Family Advocate

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

The Family Advocate serves as a vital member of the Children’s Legacy Center’s Children’s Advocacy Center team, working in close partnership with Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) partners and community-based organizations. This role provides compassionate, trauma-informed support to children and families navigating abuse, neglect, or other traumatic experiences, ensuring they are connected to appropriate services and resources. The ideal candidate will bring experience in advocacy and case coordination, professionalism in multidisciplinary settings, and a commitment to innovation, humility, and empathy in meeting the unique needs of each child and family.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Welcome and orient children and caregivers upon arrival at the Children’s Advocacy Center, supporting a client-centered and trauma-informed experience throughout their visit.
• Conduct comprehensive assessments and develop individualized service and treatment plans tailored to the needs of children, youth, and families.
• Provide guidance, resources, and emotional support to caregivers during forensic interviews, ensuring referrals and follow-up services are clearly communicated and understood.
• Offer advocacy and supportive services to children and caregivers during forensic medical exams, including discussing referrals, next steps, and ongoing care.
• Collaborate with internal staff and MDT partners to coordinate care and ensure seamless service delivery.
• Identify, assess, and respond to crises with appropriate interventions; create safety plans as needed to support child, youth, and/or and family stabilization.
• Maintain accurate, detailed, and timely documentation of all case activities, assessments, and services provided in compliance with organizational and legal standards.
• Ensure services are accessible and culturally responsive, including arranging for translation, interpretation, or accommodations for children and families with diverse linguistic, cultural, and accessibility needs.
• Provide case management and follow-up support to confirm families are connected to services, referrals are completed, and barriers to care are addressed.
• Provide advocacy and support by accompanying children and families during court proceedings and related trial activities as needed.
• Stay current on community resources, programs, and outreach opportunities to provide informed referrals and connect families with appropriate services.
• Actively participate in community outreach efforts to strengthen partnerships and increase awareness of available resources.
• Support MDT facilitation as assigned.
• Provide after-hours and weekend support for Pediatric SART responses.
• Participate in ongoing training and professional development to strengthen knowledge and skills in trauma-informed care, child advocacy, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
• Contribute to program evaluation and grant reporting by assisting with data collection and outcome tracking as needed.

Requirements:

  Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong understanding of trauma-informed care and child- and family-centered practices.
• Familiarity with community resources, social services, behavioral health systems, and their application in supporting children, youth, and families.
• Working knowledge of the criminal justice process, including forensic interviews, medical exams, and court procedures.
• Understanding of crisis intervention strategies, safety planning, and caregiver support.
• Commitment to cultural humility and the ability to work effectively with children and families from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds, including arranging for interpretation or accommodations when needed.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport with children, families, and multidisciplinary partners.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple cases, maintain accurate records, and meet documentation standards.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and respond to sensitive situations with professionalism, empathy, and discretion.
• Proficiency with technology, case management systems, and basic data entry for service tracking and reporting. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Capacity to work independently while contributing to a highly collaborative team environment.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Child Development, or a closely related field required; Master’s degree in Social Work or a related discipline strongly preferred.
• Minimum of one year of professional experience providing services to children and families, with preference for experience in trauma-informed care, child advocacy, behavioral health, social services, or related settings.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods while working at a desk or computer.
• Ability to move about the office and community locations, including courts, partner agencies, and medical facilities.
• Ability to transport files, presentation materials, or supplies weighing up to 20 pounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, over the phone, and in virtual settings.
• Ability to travel locally to attend court hearings, community meetings, or home visits as required.
• Ability to maintain professional composure and provide support in potentially high-stress or emotionally charged environments.

Compensation:

$25.00 - $30.00 per hour DOE

Full time, non-exempt

Benefits:

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Prestige Urgent Care Membership
• Paid Time Off

Who We Are:  

Children's Legacy Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of the Children's Legacy Center to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact Human Resources at View email address on us.fitly.work.

Children's Legacy Center is an at-will, equal opportunity employer