Foster Care Licensing Team Lead

Wellspring Lutheran Services – Bingham Farms | Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties | Full-time

About the role

You chose social work and child welfare because you believe every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, supportive, and caring environment. Over time, you learned that creating those opportunities starts long before a child enters a foster home. It begins with identifying the right families, helping them prepare for the realities of foster care, and ensuring they have the knowledge, training, and support needed to succeed. You also discovered that some of your greatest impact comes from helping others do this important work well. By mentoring new professionals, sharing your experience, and strengthening foster care practices, you can help create better outcomes for even more children and families.

At Wellspring Lutheran Services, we're looking for a Foster Care Licensing Team Lead who is passionate about strengthening foster families while helping fellow professionals grow in their careers. In this role, you'll continue partnering with prospective and licensed foster families while serving as a mentor, trainer, and resource for licensing staff. You'll help ensure foster families are equipped for success, licensing standards are upheld, and children have access to safe, stable, and nurturing homes. Most importantly, you'll help create the foundation that allows children in foster care to heal, grow, and thrive.

Responsibilities

• Guide prospective foster families through the licensing process, helping them understand requirements, assess readiness, identify strengths, and prepare for the rewards and challenges of foster parenting.
• Conduct home studies, evaluations, and ongoing support activities to ensure foster homes are prepared to provide safe, nurturing care.
• Play a key role in recruiting, training, and retaining foster families to expand the network of homes available to children in need.
• Serve as a mentor and resource for licensing staff, helping new team members develop confidence, strengthen assessment skills, and navigate complex situations.
• Provide guidance on documentation, home studies, training, licensing requirements, and challenging cases while maintaining consistency and quality across the team.
• Conduct home visits, facilitate foster parent training, and assist families with the licensing process.
• Coach new staff members, review documentation, and assist with challenging situations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related human services field preferred.
• Experience working with children and families.
• Minimum of one year of experience as a Foster Care Licensing Worker.
• Valid driver’s license, good driving record, and auto insurance.
• Strong assessment, interviewing, training, and documentation skills.
• Ability to mentor, coach, and support fellow team members.
• Commitment to strength-based, family-centered practice.

Why this role matters

Foster families are at the heart of the foster care system. They provide safety during uncertain times, consistency during transitions, and support when children need it most. But foster families need support, preparation, and ongoing guidance to be successful. As a Foster Care Licensing Team Lead, you'll help ensure both foster families and licensing professionals have the resources and support they need to make a lasting difference in the lives of children. The impact of your work will be felt in every foster home you help build and every professional you help develop.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching
• Employee Assistance Program (SupportLinc)
• Mileage reimbursement
• Professional development and leadership growth opportunities
• Supportive, mission-driven team environment

Pay

Salary $47,800

Schedule

• Full-time
• Flexible schedule based on the needs of foster families, licensing activities, and team support responsibilities.
• Primarily daytime hours with some evening and weekend responsibilities for foster parent training, orientations, home visits, and recruitment events.
• Community-based work throughout the service area. Local travel requires using a personal vehicle.