Foster Care Recruitment & Family Finding Specialist

Who we are

Lawrence Hall is a Chicago-based nonprofit social services agency that provides therapeutic, wellness, and skill development services to youth, families, and neighborhoods affected by lasting trauma.

Our Foster Care team plays a critical role in helping children find safety, healing, and long-term stability. We work across Traditional, Specialized, and Adolescent Foster Care to reunify families or support successful transitions into long-term homes and life-long connections.

About the Role

Help young people build lasting support networks. As a Foster Care Recruitment & Family Finding Specialist, you'll play a key role in helping youth in foster care connect with relatives, fictive kin, and other trusted adults who can offer stability and love. You ' ll also support recruitment and training of foster parents while partnering closely with caseworkers to expand placement options for youth with complex needs.

This is a great opportunity for someone who is compassionate, creative, and detail-oriented - with the investigative curiosity to find and engage family members and the relational skills to build trust with youth and caregivers. You ' ll work in the field, attend events, conduct diligent searches, and contribute directly to improved permanency outcomes.

In this role, you will :

• Conduct outreach, investigation, and research to locate family / fictive kin
• Interview families and assess placement potential and support systems
• Use genograms, ecomaps, social media, and databases to identify connections
• Serve as a liaison for youth transitioning to new placements
• Support foster family recruitment through targeted outreach and events
• Assist with training and guiding potential foster parents and relatives
• Collaborate with caseworkers, family teams, and community providers
• Maintain accurate documentation, correspondence, and case tracking in SACWIS
• Apply trauma-informed, family-centered, and equity-based practices in all work
• Understand implicit bias and its role in placement decisions
• Attend meetings, trainings, and community engagement events as needed

Who we ' re looking for

Required :

Preferred :

Additional Information

This position is based out of our Stewart campus (400 W 76th Street, Chicago, IL 60620), with local travel across Chicago and surrounding counties for outreach, meetings, or family assessments. Typical hours are Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, with occasional evenings or weekends as needed.

Compensation and Benefits

How to Apply

Submit your application here . We look forward to learning more about you!

Frequently cited statistics show that women and underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the necessary skills and abilities. Lawrence Hall encourages you to apply even if you do not have experience in all areas of essential functions. We look forward to your application.

This position meets the FLSA requirements for Exempt

Equal Opportunity Employer M / F / D / V

Following job offer acceptance, all new hires are required to complete a background check through the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Individuals who have lived outside of Illinois may also be subject to out-of-state checks, which can take up to eight weeks to process. While these checks are pending, candidates should continue completing all other pre-boarding requirements. Employment may begin once all pre-boarding steps are complete and DCFS clearance has been received.