Child and Family Advocate

Job Description

Job Description

Salary : $28.00 -$31.50hr

Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center is seeking to hire a passionate and capable individual to serve as a Child and Family Advocate who will specialize in providing confidential support to child survivors and non-offending caregivers served through the Pierce County Childrens Advocacy Center.

Rebuilding Hopes mission is to provide support, promote healing, and partner to end sexual violence. As the state-designated Community Sexual Assault Program for Pierce and Kitsap counties, Rebuilding Hope offers support toward healing through advocacy and therapy for those affected by sexual assault and abuse. Through education and collaboration, Rebuilding Hope improves the communitys response to sexual assault victim-survivors and challenges behaviors and beliefs that promote sexual violence.

We are seeking candidates for this position who are passionate about enacting positive social change towards reducing instances of sexual violence in our community and supporting survivors on their journeys towards healing. Best candidates for this position will be able to contribute to the agencys mission by leading and managing short- and long-term range goals, deliverables, and needs of the Advocacy Department to ensure survivor access to Advocacy services.

Rebuilding Hope is committed to developing a team of staff who reflect the diverse demography of the Pierce and Kitsap county communities the agency serves, and who represent populations who are disproportionately impacted by violence. We strongly encourage sexual assault or abuse survivors and / or members of our Black, Indigenous, and communities of Color; LGBTQIA+, culturally diverse, and differently-abled communities to apply.

Nature of Work :

This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) position. This position involves extensive contact with victims of child sexual abuse and their families, primarily focused on but not limited to Pierce County (with medical responses in Kitsap County). The employee in this position has the ability to exercise independent initiative and judgment, subject to the policies and procedures of the agency and the direction of the Advocacy Department Manager and Supervisor. This is a non-exempt position.

Primary Objective : Directly provide in-person direct service advocacy services to victims as they navigate their way through the investigative procedures associated with suspicion or disclosure of child sexual abuse, as well as providing in-person support for general, medical, and / or legal advocacy. Responsibilities of this Position are to be facilitated under the direction of the Advocacy Supervisor and Advocacy Department Manager, and in the absence of Advocacy Leaders, the Deputy Director, or other designee.

Responsible to : Advocacy Department Manager (or other designee)

Salary & Benefits :

$28.00-$31.50 per hour (40 hours per week)

Agency pays 100% of premiums for health, dental, and vision care plans for full-time employees, as well as 2% contribution of the eligible employees salary to the Agencys SIMPLE IRA retirement plan. The Agency offers generous accrual rates for paid personal, sick, and vacation time off in addition to 13 paid holidays.

This position is eligible for agency benefits in accordance with Washington State law and the agencys adopted policies and procedures. Full-time employees may choose to opt into the Agencys group plans for medical, dental, vision care, and retirement benefits upon satisfaction of eligibility and enrollment periods. The agency pays 100% of premiums for health, dental, and vision care plans for full-time employees, as well as 2% contribution of eligible employees' salary to the Agencys SIMPLE IRA retirement plan. Employees in Washington State are eligible for Paid Family Medical Leave benefits, and Rebuilding Hope offers supplemental benefits in the event that agency employees apply and become eligible for PFML from the State. The Agency offers generous accrual rates for paid personal, sick, and vacation time off from work in addition to 13 paid holidays. The agency also covers life, accident, and short-term disability insurance for all full-time employees. The agency reimburses approved mileage monthly at the current federal rate.

Location : Tacoma, Washington - with expectations for cross-Pierce- and Kitsap-County work activities. Some occasional travel outside of Pierce and Kitsap Counties is required.

