Family Finding Specialist

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI), is a leading not-for-profit organization providing healing, justice and wholeness to people and communities. For over 150 years, LSSI has made a difference in the lives of children and families, and we're still a strong, viable presence in the State of Illinois, continuing that commitment to making a difference.

LSSI is hiring a full-time Family Finding Specialist, Monday through Friday. Responsible for reaching out to potential families who are most likely to meet the needs of the specific youth, including, but not limited to attending and participating in community events throughout the area. Also responsible for conducting extensive research, investigation, and outreach in locating absentee parents/guardians as well as identifying and locating potential extended family/fictive kinship relationships.

Benefits and Perks:

LSSI is growing! Come be a part of this rewarding environment, and enjoy the knowledge that you’re helping make a positive difference in the lives of others, as well as these career advantages:

• On Demand Flexible Paydays for earned wages through an app called Dayforce Wallet.
• Competitive salary based upon relevant education, experience, and licensure.
• Salary $58,000-$68,000/Annually.
• Opportunity for advancement.
• Comprehensive benefits package for Full-Time employees includes healthcare insurance, up to 26 days of paid time off per calendar year, 11 paid holidays, sick time, 403(b) plan, Employee Assistance Program, and flexible hours.
• The paid training you need to learn, grow, and succeed!

Essential Functions:

• Provide professional technical assistance and resource development support to casework staff who serve children with specialized and problematic behavior service needs.
• Utilize a family-centered, trauma-informed, strength-based, and EDI (equity, diversity, inclusion) lens through which youth and family needs are assessed.
• Engage the youth (as age-appropriate), birth parents, family and social connections, foster parents, and staff to facility and support stability and permanency for the youth.
• Identify and locate family members and supportive connections.
• Locate prospective supports and placement resources for the youth and family.
• Identify and engage family supports and connections including relatives and fictive kin for the purpose of life-long connections and permanency achievement.
• Engage in a variety of techniques to meet and communicate with potential foster parents, including attending events, networking, social media and other strategies.
• Conduct search activities across multiple databases, systems, social media, and other websites and complete required forms and SACWIS documentation, send written correspondence, and long/track data for use by the Foster Care Team.
• Serve as the lead in engaging in both proactive general and target foster family recruitment efforts for youth in the foster care system.
• Coordinate services and attend meetings, with other agencies, systems, and community providers to meet the needs of the clients.
• Demonstrate professional, positive behavior and carry out responsibilities with integrity, treating clients, families, other LSSI workforce members, and collaborative organizations and/or individual in a dignified, respectful, honest and fair manner.

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work, other human services field, or criminal justice is required.
• Background check clearance, both criminal and CANTS required.
• Child Welfare Employee Licensure (CWEL) preferred.
• Understanding of implicit bias and how to work withing a system that impacts decisions for youth and their families when locating placement options with the ability to have crucial conversations with staff and other child and family team members required.
• Excellent communication, organization, presentation and pc/computer skills (including proficiency with Microsoft Office-Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint) required.
• Experience working with children and special needs preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership, data analysis, and problem-solving skills preferred.
• Full access to SACWIS required.
• Access to and knowledge of completing background checks preferred.
• Valid driver’s license, in good standing for the state of residency required.
• Valid IL statutory minimum liability insurance coverage, bodily injury and property damage required.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, pregnancy, any other characteristic protected by law.