Position Title: Child Advocate
Reports to: Program Manager
Primary Location: Kids’ Harbor, Inc.-St. Robert, MO
Designation: Exempt
Kids’ Harbor, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3 child advocacy center servicing 10 counties and the Fort Leonard Wood Military Installation in southwest and central Missouri for over 20 years. Our mission is to provide coordinated response, healing, and prevention of child abuse.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Child Advocate will work within a multidisciplinary team to create and support high standards for child abuse investigations and to advocate for the needs and wellbeing of child abuse victims and their families. The advocate will provide initial onsite services to safe caregivers of children reporting sexual and/or physical abuse. The Child Advocate consults and collaborates with forensic interviewers, law enforcement, prosecutors, medical professionals, child protection workers, mental health professionals, court victim advocates, community resource providers, and other victim service organizations.
The advocate provides support and information to the child and safe caregiver throughout the duration of the case. The advocate will assist families in accessing needed services: immediate crisis intervention, applications for Crime Victims Compensation, long term counseling, medical care, and other issues related to victimization, including reduction of barriers to those services. The advocate will coordinate appropriate referrals for services.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Ensures children and their safe caregivers receive the most sensitive and humane care during the investigation process by ensuring a timely response from investigative agencies and seeks to protect children from being subjected to repeated interviews and medical examinations.
- Delivers orientation services to children and families, including explaining child advocacy center services, assessing the needs of the child and safe caregivers, and connecting community-based services
- Provides crisis intervention, safety planning, and resource information to families
- Locates community resources for children and families and communicates with agencies to reduce barriers to services
- Advocates on behalf of child crime victims; accompany them to criminal justice offices and to criminal court hearings
- Remain apprised of services available within the community to link child/safe caregiver with appropriate services that would enhance the quality of life for the child
- Consults with investigative team members before and after child interviews and medical examinations to determine strategies to support the safe caregivers’ efforts to protect the child
- Prepares timely, thorough, and accurate case notes of family advocacy sessions, including data collection, data entry and maintenance of the computerized case tracking system
- Participates in the coordination and facilitation of multidisciplinary case review meetings
- Provides back up intake coordination as needed
- Rotates on-call availabilities to respond to emergency calls by multidisciplinary team (MDT) members and provide emergency advocacy services as appropriate.
- Advocates for child victims and their families during the case review process and the ensuing screening by prosecutors, juvenile officers and child protection workers as they consider filing criminal charges or Juvenile Court petitions
- Administer surveys to help ensure quality of services.
- Conducts training sessions with community professionals who require education about child abuse, Kids’ Harbor, Inc. services, the benefits of multidisciplinary case collaboration and the dynamics of child abuse
- Attends skills-based training to remain abreast of the latest research, trends and best practice standards in victim advocacy and cultural sensitivity
- Provides regular updates to the Program Manager for modification to service delivery, program content, evaluation, etc.
- Attends relevant continuing education opportunities, networking meetings, committee meetings, conferences, etc. approved by the Program Manager and Executive Director
- Assists in the recruitment, training and use of volunteers and interns in the Kids’ Harbor, Inc. Program
- Attend annual agency functions, special events, and meetings as necessary and appropriate
- Remain abreast of issues related to child abuse, child sexual abuse and neglect
- Perform job duties as laid out in Kids’ Harbor policies and procedures, standard operating procedures, and the recommended practice model as established by the National Children’s Alliance
- Perform other job duties as assigned
REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications: A bachelor’s degree in social work, psychology, education, child development, criminal justice, or related field. Preference will be given to applicants with the above qualifications who have also had direct work experience intervening with abused children and their families. Knowledge of dynamics of child abuse; knowledge of law enforcement, criminal and civil court systems and how to communicate with and function within these systems; strong skills in public relations and negotiation; strong organizational skills; ability to engage children of all ages; empower and mediate with parents in crisis; and comprehensive understanding of community resources. Must work effectively with individuals from various economic, social, and cultural backgrounds. Successful candidates will demonstrate an ability to accomplish and advance program goals, a willingness to remain abreast of current research related to child abuse/neglect and victim advocacy and an ability to remain sensitive and demonstrate appropriate boundaries with program clients, agency staff, volunteers and team members.
The ideal candidate must operate effectively as part of a team, show commitment to child abuse prevention, have experience in and commitment to building and supporting trauma-informed organizations committed to advocacy, have the ability to motivate others to be effective team players and the ability to incorporate values of shared responsibility; open, honest, and direct communication; and respect for others into assigned duties.
Able to be on-call and respond, as needed, after hours and on weekends within a reasonable time.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Attention to detail necessary to read and develop center materials along with verbal skills to communicate with the public. Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, children, families, multidiscipline team members, and the general public. Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid and reliable conclusions. Ability to recognize and acknowledge vicarious trauma in the workplace and utilize the resources provided to address/mitigate the trauma's impact.
Physical Requirements: Must be able to use general office equipment and computer software. Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally; working under pressure to meet deadlines. Must be willing to accommodate limited travel and work nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays (minimal), if necessary.
WORK SETTING
Must be able to function amicably in a small, but busy workplace. Must acknowledge and adhere to the agency’s policy and procedures including confidentiality and code of conduct and adhere to the highest professional ethics, confidentiality, direction and judgment.
WORK HOURS
This is a full-time position; business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Regular evening and occasional weekend work may be required.
TRAVEL
Travel may be required throughout the Kids’ Harbor, Inc. service area for clinical services within school settings, educational opportunities, and/or as the agency deems necessary. Provide own transportation (mileage reimbursed) with valid driver’s license and insurance coverage on vehicle.
PRINCIPLES AND VALUES
Team Work: Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of the Kids’ Harbor, Inc. team above own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone’s efforts to succeed.
Strategic Thinking: Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; understands organizations’ strengths and weaknesses; identifies external threats and opportunities; adapts strategy to changing conditions.
Willing to Grow: Accepts accountability for mistakes and uses the mistakes as an opportunity to learn about self and to change future behaviors.
Safety and Security: Observes safety and security procedures; determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; remedies potentially unsafe conditions.
Attendance: Regular attendance is a requirement of this position. Kids' Harbor, Inc. employees, who are full-time, are expected to work a 40-hour work week.
Other: The safety of children is a priority; all new employees must agree to and pass a child abuse and neglect screening and a criminal history investigation as a condition of employment and annually due to the sensitive nature of work.
This job description reflects Kids’ Harbor, Inc.’s best effort to describe the essential functions and qualifications of the job described. It is not an exhaustive statement of all the duties, responsibilities, or qualifications of the job. Kids’ Harbor, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating and supporting a diverse staff.
Resumes and applications will be considered upon receipt. This position will remain open until filled.
BENEFITS
Kids’ Harbor, Inc. offers a competitive pay and benefits package including paid medical and dental insurance for employees, paid holidays, and a generous paid time off policy. Optional medical, dental, optical, life, 403(b), and Flex Spending is available.
