Parent Advocate

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title:        Parent Advocate 

Classification:    Regular, Full-Time, Salaried Exempt

Reports To:        Director of Education and Clinical Services  

Supervises:    N/A

Essential Staff?    No

POSITION SUMMARY

The Parent Advocate serves a critical role in ensuring the well-being and rights of both the child and the family within various systems, such as social services, court orders, and family support. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Liaison for Family Members

•    Acts as a bridge between the family, the child, and the system, ensuring effective communication and understanding.

Coordinating Visits

•    Facilitates and organizes visitation schedules, which are crucial for maintaining family connections and support.

Supervising Court-Ordered Visits

•    Ensures compliance with court orders and guarantees the safety and well-being of the child during supervised visits.

Handling Investigations and Complaints

•    Addresses concerns and complaints from families regarding the services provided to their child, advocating for improvements and resolutions.

Transportation Assistance

•    Helps overcome logistical challenges by assisting with transportation, enabling families to participate in visits.

Court Attendance and Support

•    Provides support to families during court appearances, ensuring their voices are heard and understood.

Connecting Families to Resources

•    Helps families access essential community resources, empowering them to provide better support to their child.

Participation in Treatment Team Meetings

•    Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic and comprehensive support for the child and family.

Support for Reunification Goals

•    Works towards the family service goal of reunification, supporting the process and ensuring the best interests of the child.

Support and Documentation

•    Provides ongoing support and documents progress or obstacles encountered during visits, contributing to informed decision-making.

Importance and Meaningfulness

•    Empowerment: Enables families to navigate complex systems and ensures their involvement in decision-making processes.

•    Advocacy: Acts as a strong advocate for both the child and the family, ensuring their needs are met.

•    Preservation of Family Bonds: Facilitates and preserves crucial family relationships and support systems, which are vital for a child's well-being.

•    Compliance and Accountability: Ensures compliance with legal requirements and holds responsible parties accountable for providing appropriate services.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

•    Has a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school.

•    Has a minimum of 2 years of experience working with at risk youth and family systems. 

•    When not traveling, performs primarily sedentary work in a climate-controlled office environment.

•    Must be able to perform the physical requirements of the position:

o    Remain in a stationary, seated position more than 50% of the time.

o    Occasionally perform light work by lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling up to 20 pounds without assistance.

o    Move about on foot to complete tasks and move from one location to another.

o    Stoop, kneel, crouch, reach, climb stairs, and stand regularly.

o    Have close visual acuity to prepare and analyze figures and data, to view a computer monitor and operate typical office equipment.

o    Have manual dexterity to grasp and manipulate objects.

o    Be subjected to occasional noise that would cause one to shout in order to be heard above ambient noise level.

•    Demonstrates a commitment to achieving a standard of excellence with procedures and outcomes.

•    Communicates effectively by balancing listening and talking, speaking and writing clearly and influencing others.

•    Demonstrates excellent teamwork skills by being helpful, accountable, respectful and approachable.

•    Demonstrates a deep commitment to Bethany Children’s Home mission and values.