Jurisdiction Site Senior Advisor (South Carolina)

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JURISDICTION SITE SENIOR ADVISOR (SC)

WHO WE ARE

Foster America is transforming the way our nation supports families. Together with communities and local governments, we’re creating a just, equitable alternative to today’s child welfare system – so parents and children stay together with access to the resources they need to thrive. To foster a future where all children and families thrive, we: 

Drive Innovation: We are designing solutions alongside our nation’s boldest governments and communities. Together, we demonstrate that bolstering support for families is an effective alternative to referring them for a child welfare investigation that may lead to the separation of families. 

Develop Changemakers: We’re building a network of people with the imagination – and determination – to transform the child welfare system. We nurture and connect leaders, growing their skills and amplifying our collective impact. 

Disseminate Knowledge: We share what works, so more families and more organizations in more places have the support they need. Our workshops and training allow child welfare practitioners, community leaders, and those who have experienced the foster care system firsthand to learn from our team and one another. 

Foster America cultivates a network and staff team that values and elevates diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise as we shape new ways forward for children and families. 

To learn more about Foster America, please visit https://www.foster-america.org/ 

THE OPPORTUNITY

In March 2024, South Carolina Department of Social Services joined Opportunities for Prevention and Transformation Initiative, Opt-in for Families, an initiative of the Doris Duke Foundation. This multi-year effort will design community-based, equity-centered alternatives to traditional child welfare system approaches. New approaches to be tested include: 

• Building alternative pathways to child abuse hotlines, so families can access assistance preventively.
• Supporting families in navigating voluntary community-based services.
• Meeting the needs of families through cash and material assistance.
• Increasing engagement of families. 

Foster America is joining with SC DSS, local philanthropic partners, and leading national research and technical assistance organizations to support South Carolina leaders in this groundbreaking effort. 

We seek a Senior Advisor to be embedded in the South Carolina Department of Social Services. The Senior Advisor will bring experience in community co-design, collective impact, participatory governance, organizing, or a similar field – demonstrating the ability to motivate and align diverse networks of stakeholders and contributors to innovate together. The Senior Advisor will engage and facilitate as members of an advisory body (including parents, advocates, young people, community groups, service providers, and inter-governmental agencies) collaborate with public child welfare partners to innovate on prevention-focused family supports. The right candidate will demonstrate strong listening, project management, facilitation, trust-building, and problem-solving capabilities. They will help others share their perspectives, use data to bolster collaboration, unite diverse contributors, and innovate to build a more just and equitable future for children and families. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

The senior advisor will support processes and build capacity within the local government to seek and be responsive to ongoing feedback from Black, Indigenous, and communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by the child welfare system about their expectations for a future family and child well-being system. 

This includes: 

• Developing or strengthening existing advisory structures comprising lived experts, community advocates, and system partners working alongside SC DSS to design, test, and continuously improve the alternative well-being system. This includes shaping its membership, supporting its chairpeople, facilitating/co-facilitating (or planning for facilitation of) its meetings, and tracking agendas and content.
• In partnership with SC DSS, building will, alignment, trust, and coordination among the advocates, intergovernmental partners, community organizations, and lived experience leaders contributing to the prevention initiative and related efforts. 
• Working alongside governmental leaders and other technical assistance providers to design, test, an