Foster Care Licensing Representative

Overview

The Foster Care Licensing Representative oversees all aspects of recruiting, assessing, training, licensing, and monitoring foster homes operating under the organization’s Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (IDCFS) contracts. This role is primarily focused on ensuring the safety, well-being, and stability of children placed in these foster homes, while supporting foster families and maintaining licensing standards.

Base Salary: $55,036.80

• Vacation time that grows with you – earn up to 80 hours your first year, and up to 160 hours after your first year.
• Sick time you can count on – earn up to 96 hours each year.
• 11 paid holidays every year.
• 403(b) retirement plan with 8% employer contributions upon meeting eligibility.
• Choice of two health plans (one with an HSA + employer contributions).
• Dental insurance.
• Vision insurance (100% employer-paid).
• Group Life and AD&D insurance included.
• Options for extra voluntary coverage.
• Educational Aid program to support your professional growth.

• Support Youth & Families:
• Use a family-centered, trauma-informed, and strengths-based approach when working with youth and families, always leading with empathy and a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Build positive relationships with youth (when age-appropriate), foster parents, extended family, social supports, staff, and—when appropriate—birth parents to help create stability and lasting permanency.
• Identify and engage relatives, fictive kin, and natural supports to strengthen family connections.
• Use tools like ecomaps and genograms to better understand family systems and support networks.
• Recruit, Assess & License Foster Homes:
• Recruit individuals, couples, and families to become foster parents through community outreach and events (some outside regular business hours).
• Conduct thorough family assessments for prospective foster parents.
• Complete all required IDCFS documentation and serve as a liaison between the organization and IDCFS to secure foster home licensing approval.
• Follow all required procedures and documentation for Relative Certification.
• Maintain accurate foster home files in line with IDCFS regulations and agency policies.
• Monitor licensed foster homes to ensure they continue to meet all standards and requirements.
• Support Foster Families:
• Help foster families succeed by preventing placement disruptions, supporting reunification when appropriate, stabilizing placements, and promoting youth development.
• Work to ensure every child’s safety, well-being, and permanency.
• Collaboration & Professional Responsibilities:
• Work closely with supervisors to match children with appropriate and available foster homes.
• Stay accessible during and occasionally outside regular business hours for placement-related needs.
• Help plan and deliver foster parent trainings alongside staff and community partners, including monthly Bethany training.
• Maintain strong, professional relationships with colleagues, referral partners, and community organizations.
• Attend meetings, trainings, and professional development opportunities.
• Support the organization’s mission and strategic goals.
• Take on other related duties as needed.

• A bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, or a related field (master’s degree preferred).
• Experience licensing and monitoring foster family homes in Illinois.
• Background in foster care case management.
• Successful completion of required IDCFS foster licensing exams.
• A valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and reliable transportation for home visits and community work.
• Flexibility to work a schedule that meets program needs and foster family availability (including occasional non-traditional hours).
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to work effectively with individuals and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A commitment to the organization’s mission, values, and team-based approach to care.
• The ability to meet all employment requirements for Illinois Child Welfare Agency staff, including required background checks (Sex Offender Registry, SACWIS, Illinois State Police, FBI, and Federal Office of the Inspector…