Amara is committed to positive long-term outcomes for children and families. We drive systemic change, promote healing, and advance racial and LGBTQIA+ equity by offering programs and services to families engaged with foster care and to adoptees and families, post-adoption.

At Amara, we believe that a supportive, equitable and inclusive workplace, where everyone feels valued, trusted, and nurtured, is key to shaping organizational culture and investing in underrepresented communities. Amara believes that a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace enhances our ability to fulfill our mission. We strongly invite candidates from diverse backgrounds, including communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and people with disabilities to apply.

We are seeking a new Kinship Care Specialist to become an integral and valued part of our Kinship Services program working to achieve Amara’s vision. This position will be based in our Seattle office and will be part of a new program, Supporting & Connecting Kinship Families (SCKF), in partnership with Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) and the University of Washington-School of Social Work. The Kinship Care Specialist will provide wraparound supports to kinship families in King County, including assisting them with completing the licensure process with DCYF.

The SCKF program is supported by the Children's Bureau (CB), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $2.5 million with 100% funded by CB/ACF/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CB/ACF/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please see Stevens Amendment at  https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-8. 

Position summary

This individual will be responsible for providing a wide range of services (including assessment, case management, and placement support) on behalf of children placed in kinship care in King County. The majority of this work is placement support, which includes direct work with families and children, including:

• Provide timely support to newly placed kinship families. This includes completing a needs assessment, goal setting/treatment planning, and ongoing placement support, case management, and resource navigation.
• Assist kinship families to complete DCYF’s licensing process. This includes working with the family to complete trainings, required paperwork, and securing necessary items for licensure.
• Ensuring that the physical, emotional, and social needs of children placed in Amara kinship homes are met
• Liaising with multiple professionals in the child welfare arena (such as DCYF workers, CASAs, and service providers)
• Facilitation of a trauma informed triad support group (youth, caregiver, and parent) that will focus on promoting shared principles.
• Provide basic supports to parents of youth placed in kinship homes helping to ensure they are connected to the appropriate resources (such as, referring to local resources like Parents for Parents, inviting to Triad Support Group).
• Meeting requirements for timely, accurate, and thorough documentation for case files
• Making referrals for community services for children and families as needed
• Attending and participating in staff meetings and trainings as required
• Flexing hours to accommodate family needs on an occasional and ongoing basis (ask that staff provide at minimum one night a week for evening appointments)

• Bachelor’s degree and two years of paid social service experience – or – a master’s degree and one year of paid social service experience are required. A practicum may be considered as a substitute for one year of paid experience. Degree(s) must be in social services, human services, behavioral science, or an allied field
• Lived experience as a former youth in foster care/kinship care, current or former kinship caregiver or foster parent, or related personal experiences highly preferred
• Ability to effectively communicate (verbal and written) with Spanish-speaking families highly preferred
• Knowledge of child development and family systems
• Strong communication skills; experience communicating through verbal and written formats with a wide variety of stakeholders
• Ability to demonstrate initiative, discretion, maturity, flexibility and independent judgment.
• Ability to work with all groups across age, religion, race, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and gender identity
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• Ability to work in tandem with an outstanding professional team.
• Must be at least 21 years old, and have a valid Washington State driver’s license, reliable vehicle, and proof of auto insurance

Criminal Background Check 

Because this position has access to confidential client, employee, or financial information OR direct interaction with children any final candidate hired into this position must successfully pass a criminal background check performed by the State of Washington. Any job offer is contingent on successfully passing this background check.  A list of disqualifying convictions for this position is available at: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/sites/default/files/bccu/documents/Secretary%E2%80%99sCrimesListforALLPrograms.pdf

Vaccination Requirement:

Amara requires that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This requirement is designed to prioritize the safety of the children and families we serve. Exemptions may be sought only for documented medical or religious accommodations.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time position (40+ hours per week) with an annual salary of $54,000-58,000, depending on experience. Generous personal leave and benefits package, including paid time off, paid sabbatical; health, vision, and dental insurance; 401k with a company match; and life and disability insurance. The successful candidate will have flexibility to work-from-home and will have desk space in our Pierce County office. 

To Apply

To express your interest in this position, please send your resume and a one-page cover letter indicating why this position is the right opportunity for you. Resumes submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.

Applications will be reviewed until position is filled.

Amara is an Equal Opportunity Employer