Current Opening for Family Support Specialist
Status: Full-Time Exempt
Reports to: Director of Client Services
Mission: Established in 1992, ChildSafe is a nonprofit organization created to combat child sexual abuse in our community. Serving as Bexar County’s only Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC), we provide a continuum of care – including crisis management, case management, counseling and victim services – to child abuse survivors and their non-offending family members. In 2012, ChildSafe expanded its services to reach all child victims of abuse and neglect.
The goals of the agency and its multidisciplinary partners include the following: a recorded forensic interview; ensure the coordination of appropriate and thorough investigation and prosecution of sexual and physical abuse and neglect cases with public and private agencies; provide crisis intervention and on-going counseling; provide public education and professional training; and advocate for the child and family during the investigative process.
Essential Job Function: Under the supervision of the Director of Client Services, and in coordination with the Multidisciplinary Team, the Family Support Specialist is responsible for providing support services to child victims and their non-offending family members.
Skills Needed: As a trauma informed agency, success in this position requires a focus on establishing a core service relationship based on true collaboration with the client and client’s family; requires a high degree of organization and the ability to multi-task in a high energy environment. Must be comfortable using a computer and entering data; have excellent oral and written communication skills.
Experience/Education Required:
- Possesses a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in social work, psychology or a related field.
- Advanced training in crisis management preferred.
- Experience with diverse cultures, languages, and situations.
- Ability to communicate well both orally and in writing.
- Experience working with children and families in crisis
- Knowledge of and experience in working with child abuse issues.
- Ability to organize a variety of tasks and deal with a variety of people.
- Excellent telephone skills.
- Possess proficient computer skills. Knowledge of Social Solutions “Efforts to Outcomes” a plus.
- Bilingual (Spanish/English) abilities preferred but not required.
- Must have a telephone, reliable transportation, auto liability insurance and possess a current Texas Driver’s License.
- Ability to pass a criminal background check and CPS registry check.
- Knowledge of community resources.
Responsibilities:
- Acts as an advocate for child victims and their non-offending family members by providing support and follow up services.
- Assists families with gathering information for and filling out Crime Victim’s Compensation paperwork and follows up on the completion and filing of such paperwork.
- Maintains communication with forensic interviewers regarding cases that are going to court in order to re-establish contact with families to engage them in the CAC’s court room preparation services.
- Provides case management services to meet the needs of families which include but are not limited to: Victim’s Rights and Compensation explanation and assistance, referrals for mental health services, medical evaluations, and other social services such as TANF, Medicaid, Texas Workforce Commission, and WIC. Will also be required to assist in the completion of applications for community programs.
- Provides follow-up phone calls and face-to-face meetings to families who access services at the CAC to assure their needs have been met.
- Assists and participates with the Prevention/Awareness coordinator in scheduling educational/awareness activities for community organizations, service clubs, and/or schools that wish to schedule an opportunity for education.
- With child protection team, identify service gaps for each client child and family.
- Provide court accompaniment, when needed or requested.
- Make home visits to clients as needed and at follow up.
- Participate in biweekly case staffing with partner agency.
- Provides families with a clear understanding of the impact of trauma on child development and behavior.
- Provides Crisis Intervention services to reduce stress and anxiety.
- Other duties as assigned.
Performance Standards:
- A minimum of 80 client contact hours. (Client contact includes: initial assessment, forensic interviews, intakes, reassessments, 30 day follow ups, availability for forensic interviews, phone calls to families, entity staffing, case management and assistance completing community applications)
- A minimum of 50 hours documented in ChildSafe database Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) of collateral work. (Collateral work includes: documentation of all services, case staffing – MDT and internal, case closures, training, peer reviews.)
- A minimum of 90% on Quality Assurance (QA) compliance.
- Participation is mandatory for peer review.
- 95% of assessments and annual assessments are current as reported by QA or documented in ETO as unable to contact and clients closed.
- 90% of clients on caseload are current.
- Case documentation is complete within 24-48 hrs. of service provided.
- Crisis intervention services are documented within 24 hours.
- Up to date and current on all employee trainings.
Working Conditions/Physical Demands:
- General office environment
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time
- Needs to move about the office to access cabinets, files, office machinery including computers, copiers and printers
- Operates a computer and other office productivity machinery (EG: copiers and printers)
- Will frequently ascend/descend ladder to retrieve client files
- Will frequently position oneself to pack emergency supplies including food and clothes for clients which are stored in and above cabinets
- Occasionally lifts supplies, food, and clothing weighing up to 30 pounds
- Must be able to observe client family’s interactions to assess and identify needs
- Must be able to communicate well with clients and supportive family members
Hours/Shifts:
Full-time position working 40 hours. Shifts will be established within the following hours of operation:
Monday -Thursday: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Some after-hours/holiday appointments may be scheduled to accommodate client and MDT needs as well as emergency situations. The family support team rotates a weekly on-call schedule. Staff may need to work after hours in response to client crisis situations.
Benefits: Paid Holidays, Major Medical, Dental, Vision, and Retirement plan
Salary: Commensurate with experience.
ChildSafe is an Equal Opportunity employer. Personnel are chosen on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation, in accordance with federal and state law.
To Apply
Qualified candidates will email a resume and cover letter to . Due to the volume of applicants ChildSafe receives, we are unable to respond to each candidate individually regarding the status of his or her application.