Position: Minnesota Child Welfare Reporter

Location: Minnesota, USA

Job Description

The Imprint, a national nonprofit news outlet, is looking for an enterprising full-time reporter to anchor our Minnesota child welfare beat. 

Our virtual but close-knit newsroom is unique. Reporters working from bureaus across the country focus exclusively on children and families involved with the foster care and youth justice systems, producing breaking news, features and in-depth investigative coverage. We produce high-quality news that is regularly co-published by other major media outlets and informs professionals and policymakers across the country. 

There has never been a more important time for in-depth, nuanced reporting about the ways government intervenes in the lives of children and families. Our work examines the rapidly changing field of child welfare as it addresses intergenerational trauma, and balances the needs to keep children safe with the necessity of preserving family ties. We highlight harmful practices and expose promising reforms, informing our readers about the field’s most promising advocates, scholars and critics. 

The ideal candidate for our Minnesota Child Welfare Reporter will have print journalism experience. Candidates should know how to find and produce well-written stories obtained from public records, scientific studies, legislation, lawsuits and sources on the beat. They will be able to interview young people raised in foster care and those who have lost their children with care and sensitivity, while juggling complex legal and social matters with politicians, policy makers and advocates. Candidates must have strong listening skills, and be attuned to the needs of vulnerable populations from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and socio-economic backgrounds. 

The Imprint’s parent company is Fostering Media Connections (FMC), a national nonprofit journalism organization based in Los Angeles, California. FMC’s other programs include Fostering Families Today, Youth Voices Rising and SafeCamp Audio.

The Minnesota Child Welfare Reporter’s primary responsibilities will include:

  • Reporting and writing a minimum of three stories a month focusing on child welfare issues at the state and local level in Minnesota.  

  • Increasing public awareness through reporting on topics such as family preservation, community-based initiatives, legal representation, the role of relatives in foster care, trauma and mental health care, issues unique to Native American and African American communities, and racial disparities in the child welfare system. 

  • Working closely with a tight-knit, diverse newsroom in a highly collaborative environment.

  • Attending daily news meetings of roughly an hour.

  • Working closely with editors and copy editors on each story, which will typically go through several rounds of revisions and must be fully and accurately sourced.

  • Producing a monthly Minnesota newsletter with our communications team featuring our work.

Qualifications

We are seeking someone with at least three years of daily journalism experience and strong clips. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to write clearly and concisely and be dedicated to precision and accuracy. Strong working knowledge of AP Style, LexisNexis and other basic journalism news resources is required, as well as an ability to meet deadlines. Qualified applicants will be asked to complete at least one (paid) story assignment on deadline as a writing test. Please note we do not allow the use of generative AI in our newsroom and require a signed commitment to this policy from all editorial employees. Candidates may apply from any part of the country, but residency in the state of Minnesota will be required. 

Above all, we are looking for candidates who are creative, curious, eager and interested in finding and telling untold stories. While some stories will be pitched to the writer, we need a self-starter who will find story ideas on a regular basis.

Fostering Media Connections is an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a diverse newsroom. We believe that diversity strengthens the quality of our journalism and our workplace. We strongly encourage applicants of all races, ethnicities, gender and sexual orientations, physical abilities, ages, socioeconomic backgrounds and national origins to apply. 

Compensation
This position will earn an annual salary of $60,000. FMC offers subsidized health insurance (after 60 days), a matching retirement plan and paid time off, including an all-staff paid two-week winter break.

How to Apply
Please submit the following information, in full, through our application form:

  • A résumé and cover letter

  • Five clips, if available unedited rough drafts

  • Two story ideas

  • Three references, with contact information