Resource Family Developer/Foster Care Advocate

Status: Regular, Full-time, Exempt

Position summary:  The Resource Family Developer/Foster Care Advocate is responsible for recruiting, assessing, licensing, training, and supporting foster families while building strong relationships with churches, community organizations, referral agencies, and other partners to increase awareness and participation in foster care. This role guides prospective and licensed foster parents through the licensing process, provides ongoing education, advocacy, and problem-solving support, and helps coordinate appropriate foster family and child placements. The position also maintains accurate licensing and case documentation, monitors recruitment and retention efforts, and represents the organization professionally in the community while promoting its mission, values, and commitment to children and families. 

Qualifications:

• A Christian with strong convictions who is also in agreement with Josiah White’s mission statement, Statement of Faith, and Code of Conduct. 

• Must be 21 years of age or older.

• A Bachelor’s degree and at least one (1) of the following is required:

  • Three (3) years of supervised paid casework experience.

  • One (1) year of supervised paid casework experience in a licensed child placing agency or with the Department of Child Services.

  • One (1) year of graduate training in a recognized school of social work.

• Must have a valid driver’s license and proof of vehicle insurance.

Essential job functions:

• Recruitment and Community Outreach: Develop and implement targeted strategies to recruit prospective foster parents within the assigned region; build relationships with churches, businesses, community organizations, and other partners; conduct presentations, cold calls, marketing activities, and community events to increase awareness of foster care and the organization’s services.

• Foster Family Assessment and Licensing: Recruit, interview, assess, and complete home studies and reference checks for prospective foster parents; evaluate their abilities and therapeutic capacity, and ensure all licensing requirements are completed in accordance with Indiana Department of Child Services regulations and agency standards.

• Training and Foster Parent Development: Coordinate and facilitate required pre-service and ongoing training for foster parents, ensuring compliance with training requirements while providing practical education and resources to strengthen caregiving skills and support successful placements.

• Foster Family Support and Advocacy: Provide ongoing support, advocacy, and problem-solving assistance to licensed foster parents through regular communication, home visits, resource coordination, and guidance; address foster parent needs and concerns while promoting retention and helping families access appropriate services and support.

• Placement and Treatment Team Collaboration: Collaborate with internal staff, placing agencies, foster families, and other stakeholders to support appropriate foster child and family matching, facilitate successful placements, and address needs throughout the placement; maintain professional relationships and effective communication while protecting confidentiality and upholding organizational values.

• Documentation, Compliance, and Program Evaluation: Maintain accurate and timely licensing, training, outreach, and foster family records; ensure required documentation and compliance standards are met; monitor recruitment and retention activities, identify barriers and opportunities, and report progress and recommendations to leadership.

• Organizational Representation and Advocacy: Serve as a positive representative of the organization and advocate for the needs of children and foster families by communicating the importance of foster care, promoting the organization’s mission and values, and developing strong relationships throughout the community.

Work Schedule:  This position requires, on average, 40 hours or more per week. Normal work hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Hours may extend outside of normal work hours based on child or family needs, training and events, or when responding to on call. Occasional evening and weekend hours will be required to represent the agency at church or community events, to facilitate pre-service and in-service training sessions, and to prioritize constituent availability.  This position will require participation in an on-call rotation.

Physical Demands & Work Environment: The employee in this role will work in an office, foster homes and/or community settings as appropriate to service delivery. Licensing work requires visiting diverse neighborhoods and cultural settings. Frequent local day-time travel and occasional overnight travel is required. This position often requires the use of a personal vehicle for agency business, with mileage reimbursed in accordance with company policy. The employee must be able to climb steps to access foster homes, travel independently, stand, walk, and sit for prolonged periods, hear and speak clearly in order to respond to verbal communication, lift, carry, push or pull materials weighing up to 15-25 pounds and successfully complete Mindset, our crisis and de-escalation curriculum, and CPR/First Aid training, which requires the ability to get on the floor, on knees, and back up. 

Principles of the Teaching Family Model will be incorporated into the culture of the office.  We are committed to fostering a workplace where all individuals–staff, children, and families–are treated with compassion, respect, and dignity. Our ministry seeks to serve each child and family with empathy, cultural sensitivity, and grace.