Family Casework and Activities Specialist
11 days ago
Rochelle Park
Job DescriptionDescription: Center for Hope and Safety, located in Bergen County NJ, is a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting victims of domestic violence and their children. We believe every person has the right to be safe, empowered and free from violence. Under the supervision of the Director of Children’s Services, the Family Casework and Activities Specialist will be responsible for planning and carrying out programming for children of all ages which recognizes the emotional, intellectual, social and health needs of each individual child. Responsibilities: • Provide case management and advocacy support for education, social, mental health, medical, parenting, social services needs for the children., • Order and keep equipment and materials organized and in good condition in order to encourage maximum use by the children., • Develop a relationship with parents by meeting with them to share and discuss information about their children., • Liaise with the schools to refer children to local school districts, oversee the transfer of school papers, set up transportation, participate at IEP’s as a parent advocate if requested and coordinate meetings with school Social Workers when appropriate., • Set up and facilitate meetings with parents and schools for special needs children., • Share information with appropriate staff for effective development of the program as required and work with the individual children. Actively participate in staff meeting., • Know the resources of the community and of the agency. Refer children/families to resources during their stay and up on departure (i.e. clinical services, camp programs, day care)., • Complete a parent intake within two business days of admission., • Organize and conduct childcare and children’ activities with the help of interns and volunteers., • Organize and conduct field trips for children (social/recreational and educational activities)., • Assist children with the Homework, • Support and coach children around incidents/communication problems in the Shelter when available. Follow-up on more serious incidents with a written incident report., • Coordinate babysitting assistance., • Organize donations related to the children’s program and reach out to the Development Dept. for specific needs, • Set up and update spreadsheets for reporting purposes., • Ongoing updating of Apricot Database with completion at the end of each month., • Order and distribute art and support materials for SH/TH and community outreach groups., • Be available to assist Transitional Housing program to make initial school and daycare transfers. Assist in identifying other community resources advantageous for the children’s growth and development. Collaborate with the TH program to provide recreational programs., • Act as an agency liaison/representative on county/state childcare coalitions., • Be responsible for Holiday events and activities including gift bags for children., • Support with Safe House hotline/front coverage as assigned., • All other duties as assigned or requested, including weekends and evenings as needed.Requirements:, • Minimum BA/BS in Child Advocacy, Human Services or Education plus three years working with children and/or families in related field required, • Must have flexibility to be available in evenings and/or weekends, • Strong communication, organizational and computer skills necessary, • Bilingual Spanish a plus