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-permanency.

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 to hire a Transition and Permanency Specialist to work as part of our Family Connections Program.  Amara is growing our work to support parents, kin, guardians, and foster caregivers who have important connections to children who have experienced the child welfare system and are approaching a placement transition or have reached their permanent placement either through reunification with parents, guardianship, or adoption. The FCP Transition and Permanency Specialist will collaborate with team members across Amara’s programs to provide individual and group support to families caring for children approaching placement transitions and post-permanency as well as to the important adults in their lives with whom they were formerly placed. Amara believes that children do best when there is openness about past relationships and appropriate levels of communication between and with the important adults in their lives.

The FCP Transition and Permanency Specialist will need a high level of compassion along with strong interpersonal skills and will come with relevant lived experience navigating the complexities of placement transitions and permanency. This position involves a hybrid work environment, working both remotely and through in-person interactions with colleagues and participants.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

·        Participate in co-design of evolving programming to support relationships between the important adults in the lives of children who have experienced child welfare and are now approaching a placement transition or who have reunified with family or have been placed permanently with guardians or adoptive parents.

·        Work collaboratively with parents, caregivers, and other internal and external team members in:

• Creating a child-centered, trauma-informed transition plan that meets the needs of the reunifying family and provides ongoing opportunities for the child to continue the important relationships developed while in out of home care.  This may include individual and dyad support sessions as needed to adequately prepare parents and caregivers with the knowledge and skills needed to continue their relationship during and following the child’s transition.
• Supporting parents and caregivers in developing a structure for maintaining the child’s important relationships if a permanency outcome other than reunification is determined to be the outcome.  This may include supporting the dyad and extended family members as they navigate the changing roles, titles, family structures, etc. inherent in a child entering permanency through guardianship or adoption. 
• The creation of transition and permanency plans may be facilitated solely by the FCP Transition and Permanency Specialist or may be co-facilitated alongside another member of the FCP team, such as the FCP Parent Ally Mentor and/or FCP Caregiver Mentor.

·        Provide individual supports to parents, kin, adoptive parents, and foster caregivers after children have transitioned to a permanent placement.

·        Facilitate group support for parents, kin and foster caregivers that encourages appropriate openness, on-going relationships and healthy post-permanency contact between children and the important adults in their lives.

·        Work in collaboration with team members to strengthen and build out a referral network and process to connect families with other community-based services and supports to address needs that are beyond the scope of Amara’s services.

·        Work closely and coordinate with all Amara programs that serve families moving toward permanency outcomes, including the Foster Care team, the Kinship Care team, the Family Connections team, the Youth Development team, and the Early Childhood Court team.

·        Provide occasional support to birth parents seeking assistance with issues related open adoption agreements.

·        Assist with reports, documentation, and administrative tasks.

·        Be willing to flex hours to accommodate family needs on an occasional and ongoing basis.

• Occasionally represent Amara at community and outreach events.

Education/Experience Requirement –

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services or related field with a minimum of 2 years of experience OR
• Master’s degree in Human Services or related field and one year of social services experience
• A practicum may be considered as a substitute for one year of paid experience. Degree must be in social services, human services, behavioral science, or an allied field.
• Relevant lived experience may substitute for educational requirement or paid social service experience.

·        Personal lived experience with the child welfare system as either an impacted parent, relative or licensed foster caregiver AND personal experience navigating complex relationships between parents and caregivers strongly preferred.

·        Knowledge of child development and family systems

·        Knowledge of child welfare, foster care, guardianship and adoption and the needs of families supporting children through transitions and post-permanency

·        Ability to demonstrate initiative, discretion, maturity, flexibility, and independent judgment required

·        Ability to work with individuals across the spectrum of age, religion, race, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and gender expressions & identities

·        Ability to work collaboratively with an outstanding professional team, DCYF and community providers

·        Must provide proof of current COVID-19 vaccination.

·        Must be at least 21 years of age.

Preferred Qualifications

·        Ability to effectively communicate (verbal and written) with Spanish-speaking families.

·        Experience coordinating and managing individual, and group supports.

·        Strong writing skills

·        Experience with MS Word, Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel

·        Willingness and ability to work in Seattle, and travel as needed to other WA state counties.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time position with a rate of pay between $26.25-$29.35/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. Amara supports a hybrid work schedule including some flexibility to work-from-home. For required "in office" days staff will have flexibility to work from our offices in Seattle or Tacoma. 

Criminal Background Check

Amara conducts background checks appropriate to the contractual requirements of the position. A previous conviction will not necessarily bar individuals from employment at Amara. For specific requirements please feel free to contact the hiring manager or human resources.

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.

To Apply

To express your interest in this position, please submit 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.

Amara is an Equal Opportunity Employer