At Upbring, our team is united by a shared mission: to break the cycle of child abuse and advance the wellbeing of children, families and communities, empowering them to thrive. As servant-leaders, we lead by example, working passionately to create a brighter future for those we serve. Every day, we strive to embody our core values:

• We are Warriors: Fierce, resilient, and courageous, we face challenges head-on with unwavering loyalty and passion.
• We are Servants: We dedicate ourselves to serving others, empowering those around us to thrive. 
• We are Family: We work together as a supportive, caring community, creating a sense of belonging and strength.

Joining Upbring means becoming part of a family of passionate individuals who are fearless in their pursuit of lasting change. Together, we are making a difference, one life at a time.

What You'll Do

The Child Specific Adoption Recruiter is responsible for relationship building and recruitment of children who are available for adoption through the foster care system. By using child-specific/targeted recruitment techniques, the Adoption Recruiter will provide child-focused recruitment activities. Additionally, adoption recruiters will work closely with caseworkers from the Child Protective Services, Upbring staff, and advocates to request and review child records and establish working relationships with all caseworkers, CASAs, attorneys, foster parents, etc. Our Upbring staff members are servant-leaders on the pursuit of breaking the cycle of child abuse and empowering others to do the same through example while embodying our core values: We are Warriors. We are Servants. We are Family.

We Are Warriors | We Set the Standards for Child Welfare

Work Standards 

• Request and comprehensively review respective child records from Child Protective Services
• Interview identified children and work with each to develop an individual adoption assessment including persons, both past and present, with whom each child has had a positive relationship
• Contact individuals that have been identified as possible adoptive candidates by each child and through the record and explore adoptive interest with them
• Complete and maintain an individual, personalized recruitment plan for each child
• Identify target populations for each child based upon his/her characteristics and or requests
• Adhere to branding guidelines provided by grant funders
• Participate in planning, coordinating, implementation and evaluation of designated social service programs
• Abide by all Upbring policies and procedures, licensing standards, contract terms, CARF standards and funding requirements
• Participate in workshops, seminars, education programs and other activities that promote professional growth and development
• Extensive driving required
• Moderate travel required
• Other duties as assigned

Communication 

• Utilize marketing materials (video clips, brochures, fliers, etc.) that are child or children specific provided by grant funders
• Distribute grant funded approved marketing materials to targeted populations
• Prepare, compile, submit and maintain accurate records, files, forms, statistics, and additional relevant information in accord with Upbring policy, licensing and/or funding requirements
• Report any serious or significant incidents to the Supervisor immediately

We Are Servants | We Help Others

Teamwork

• Work with the Adoption Coordinators of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services & Community-Based Contractors to identify children who could benefit from child specific recruitment
• Work closely with other case workers involved in the permanency process such as, CPS, marketing, and public relations, and community organizations
• Assist with the Continuous Quality Improvement Program (CQI) for Family Services
• Provide emergency and on-call services when needed
• Work closely with management, staff, service providers and professionals and various local community systems and resources to ensure services are rendered

We Are Family | We Are Passionate & Compassionate

Building Relationships

• Conduct child focused recruitment model orientation to targeted populations
• Serve as a member of the child’s team to discuss and implement strategies that will assist in achieving permanency
• Follow all families through recruitment to adoptive placement and finalization to ensure that adequate support is being provided, that the family is receiving appropriate benefits and the family knows how to access post adoption services after the consummation of the adoption
• Develop and maintain positive and strong working relationships with the Foster Care and Adoption teams and foster care parents and families, while maintaining professional and ethical boundaries always
• Work as a team player and exhibit professional behavior and a positive attitude with both internal and external clients that reflect positively on Upbring and is consistent with organization policies and practices
• Actively participate in exhibiting cultural awareness and sensitivity when interacting with children, parent(s)/guardian(s), staff, and the community

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Psychology, or closely related field
• 2 years of child-placing experience

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of child development, attachment, psychological theory, methods, and ethics
• Knowledge of child-focused recruitment model
• Ability to establish rapport, trust, and ethical boundaries with service population
• Strong writing skills with the ability to properly and accurately document case notes and files
• Ability to apply sound judgement when making decisions
• Ability to follow instructions and work independently with minimum supervision
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to meet deadlines and prioritize competing tasks
• Strong people and interpersonal skills with the ability to apply compassion and empathy, while dealing with stressful and difficult situations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook 

Physical Demands & Work Conditions

• This position requires standing, sitting, squatting, and walking most of the time.
• Position with and around children on a regular basis
• Lift, push, pull, move up to 50 lbs.

The physical requirements for this position with or without reasonable accommodation are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. While performing this position the employee with or without reasonable accommodation should have the ability to walk, stand, sit, kneel, speak, and hear with aid, see, read, reach with arms and hands, lift and/or move up to specified weight, and use equipment that is essential to performing the job, such as a computer, copier, fax machine, telephone, and automobile, if applicable. Specific vision requirements of this position may include color vision, seeing things close up, and the ability to adjust focus.

Upbring is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.