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 dynamic candidate to become an integral and valued part of our kinship care team working to achieve Amara’s vision. Funded by a grant from the Alliance CaRES Program & DCYF, this position will provide support to kinship caregivers in Washington State who are currently, or about to be placed, with related youth in foster care. This position will also facilitate support groups for kinship caregivers and complete other project management tasks like data entry and overseeing the intake process. 

Position summary 

The CaRES Program Coordinator reports to the Associate Director of Programs-Kinship Services and will work closely with the other Retention Support Specialist. This position contacts kinship families to provide light support and get them connected to services and resources. Due to the high volume of families, this position doesn’t provide an opportunity to create deep relationships with families but helps to impact a large number of families who need initial support with placement and licensing. Other duties include:  

• Provide timely contact and support to kinship caregivers. The ideal candidate must be comfortable talking on the phone as this is the primary method of communication with caregivers.
• Provide licensing support to kinship families who are interested in pursuing licensure.
• Provide family support and education around available resources that support kinship caregivers.
• Maintain appropriate records of service provision. 
• Program management tasks, including but not limited to, assigning families, responding to new inquiries/intakes, entering data, and monthly program reports.
• Facilitate weekly Drop-In Discussion Group for kinship families.
• Build relationships with multiple professionals in the child welfare and local government arena. 
• Meeting requirements for timely, accurate, and thorough documentation for case files  
• Attending and participating in Amara and CaRES related meetings and trainings as required. 
• Flexing hours to accommodate family needs on an occasional and ongoing basis. 

• High School Diploma or GED and two years experience working with children and families, Or  Associate of Arts Degree in Human Services or a related field (or 2 years of completed coursework toward a bachelor’s degree) and one year experience working with children and families. Or, Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field and six months experience working directly with children and families. A practicum may be considered as a substitute for one year of paid experience.
• Lived experience as a former youth in foster care/kinship care, current or former kinship caregiver or foster parent, or related personal experiences required.
• Ability to effectively communicate (verbal and written) with Spanish-speaking families required.
• Knowledge of child development and family systems. 
• Knowledge of child welfare, foster care, and the needs of kinship caregivers. 
• Knowledge about the foster care licensing requirements in Washington state. 
• Strong written and oral communication skills in both English and Spanish. 
• Ability to demonstrate initiative, discretion, maturity, flexibility, and independent judgment. 
• Ability to work with individuals across the spectrum of age, religion, race, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and gender expressions & identities.
• Highly organized and detail oriented. 
• Ability to work collaboratively with an outstanding professional team. 
• Previous project management experience preferred.

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

$20-$24 per hour, DOE. Generous personal leave and benefits package, including paid time off, paid sabbatical, health, vision and dental insurance, 401k with a company match, life, and disability insurance. The successful candidate will have flexibility to be based anywhere within Washington State, and will also have work space available in either our Seattle or Tacoma offices if located in the greater Puget Sound region. .

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