Adoption Social Worker II

Description

A Greater Hope is a nationally accredited community-based organization serving hundreds of at-risk adults, vulnerable children and families each year. We have a creative, fun and rewarding environment. A Greater Hope provides a continuum of care that includes Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment, Kinship Support, Treatment Foster Care, Supervised Visitation, Adoption Services and a full scope of Behavioral Health Services. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for children and families through culturally responsive integrated services. Our vision: Hope transforms, love restores and healing is possible for every person.

Job Description

An Adoption Social Worker is responsible for supporting both the birth and adoptive families during the adoption process. They screen potential families and work with them through the adoption process to try to ensure children who are adopted become part of a stable, loving family. The Adoption Social Worker conducts psychosocial assessments, completes initial and bi-annual written reports/permanency assessments, along with other adoption related duties. The Adoption Social Worker will consult with the Program Director or Administrator to ensure quality and ethically sound services are provided and also maintain compliance with State, AGH and CARF Accreditation regulations.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Develops a comprehensive psychosocial/permanency assessment.
• Conducts assessments and screens as required, depending on the program.
• Recruitment and completion of prospective resource family home evaluations/assessments.
• Provide support through transition planning.
• Assess families’ strengths & needs and provide in-home training to address areas of concern.
• Complete a thorough assessment of children referred for adoption which will include the child’s strengths, weaknesses, services needed, and appropriateness of the adoption plan.
• Acts as a resource to support children and prospective families before, during the process and post adoption.
• Coordinate all services, arrange meetings and monitor that objectives are met.
• Provide input into the quarterly & appraisal needs and services reports to Children and Family Services as required.
• Participate in case conferences, support groups, in-service trainings, and other agency functions.
• Develops and maintains networking relationships within the agency and with other professionals and members of the community who can provide program resources.
• Have a working knowledge of and comply with appropriate AGH personnel policies and rules for ethical conduct as outlined by the National Association of Social Workers, and all applicable policies and procedures.
• Become knowledgeable of the Adoption Regulations and Child Welfare Institution Codes.
• Participate in the conversion of resource family homes to adoptive family homes as requested.
• Participate in psychosocial/permanency assessments and written report writing for A Greater Hope contracts with served counties.
• May participate in clinical supervision for licensing hours as available and requested.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  
  

Reporting Relationship

• Adoption Social Worker Supervisor
  
  

Subordinate Staff (providing direct supervision)

• None.
  
  

Requirements

Qualifications:

A successful candidate must have the following skills and experience

• Master’s Degree in Social Work required.
• Maintain a welcoming environment for families and other community partners.
• Ensure compliance with HIPAA privacy practices.
• Must be available and able to adjust work day/work week to provide services when clients and families need them, which can include evenings and occasionally weekends, in order to ensure coordination and continuity of services.
• Must pass and remain current in CPR/First Aid.
• Must be able to effectively utilize computers and basic computer software.
• Must meet Community Care Licensing and insurance requirements.
• Must have a valid California Driver’s License and a good driving record. Must be at least 18 years old with at least 2 years of driving experience.
• A Greater Hope includes all employees in the DMV pull notification process, notifying AGH of infractions throughout the process.
• All Employees are required to report all arrests within 48 hours of arrest as per Community Care Licensing requirements.
• Must pass a drug screen, physical exam, and Tuberculosis skin test. Must agree to COVID 19 Vaccination.
• Be able to obtain Criminal and Child Abuse Clearance from the State of California/Department of Justice.
• A Greater Hope participates in E-Verify and will verify your Social Security Number.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, strong conflict resolution, communication and organizational skills; with great attention to detail.
• Foster Family Agency experience preferred.
  
  

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, sit, move quickly, run, use hands, handle or feel, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and taste or smell. There are physical demands associated with this position. The employee must also be able to remain in a seated position while working in the office. Employees may be required to and must often lift or carry items 10-50 lbs., usually holding it in the hands or arms or on the shoulder. There may be situations where the employee will have to care for the personal needs of infants and children such as managing personal accidents/bathroom support, feeding and, cleaning up infants and children. The employee may be working outside for periods of time in all seasons of weather. Community work or home visits are required.

Employees will be required to drive a motor vehicle.

All employees, regardless of position, serve as role models for children, adolescents and others who are served by our agency. Therefore, each employee must at all times be emotionally stable and able to function effectively with children, adolescents and adults who may have mental or behavioral health problems. The staff must be able to demonstrate appropriate daily behavior, appropriate expression of emotions, as well as appropriate role modeling. Hostility, aggression and unnecessary or inappropriate physical actions as well as inappropriate emotional expression are not acceptable.