Adoption Services Coordinator

Description

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

Holt International carries out child welfare, family preservation and family strengthening programs Holt International’s Programs and Services Department serves more than 1,000,000 children, family members and other individuals around the world each year through family strengthening services, orphan care and adoption services. Managed by U.S. and in-country staff, these programs and services are carried out in close cooperation with partner agencies, orphanages and other child service providers, government child welfare agencies, local and regional officials, funding agencies, and others. The Programs and Services Department continuously evaluates opportunities to expand or deepen program services in countries where we work while maintaining high standards of quality and transparency for sustainable development and child welfare impact.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Assures objectives are met by performing child and family case-related administrative processes for assigned country programs. Carry out services for the adoption programs from application through post-placement including welcoming families into program; reviewing family dossiers and psychological reports; reviewing post placement reports and child adoption materials. Providing guidance to team on home study, dossier and child information processing; updating electronic databases, folders and records of clients on a daily basis; monitoring case progress; reviews child adoption materials and family home study / dossier, recommending to the Case Manager and/or Adoption Director issues needing attention; and keeping regular communication with US-based and overseas staff and partners to obtain case information and trouble-shoot problems.

The position involves ongoing monitoring of case progress, ongoing communication and consultation with social work staff within Holt and with domestic and overseas partners and Central Adoption Authorities. The Adoption Coordinator, under supervision of the Director of Intercountry Adoption, ensures services are delivered reflect the highest standard of social work practice.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Ensures children are placed in nurturing families by welcoming families into program, gathering necessary documentation, evaluating various child and family case materials related to the adoption processes and assessing appropriateness for adoption, evaluating and communicating about case information with adoption team, social services team, supervised provider agencies, direct social workers, psychologists, and with international partner entities as appropriate.

2. Manages families in process by coordinating transfer of files from the inquiry department. Provides families with access to and updates the content of the online handbook. Provides quarterly contacts for families. Prepares and sends monthly country updates and newsletters. Schedules and assists with Family Zoom calls as requested. Provides timely communication to families in process regarding program news and process changes.

3. Ensures accuracy of adoption documents by examining and offering edits to key dossier documents including the adoption home study, psychological evaluation, and by communicating needed corrections or revisions to families, overseas staff, and adoption entities in assigned country programs. Assists all families with their dossier process through providing guidance and reviewing documents for accuracy, answering questions, and providing instructions, examining documents, communicating needed corrections or revisions, maintaining and updating family files and updating databases as needed. Answers questions about the USCIS / i-800a or i600a and/or i800 and i600 processes.

4. Assists with notarizing, printing, mailing home studies, adoption documents, dossiers in timely manner. Distributes mail, scans documents for Case Manager and Director of Intercountry Adoption’s review to ensure timely processing.

5. Prepares and sends monthly adoption program newsletters and assembles resources for adoptive families, prepares, and sends monthly resource newsletter for adoptive families.

6. Tracks ongoing family preadoption education by entering training hours in Holt’s database. Proactively initiates reminders for families who are behind in meeting ongoing education hours.

7. Assures access to and organization of records by coordinating, maintaining and accurately updating family, child, and database files on a daily basis. Assisting Adoption Case Manager with developing and maintaining systems to track and organize child and family case information. Develops and coordinates system to track translation of documents. Maintaining adoption statistics and assisting in reporting as needed.

8. Sends child updates and tracks receipt of Child Information Transmittal Memo when requested by Case Manager.

9. Ensures child information is entered into the Holt database.

10. Prepares and sends adoption documents such as Docusign packets for welcome documents, child assignment/placement agreements, and post-placement reports when requested by Case Manager.

11. Reviews post placement and/or post adoption reports as requested and notifies Case Manager and/or Adoption Director when concerns. Ensures data entry and processing is timely. Provides assistance with notarization and/or apostille or other certification processes. Participates in audits of post placement and post adoption reports when requested.

12. Contributes to team effort by exhibiting cooperative and effective work relationships, such as, responding positively to challenges, assignments, inter and intra departmental requests; seeing beyond own tasks to help fulfill the organizational goals, especially to support the director, adoption case managers, and country program staff. Completes special projects as assigned.

13. Contributes to a positive, productive work environment by meeting attendance and punctuality guidelines and pre-arranging time off with appropriate notice; being aware of and following established company policies; treating all people with dignity and respect; exhibiting good listening and comprehension skills including giving and welcoming feedback.

IMPACT OF RESULTS: Social work evaluation and services are delivered to children and families to ensure their successful adjustment to one another. Positive working relationship with adoption staff, overseas partners, contributes to efficient adoption processing. Requires continual consultation, planning and attention to details to achieve results. 

Requirements

SUCCESS FACTORS:

This position maintains timely communication and support to adoptive families. Develops and maintains effective relationships with Adoption Case Managers, Directors, Holt social workers and social service team, and domestic and overseas partners. Works effectively with colleagues and family. Presents case material in an organized manner. Promotes understanding of adoption related issues through speaking and writing.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE (MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS):

Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field, with 3 years of experience in international or domestic adoption or child welfare preferred. A combination of education, work experience and extensive volunteer experience in similar work settings may be considered to replace international adoption experience. Knowledge of adoption procedures, child development and family dynamics. Must have critical thinking and sound judgment. Ability to understand, carefully review and assess critical case documentation including psychosocial assessments, adoption home studies, psychological and medical evaluations, and child adoption files. Familiarity with mental health diagnoses and psychological evaluations. Knowledge of family

and group dynamics and adoption practices. Experience in adoption services and processes. Cross cultural knowledge, sensitivity and competencies. Ability to quickly respond, organize, and track case communications. Excellent writing and computer skills and experience in office software, communication apps, and database required. Requires high level of reading comprehension, assessment, detailed editing and reporting skill.

INFORMATION PROCESSING:

Maintains information distribution between overseas and domestic operations. Manages information between Holt adoption team Holt social service team/domestic partners. Ensures services delivered reflect the highest standard of social work practice. Organizes and monitors systems of information related to adoption processing through filing, tickler systems and formatting for broader consumption. Communicates through effective writing skills. Ability to organize and analyze incoming letters, documents and reports in coordination with various processes and deadlines.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Develops and monitors work to meet objectives, anticipate and address challenges, and improve / maintain existing case management systems. Works independently and professionally while exercising good judgment, courtesy and tact in contact with team, families, cooperating agency social workers and other constituents. Provides continual assessment and planning necessary for efficient service delivery to families. Takes initiative in assigned duties, prioritizes tasks using organized and effective processes. Monitors and maintains efficiency of administrative systems/procedures used by overseas staff/partners, adoption case managers and director. Assesses seriousness/urgency of situations and directs to supervisor as appropriate and as needed.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION:

Establishes and maintains effective relationships with multiple and varied agency personnel including people of different cultures. Works well with Holt team and partners particularly in communicating on adoption processing and case management. Ability to solve problems while maintaining a respectful stance. Ability to work well with other employees and to effectively participate in a working group format related to assigned programs. Provides regular verbal and written feedback to director.

IMPACT OF RESULTS: Supports program to achieve country-specific objectives. Maximizes opportunities for successful child placement by assuring compliance with country regulations in adoption assessment and documentation. Understanding and communicating accurate child and family information with the various team members, partners and adoptive families. Provides supervisor with support to effectively monitor and facilitate the adoption programs and to achieve the country objectives.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None

DESCRIBE CONTROLS: Supervision provided by the Director of Intercountry Adoption.