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Attention to detail and ability to identify critical elements.
• Ability to foster teamwork and collaboration between staff members, various service agencies and stakeholders.
• Demonstrate tact and discretion when dealing with confidential or sensitive information.
• Demonstrate initiative and creativity by working towards continuous improvement.
• Skilled in accessing, navigating, and researching internet searches, social media searches public records and court databases.
• Bilingual Spanish is a plus.

Why Join Us?

If our mission and vision align with your personal values, we may be a good fit!

This salary for this position is $50,000 - $56,000, commensurate with experience with full benefits including:

• Flexible working environment
• Paid Vacation & Sick Leave - Over 4 weeks to start!
• Health, Dental & Vision Insurance - Including an HRA and FSA
• Paid Life, Short-Term, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Paid Holiday Leave
• And more!

To apply, a detailed cover letter outlining your qualifications for the position along with your resume is required. Interviews will be conducted virtually.

Additional Notes

Each employee is required to complete (and maintain as necessary) a physical exam to include a TB test, a criminal background check in identified jurisdictions, and Child Protective Services Registries check in identified jurisdictions, and orientation training.

Maintenance of a valid driver's license, vehicle insurance, and safe driving record with the ability to transport clients as necessary.

Paths for Families is an equal opportunity employer and offers a pleasant, flexible work environment. To learn more, please visit https://pathsforfamilies.org/careers/

Principals only, no recruiters. No phone calls please.