Guardian Ad Litem Office, 8Th Circuit- Assistant Child Advocate Manager

Assistant Child Advocate Manager

The Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office is Florida's award-winning, state-funded child advocacy organization that provides independent legal representation to abused, abandoned and neglected children in Florida's dependency court proceedings. The Office upholds the highest standards of integrity, excellence and child-centered representation. The Office assigns a multi-disciplinary team which is comprised of a guardian ad litem attorney, a child welfare professional, and hopefully a community volunteer or pro bono attorney, to represent each child the Office is court appointed to.

The Assistant Child Advocate Manager position offers an extremely interesting and challenging, entry-level opportunity for jobseekers engaged in a career of social work and family service. It provides a great venue for increased professional growth and personal development.

Benefits of working for the Guardian ad Litem Office include:

• State of Florida Retirement package – Pension or Investment plan (3% employee contribution required)
• State group insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options.
• Life insurance, $25,000, is provided by the state at a pro-rated cost to you for all FTE positions. Employees may purchase additional coverage.
• Additional supplemental insurances are available such as dental, vision, disability, etc.
• Flexible spending account
• Nine paid state holidays each calendar year
• One paid personal holiday each fiscal year
• 13 paid sick leave days accrued within the calendar year
• 13 paid annual leave days accrued within the calendar year with an increase after five years
• Public Loan Forgiveness Program
• No State of Florida income tax for residents of Florida
• No mandatory night/weekend/holiday scheduled shifts

About the work:
The Assistant Child Advocate Manager position encompasses a broad range of duties from direct client contact to data reporting. Some examples of a "typical" working day may include the following:

• Visiting children and youth in foster care or group care and assessing their safety and well-being
• Working with a local team or staff in other circuits to convey information about a child's progress, verbally or in writing
• Contacting children, caregivers and service providers in other judicial circuits to determine progress of children placed outside their home circuit
• Gathering and documenting pertinent case information
• Providing recommendations and written reports to members of the advocacy team
• Tracking the status of case plan compliance, updating and retrieving files
• Conducting collateral contacts with schools, caregivers and service providers
• Attending internal and external case-related conferences, staffings and meetings
• Making regular contact with a variety of social service agencies and professionals
• Utilizing the organization's database and reporting systems
• Participating in internal and external training, meetings and conferences

About the knowledge, skills and abilities:
The following are desirable knowledge, skills, abilities and traits for prospective Assistant Child Advocate Manager position candidates:

• Self-motivated and achievement oriented
• Ability to take direction and work cooperatively as part of a team
• Strong desire to learn and pursue personal development
• Ability to effectively interact with and/or influence people of diverse backgrounds
• Ability to exercise discretion, respect privacy and maintain confidentiality
• Strong organizational/time management skills and ability to meet deadlines
• Excellent oral, writing and computer literacy skills
• Able to maintain a professional and effective demeanor in emotional or traumatic situations
• Knowledge of case management, social support services and concepts of child development
• Knowledge of the dynamics of child abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health
• Knowledge of the Florida State Courts System
• Knowledge of Florida Statutes relating to child welfare and protection

About the education and experience requirements:
The following are education and experience requirements for prospective Assistant Child Advocate Manager position candidates:

• Must possess a valid Florida Driver's License
• Associates degree from an accredited college or university with a major in sociology, social work, psychology, child development, education, juvenile justice, communications, or a related social science.
• Knowledge of the dependency system and one year of experience in a program focusing on child welfare, social service, counseling, preferred

Location:

Gainesville, FL, US, 32606