Parent Advocate

Background:

Forestdale (FD) is a NYC child welfare agency working to prevent child abuse/neglect through parenting, prevention, and foster care (FC) services, focusing on low-income and immigrant communities in Queens & Brooklyn. We help thousands of families work through acute & complex trauma, parents raise the next amazing generation of children, and youth successfully launch into adulthood. FD’s mission is “to ensure that children and families have the fundamental assets they need to thrive and live independently.”

Job Summary

Parent Advocates will support parents with children in foster care to understand and navigate the foster care system, remain hopeful, and address family challenges so that they can accomplish their goal of reunification. Many families with children in foster care have experienced oppression, intergenerational poverty and trauma that contribute to the challenges they face and impact the way they participate in the case planning process. Parent Advocates help to empower parents in the case planning process and provide options and choices for parents to make decisions for their families.

The focus of this job is building connections with parents and working collaboratively with case planners. Each Parent Advocate will be assigned to a case planning unit and will support parents and bring their insights to the foster care agency decision-making process so that children are more likely to quickly and safely return home.

All Advocates will receive training and support through Rise, a parent-led NYC advocacy organization. The training will focus on restorative justice, healing and self-care, building knowledge of child welfare policy and practice, building relationships for support and mentorship with other advocates, and creating an ongoing support and advocacy network.

Major Responsibilities/Activities

• Build relationships and support parents—in making decisions for their own families, coping with the trauma of foster care involvement, communicating effectively with those involved in their case, and maintaining relationships with their children during foster care placement.
• Prepare parents and participate alongside them in all Family Team Conferences.
• Report to a foster care unit supervisor and work alongside case planners.
• Share insights and observations to inform decision-making regarding cases in their units.
• Implement the Parents Empowering Parents (PEP) model including key practices in the first 90 days of a case to orient parents to the service planning process; share Rise TIPS and other resources to support parents.
• Conduct visits to parents’ homes and accompany parents to appointments at various service providers as appropriate.
• Offer emotional support for parents attending court dates; for example, offer encouragement, travel to court with parents as needed.
• Orient parents to Family Time, offer ideas for making the most of family visits, and supervise visits periodically.
• Recognize and celebrate parents’ progress toward reunification.
• Inform parents about supportive interventions that will strengthen their families.
• Support parents in navigating resources and using negotiation skills.
• Coach parents to strengthen problem-solving skills while discovering their strengths and priorities.
• Document work in Progress Notes and/or other formats as appropriate.
• Attend all program and department meetings as appropriate.
• Perform related tasks to support parents as needed.

Minimum Requirements

• Previous life experience being impacted by the child welfare system as a parent including having had a child placed in foster care or having had a court-ordered supervision case. Other prior child welfare involvement such as having personally experienced a child welfare investigation may also qualify. Previous child welfare cases must be closed for at least one year.
• A natural collaborator
• Able to engage and positively impact individuals.
• Someone who has a sincere appreciation for people and how they are each uniquely motivated.
• Strong interpersonal skills to assist with parent engagement and are geared towards working sensitively on topics involving trauma, stress, and healing.
• Writing skills
• Bilingual Candidates encouraged to apply.
• Computer skills conducting Google searches and using Microsoft Office
• Skilled at working in a fast-paced environment on multiple projects occurring simultaneously.
• Passion for parent leadership and preventing child welfare involvement.
• Able to maintain high level of confidentiality.
• Able to work flexible hours.
• Able to travel extensively to all NYC boroughs.
• Able to uphold the mission and values of Forestdale.

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Four weeks' vacation
• Medical/dental/vision/life/disability insurance
• Pension plan
• 401(k), 7% employer contribution + 2% match
• Tax-deferred health care/dependent care/commuter plans

Additional Information:

Forestdale Inc. is an equal opportunity employer that is proudly committed to becoming an anti-racist and multicultural organization that stands up for justice and equity. We welcome prospective employees from diverse backgrounds, for administrative support and direct service and leadership roles, who will join us on that journey, uphold our values and approach, and believe in our mission. Additionally, we aim to have a racially representative leadership and workforce that is reflective of the communities we work in partnership with.
Forestdale Inc. is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, participants, volunteers, subcontractors, and vendors. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of our activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and termination of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services.