Salary: $69,348.00 - $93,288.00 Annually
Location : King County - Seattle - West Seattle, WA
Job Type: Full Time - Non-Permanent
Job Number:
Department: Dept of Children, Youth, and Families
Division: CW Field Operations - Region 4
Opening Date: 08/12/2026
Closing Date: 8/19/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Salary Information: The high end of the salary range, Step M is typically a longevity step

Description
Job Title: Permanency/Adoptions Social Service Specialist 3 (SSS3).
Location: West Seattle, WA. - Region 4. This non-permanent full-time position has an opportunity to become permanent. This position is in the Adoptions Unit, West Seattle Office of Indian Child Welfare (OICW) Field Office in Delridge. This position requires time in the field and in the office as well as flexibility for some remote work. Transportation of children is a part of this job. This position will travel within its assigned areas of work, with clients as required by cases, and to attend training and meetings.Closes: 08/19/2026
Salary: $69,348 - $93,288 Annually. The salary listed does not include the additional 5% premium granted to all King County employees.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families is looking for a Social Service Specialist 3 who will be responsible for providing case management services to clients and families in the Region 4 Permanency/Adoption Unit. The Region 4 Permanency team is a seasoned, tight-knit team that provides a positive atmosphere. We work to finalize adoptions for youth who are legally free as well as recruit for forever homes for youth who are in need of one. The ideal candidate will work collaboratively and partner effectively with co-workers, supervisors, administration, families, relatives, and community partners to assess child safety and support children and families. If you are passionate about permanency for children and have child welfare experience, apply today!

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The Opportunity:
In this role, you will be assigned a caseload of legally free youth where you will be responsible for assisting youth in achieving permanency and exiting foster care by adoption, guardianship, EFC, or APPLA. This role is responsible for ensuring youth's health and education needs are met, identifying and removing barriers to permanency, recruitment for those who are not in permanent homes, and facilitating the finalization of the permanent plans. This role is responsible for having expert knowledge of permanency plans, policy, and law as well as best practices for permanency planning, to provide expert consultation and collaborative support to field offices for legally free youth in care within Region 4. This position provides day-to-day case management services to legally free children that span a vast geographical area in Western Washington. This position also helps advocate and seek permanency for legally free children by working with various private child placing/adoption agencies, as well as Northwest Adoption Exchange (NWAE), to find permanent homes for children in the child welfare system.

Some of what you will get to do:

• Ensure timely permanency outcomes for all children on their caseload with an emphasis on adoptions.
• Meet all casework management directives required by law, policy, and mandates.
• Provide ongoing case management, service, permanency planning, and crisis intervention.
• Assess risk and safety; assess resource needs of the child, and provide placement, stabilization, and permanency supports.
• Help prepare and counsel children regarding permanent placement and adoption, and other potential permanent plans.
• Monitor the current placement and build a relationship with the child by conducting monthly health and safety visits.
• Utilize FamLink to document case activity and update case records.
• Consult with attorneys and court-appointed advocates, prepare court reports, and present testimony at court hearings.
• Conduct Child/family health and safety visits.
• Arrange/accommodate sibling visits when needed.
• Meet documentation and payment initiation requirements for accurate and timely entries into Famlink.
• Provide highly skilled assessments of adoptive applications.

Required Qualifications:
Social Service Specialist 3:

• Six (6) years of paid social service experience* AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline.

OR

• Bachelor's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or any degree that includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND Two (2) years of paid social service experience*.

OR

• Master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences, or any degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline AND One (1) year of paid social service experience*.

OR

• One (1) year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 2.

AND

• The ability to take action to learn and grow and to meet the needs of others.

*Paid Social Service experience must include at least one year of assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.
In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• Completed Master's Degree in Social Work and have case management experience working with children.
• Previous experience in Child Welfare, such as: CPS, FAR, FRS, FVS, CFWS, Permanency/Adoptions.
• Experience assessing risk and safety regarding child abuse and neglect concerns or developing safety and service plans with families.
• Knowledge and familiarity with the local community and resources.
• Knowledge of applicable laws, rules, and policies on child protective and child welfare services.
• Experience with FamLink and documentation requirements.
• Experience using computer software programs such as Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Excel.

How do I apply?

Complete your applicant profile and attach the following:

• Transcripts (An unofficial copy of transcripts is acceptable for application submission. )
• Cover Letter
• Current Resume

Supplemental Information:
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington's children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our goal to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). For more information:

Benefits eligibility for this position may be different than what's listed in the benefits tab of this recruitment announcement. For more information on employee benefits eligibility, visit:

This position requires a minimum of at least two years of driving experience and a valid driver's license.