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.”

Parent Advocates play an important role in helping parents who have been struggling to maintain or improve their relationships with their children in foster care and help them along a path to stability so they can be reunited with their children safely and promptly. Forestdale is seeking candidates with “lived experience” to serve as Parent Advocates for families currently involved with the foster care system.

The Parent Advocate is responsible for identifying and implementing strategies to effectively reach out to parents of children in foster care and/or at risk of placement. The Parent Advocate works with staff to meet parents, identifies and surveys the needs of families, provides support during family visits including visit coaching, assists in developing and facilitating parent support groups, and serves as an advocate for both specific and general parent needs.

• Provides advocacy for families on both a case specific and general basis
• Attends conferences and meetings with parents to assist them in accessing services
• Assists in identifying problems that prevent families from accessing services and working with providers to develop alternatives, including escorting parents to services or appointments when it is beneficial
• Assists in linking families with school and community services
• Supports families in adjusting to new services
• Develop and implement activities to involve parents and families
• Conducts Parent and Family Support Groups
• Escort parents to HRA and other community resources
• Make visits to parent home when necessary
• Advocates for the concerns of parents in meetings, case conferences, and with colleagues at Forestdale and other entities
• Assists in developing and implementing consumer satisfaction measures for families
• Monitors and ensures the recording of all contacts and services delivered
• Ensure that all required forms and documentation are complete
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with all agency policies, procedures and governmental regulations including but not limited to HIPAA
• Other duties as required by the supervisor

• High school degree or completion of a GED Program
• Self‑motivated, organized, compassionate and creative
• Have a working knowledge of the child welfare and family court systems.
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred
• Completion of Parent Advocate training program a plus
• An understanding and respect for community needs and cultures
• Willing and capable of working with families from a wide variety of cultures
• Ability to develop working relationships with children and adults using good interpersonal skills
• Ability to accommodate a flexible work schedule, including some evenings and weekends
• Ability to travel in and around the metropolitan New York City region

$42,000 - $48,500

• 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

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.