Advocacy Coordinator

CHILD ADVOCATES INC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 52,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Paid leave

Job summary

The Advocacy Coordinator at Child Advocates, Inc. in Houston, TX oversees the organization’s advocacy initiative serving children in DFPS custody in Harris County.

This role handles case management, direct contact with children, caregivers and family members, appearances at court hearings and preparation of court reports and recommendations. It also documents and performs administrative tasks essential to program operations.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of experience working with children and families in a case management capacity.
• Experience training, mentoring and supervising staff; strong preference for experience coordinating volunteers.
• Proficiency in MS Office Windows environment, including Outlook, Teams, Sharepoint, Word, and Excel.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse population and different types of personalities.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Effective time-management, multi-tasking and prioritization skills.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion.

Responsibilities

• Provide advocacy, support, and coordination of services to children and youth in care of Child Protective Services (not to exceed 24 cases/families and 24 volunteers).
• Collaborate and network with a broad base of stakeholders, including local schools, community-based organizations, child welfare agencies, and health providers to ensure appropriate services for children.
• Support and mentor court advocate volunteers, including participating in case staffings, attending court hearings, assisting in preparation of court reports, visiting children, and contacting stakeholders.
• Work and manage cases when volunteers are not available.
• Maintain complete, accurate and timely case notes in the case management system.
• Ensure reports and evaluations are clear, concise, timely, and include recommendations based on risk assessment standards.
• Ensure work meets organization standards for casework and documentation.
• Participate in volunteer training and continuing education as a presenter, facilitator and mentor.
• Participate in continuing education opportunities relevant to professional development.
• Recognize volunteer contributions and develop strong professional relationships to keep volunteers engaged long-term.

Skills

MS Office

Outlook

Teams

SharePoint

Word

Excel

Written & oral communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field

Tools

Case management system

Job description

People always say, "Boy, you guys must see a lot of horrible stuff working in that capacity." The truth is - yeah, we do. But we see a lot of incredible stuff too. A lot of happy endings. A lot of big smiles. And it's that mix that makes us who we are - approximately 50 dedicated staff members and 500 volunteers committed to making a difference in the lives of abused children.

Our Culture

Many would call it a "team" environment, but we think it's more than that. The atmosphere at Child Advocates can best be described as a family. We laugh often, disagree every once in a while, and share ideas constantly, but we aren't afraid to roll up our sleeves when needed. We may not always see eye-to-eye, but that doesn't stop us from supporting each other. Most of all, we understand that each of our roles is critical to fulfilling our organization's mission.

Child Advocates, Inc. provides a competitive compensation and benefits package including:

Insurance: medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life, disability (short-term & long-term)

Paid Leave: vacation, holiday and sick

401(k) Plan

Free Parking

Opportunity to positively contribute to the vital mission of breaking the cycle of child abuse and neglect

Child Advocates is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state or federal law. This policy applies to all aspects of one’s employment, including hiring, transfer, promotion, compensation, eligibility for benefits and termination.

Location: Houston, TX

Job Id:132

# of Openings:1

Child Advocates, Inc.

Job Summar y:

The Advocacy Coordinator is responsible for the execution and oversight of the organization’s advocacy initiative serving children in custody of the Department of Family Protective Services in Harris County, Texas. This involves case management, including direct contact with children, caregivers and family members; appearance at court hearings and case‑related meetings; active involvement in medical and educational advocacy; preparation of court reports and recommendations; and documentation and other administrative tasks. The Advocacy Coordinator also supervises a team of volunteers serving as court appointed guardian ad litem on some or all assigned cases and represent a key tenet of the organization’s mission.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide advocacy, support, and coordination of services to children and youth in care of Child Protective Services (not to exceed 24 cases/families and 24 volunteers).
• Collaborate and network with a broad base of stakeholders, including local schools, community-based organizations, child welfare agencies, and physical or mental health providers to ensure appropriate services for children.
• Support and mentor court advocate volunteers, providing guidance and direction, including participating in case staffings; attending court hearings; assisting in preparation of court reports; visiting children; and contacting stakeholders.
• Work and manage cases when volunteers are not available.
• Maintain complete, accurate and timely case notes for all cases under your supervision, utilizing the organization’s case management system.
• Ensure reports and evaluations are clear and concise, adhere to established timelines and standards, and include appropriate recommendations based on standards for risk assessment.
• Ensure your work and your volunteers’ work meets or exceeds the organization’s minimum standards for casework and documentation.
• Participate in volunteer training and continuing education as a presenter, facilitator and mentor.
• Participate in continuing education opportunities relevant to your professional development.
• Recognize volunteer contributions and develop strong professional relationships with team of volunteers ensuring volunteer remain engaged long‑term.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 2 years of experience working with children and families in a case management capacity.
• Experience training, mentoring and supervising staff; strong preference for experience coordinating volunteers serving in long‑term capacity.
• Proficiency in MS Office Windows environment, including Outlook, Teams, Sharepoint, Word, and Excel.
• Bachelor’s degree in social work or related field.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse population and different types of personalities.
• Effective written and oral communication skills.
• Effective time‑management, multi‑tasking and prioritization skills.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion.

Other Work Conditions:

• Must be able to sit at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Must have a valid Texas driver’s license, personal automobile, and auto insurance.
• Must work non‑routine hours as needed to attend court, child visits and meetings; participate in volunteer training; and accommodate volunteer and client schedules and needs.

Compensation and Benefits:

• Salary range between $52,000 to $55,000, with the final offer contingent on the candidate’s experience, bilingual abilities, and having an MSW or a similar degree.
• Medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life, disability (short‑term and long‑term) insurances

REQUEST A COURT APPOINTED ADVOCATE

You may put in a request of a court appointed advocate for any child/children currently in the temporary managing conservatorship of Harris County DFPS.

find out more

REPORT ABUSE

To report child abuse, neglect or abandonment, contact the Texas Abuse and Neglect Hotline.

www.txabusehotline.org

1.800.252.5400

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

Learn more about our organization, upcoming events, and how to help abused and neglected children in our community.

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Child Advocates Inc.

3701 Kirby Drive, Suite 400

Houston, Texas 77098

713.529.1396 phone

713.529.1390 fax