RRTS Caseworker -Ankeny

Help Build Brighter Futures – Join Four Oaks as a Foster Care Licensing Caseworker!

Are you passionate about helping children and families? Do you enjoy building relationships, supporting others, and making a difference in your community?

At Four Oaks, we believe every child deserves a safe, stable, and loving home. We're looking for a compassionate, motivated, and dedicated Caseworker to join our team in the Ankeny/Des Moines area!

This is more than just a job. It's an opportunity to help families open their hearts and homes to children who need them most.

What You'll Do

As a Foster Care Licensing Caseworker, you'll play an important role in helping foster and adoptive families through the licensing process while providing ongoing support and guidance.

Here's what your day-to-day could look like:

- Help families get started! Connect with prospective foster families, complete initial screenings, and guide them through the licensing process.

- Get to know the families you serve! Conduct home visits and complete detailed, unbiased home studies for prospective and current foster and adoptive families.

- Be their go-to support! Build strong relationships with Resource Families, providing encouragement, guidance, and resources whether they currently have a child placed in their home or not.

- Help children find stability! Work alongside families to support safe, stable placements for as long as they are needed.

- Support the adoption journey! Assist pre-adoptive families throughout the adoption process to help create lasting, successful placements.

- Help find the right fit! Assist with placement referrals, assess family strengths and needs, and help identify appropriate homes for children and youth.

- Work through challenges together! Help troubleshoot placement concerns and respond to time-sensitive requests for available Resource Families.

- Share your knowledge! Assist with pre-service and ongoing training to help foster and adoptive families feel prepared and supported.

- Stay connected! Work closely with Iowa Health and Human Services (HHS), Juvenile Court Services (JCS), and other community partners.

- Keep things organized! Complete initial, renewal, update, ICPC, and relative home studies, maintain accurate CareMatch documentation, and submit required reports on time.

- Be out in the community! Travel throughout the Ankeny/Des Moines area to meet with families in their homes, attend meetings, and participate in training and support activities.

- Help families stay on track! Guide Resource Families through Iowa licensing requirements and help them maintain compliance with state standards.

What Makes This Role Special?

Every child deserves someone in their corner, and every foster family needs support along the way.

In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:

- Make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families.

- Build lasting relationships with foster and adoptive families.

- Help create safe, stable, and supportive homes for children.

- Work alongside community partners who share the same goal of helping families succeed.

- Be part of a team that understands the importance of supporting one another.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who:

- Has a genuine passion for helping children and families.

- Enjoys working with people and building positive relationships.

- Is organized, dependable, and able to manage multiple responsibilities.

- Has strong written and verbal communication skills.

- Can complete detailed assessments, reports, and documentation while meeting deadlines.

- Is comfortable conducting home visits and traveling throughout the assigned service area.

- Can work independently while also being part of a supportive team.

- Is flexible with scheduling, as some visits will take place during evenings and weekends based on family availability.

- Is willing to learn and stay current on Iowa foster care licensing and approval requirements.

Why Four Oaks?

At Four Oaks, we believe that supporting children and families starts with having people who truly care about making a difference.

We understand the importance of teamwork, respect, and creating an environment where everyone feels valued. Our organization is committed to providing equal opportunities, encouraging professional growth, and building a workplace where different backgrounds and experiences are welcomed.

We know that working in child welfare comes with challenges, but it also comes with the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and families throughout Iowa.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you're looking for a meaningful career where you can support families, advocate for children, and make a positive impact in your community, we want to hear from you!

Apply today and help us continue building brighter futures for Iowa's children and families!

Four Oaks – Expect Success!

Qualifications

What you need:

You need a Bachelors Degree in Human Services, Social Work, Behavioral Sciences or related field, plus one year of related experience. Knowledge of the foster care and adoption systems is preferred.