Social Worker, Birth Parent Services

About the role

The Social Worker, Birth Parent Services works with birth parents in options counseling, permanency planning, and the adoption process, providing individual counseling, writing psychosocial histories, visiting clients in hospital and community, discharging babies from hospital, facilitating selection of and meetings with adoptive parents, assisting in placement and/or return of infants, and referring clients to community support services. The role includes conducting outreach, education, and training at hospitals and agencies serving expectant parents, working closely with the Associate Director to implement department goals, and is an in-person position. Reports to the Associate Director, Birth Parent Services, within the Domestic Adoption department.

Responsibilities

• Provide options counseling to pregnant and postpartum women considering adoption for their newborns and young children
• Visit clients in the hospital and at home as needed
• Represent the agency at hospital and discharge babies to the agency’s interim care program
• Determine client’s need for services and make referrals to outside resources
• Gather bio‑psycho‑social background information, formulate assessments, and write psychosocial histories
• Write case notes in client database and maintain up‑to‑date case records
• Educate clients on best practices in adoption; guide clients in planning, including making hospital plans, matching with adoptive families, reviewing legal documents, and securing an optimal post‑surrender contact plan
• Provide therapeutic counseling to individuals and families
• Participate in placement and return of infants
• Provide short‑term supportive counseling to clients who have placed a child
• Participate in answering birth parent inquiry calls to the agency’s toll‑free birth parent telephone line
• Actively participate in weekly supervision with direct supervisor
• Perform any other department or agency‑related duties or special projects as directed by supervisor
• Provide birth parent outreach, education, and training to professionals at local hospitals, clinics, and social services

Requirements

• MSW from an accredited school of social work, or a related degree required
• Minimum of two years MSW experience or related experience working directly with clients in a social service setting
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
• Experience in adoption and/or pregnancy counselling preferred; must have at least one‑year counselling
• Spanish speaking a plus

Qualifications

• Strong organizational skills and ability to meet tight deadlines
• Ability to multitask; strong execution skills; thorough follow‑through; attention to detail
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment with various departments, supporting both individual and cooperative work
• Ability to work independently at satellite office locations

Skills

• Proficiency in MS Office – Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Knowledge of completing case notes in a database environment

Benefits

• Full health benefits
• Generous PTO and holiday schedule
• HRA & FSA plans
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan with employer contribution
• Paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave
• Commuter benefits

Pay

Annual salary range of $62,000‑$71,000, commensurate with experience.

Schedule

Weekend on‑call coverage approximately one every 6‑7 weeks.