Advocacy Responsibilities :

Advocacy services will focus primarily on, but are not limited to, Pierce County residents (with medical advocacy responses in Kitsap County). Job duties will include :

• Respond to the Childrens Advocacy Center (CAC) of Pierce County and the Child Abuse Intervention Department (CAID) in coordination with CAC staff to provide in-person advocacy for forensic interviews.
• Meeting clients at all major Pierce and Kitsap hospitals (or other approved facilities) to provide support and assistance during forensic rape exams and law enforcement interviews
• Collaborate with CAC social workers and the CAC Program Manager to ensure staffing needs for forensic interviews.
• Follow up with clients on a case-by-case basis, as needed, which may include therapy collaboration, case-specific follow-up, or community referrals.
• Provide ongoing emotional support to both the family and child victim and / or the non-offending caregiver experiencing crisis related to the abuse.
• Provide referrals for unique needs not met by family, including but not limited to; Safety Planning, Housing, Mental Health, Legal, Clothing, and Transportation.
• Complete all paperwork and required data reporting as assigned in a timely, thorough, and accurate manner, including call sheets, timesheets, & call logs.
• Maintain data collection and inputting for CAC clients in Rebuilding Hopes databases (InfoNet / Empowered DB).
• Be responsible for specific reporting requirements for grants, such as Lakewood reporting or additional grant-required reporting processes.
• Participate in weekly multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings to include Forensic Interviewers, CAID, Law Enforcement, Child Protective Services, and the Prosecutors Office meetings to provide necessary case-specific information to clients, review current cases, collaborate on service planning, and gather updates from partner agencies to support and enhance case management efforts.
• Assist with legal advocacy for primary victims and their families through the protection order process, which includes filing and attending hearings (in-person and remotely).
• Assist in communicating appropriate referrals to the Sex Trafficking & Exploitation Program (STEP) through Rebuilding Hope
• Assisting with 24 / 7 hotline coverage to include evening, overnight, and / or weekend shifts (when needed) with the opportunity to flex out that time within the week.
• Provide hospital response coverage, responding in person to hospitals in both Pierce and Kitsap counties. Rotations include evening, overnight, and / or weekends.
• Demonstrate flexibility in scheduling to accommodate clients outside of standard business hours, ensuring consistent access to services and support.
• Maintain and regularly update the CAC procedure manual to ensure comprehensive documentation of role-specific responsibilities, enabling seamless coverage and continuity of operations in my absence.

Leadership :

Job duties will include :

Meeting and Training Requirements :

Job duties will include :

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Child and Family Advocate must demonstrate competency in the following areas : a working knowledge of the issues involved in child sexual abuse investigations; strong communication and listening skills; the ability to work with diverse groups; the ability to work collaboratively with other agencies; and commitment to the Rebuilding Hope mission and philosophy. Work in a flexible capacity to meet the needs of clients. This position requires a person to be housed or respond in person to the Childrens Advocacy Center for Pierce County.

Qualifications

The Child and Family Advocate must have extensive working knowledge and awareness of the basic issues involved in sexual violence, child sexual abuse, and trauma, as well as how to work with multidisciplinary professionals relevant to child abuse intervention investigations and case management. This includes strong communication skills. This employee must demonstrate an effective ability to engage with clients, Rebuilding Hope staff, and community professionals. Excellent oral and written skills are required. Prior experience working with children in a professional setting is preferred. Strong knowledge and experience working with Microsoft Office and Google Drive / Apps is also preferred.

The desired experience and training for the Child and Family Advocate includes :

Transportation : The advocate must have their own means of transportation in order to attend County-wide and cross-county meetings and / or direct services, outreach, and training activities; mileage is reimbursed for this position.

Position Details :

Rebuilding Hope Sexual Assault Center is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to cultivating a staff that reflects the communities in which we build. We aim to attract candidates who broaden our diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, religion, cultural experiences, skills, and community representation. We seek employees who value collegiality, respect, and pride in the workplace. We believe the inclusion and amplification of our differences create a more effective workplace and a more compassionate world.

NOTE : All applicants with RH client history are subject to a minimum 2-year separation period to be considered for the position. All new hires are subject to a 90-day review period and, upon successful completion of that review period, will earn benefits including paid leave in accordance with the Agencys adopted policies and procedures. Full-time staff may choose to opt into the Agencys policies for medical, dental, short-term disability, and retirement benefits upon satisfaction of eligibility and enrollment periods. All candidates will be subject to a multi-agency background check with fingerprinting.

Preference will be given to qualified candidates who can begin this position no later than November 3rd, 2025. This position will be open until filled.