What is a Foster Care Recruiter?

Foster CareThe foster care system in the United States helps children find stable homes, and one of the most important types of jobs found in that system is that of a foster care recruiter. A recruiter is responsible for finding applicants willing to take in children of different ages, those with special needs and kids who need temporary homes. They perform a number of different tasks and work in all aspects of the foster care system.

Advertising for Applicants

Recruiters are responsible for advertising for new foster parents. The foster care system in America suffers from an abundance of children and far too many homes for those kids. Recruiters work with advertising companies to create television and radio ads, advertisements that run on city streets and buses and ads designed for local newspapers and magazines. The ads offer a short explanation as to what a foster parent does and any requirements that the agency has in place. It may also tell prospective foster parents how much money they will receive for taking in a child and taking care of that child.

Meeting with Prospective Families

A foster care recruiter is also responsible for meeting with potential families after they submit an application. It is important that children feel safe and comfortable in their new homes, which is why these meetings typically take place in the applicant’s home. The recruiter will see the bedroom where the child sleeps, whether the home has a yard, the number of pets in the home and the general cleanliness of the space. Recruiters can deny a potential family for any number of reasons. Some reasons for denial may include a lack of a bedroom for the child, too many pets in the home or because the house looks like a hoarder home.

Interviewing Potential Foster Parents

Prior to becoming a foster parent, that individual must also go through several interviews held in the home and in the office. Foster care agencies often run a background check and disqualifies applicants based on past criminal history and other issues. Prospective parents may have the chance to talk about their backgrounds and criminal charges during the interview. The interview also serves as a way for the recruiter to gauge the individual’s attitude and personality. Foster care parents should want to help children and provide homes for those kids. They must care more about those children than they do about making extra money.

Salary and Benefits

Working as a foster care recruiter takes a lot of hard work. Recruiters often work more than 40 hours every week and spend their weeks driving around town to meet with prospective parents, interview applicants and process applications. Recruiters are essentially social workers and may need a social work degree to work in the field. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social workers make a median wage of $44,200 a year. Recruiters also receive benefits from the agencies they work for, including paid time off for sicknesses and vacations, health insurance and mileage repayment.

Related Resource: Social Work Jobs in Palliative Care

With so many children in the foster care system, the system needs help from trained workers capable of finding the right homes for those kids. A foster care recruiter is responsible for advertising to find foster parents and foster homes, interviewing applicants, processing applications and meeting with potential parents and families.