Description

Type: Regular, Full-Time

Status: Non-Exempt

Location: Fresno, CA

Days/Times: Tuesday - Saturday; 10:00 am - 6:30 pm (with the occasional flexibility into evening or weekends)

Pay Range: $18.50 (entry level) - $23.13/hourly (Depending on experience)

Reports to: Child Advocate 

(This is a grant funded position that is dependent on such funding for sustainability)

SUMMARY: The Child Advocate position is responsible for working as part of a Children’s Enrichment Center team. The Children’s Enrichment Center (CEC) team provides opportunities to learn, grow, and play in a safe, supportive environment to children exposed to domestic violence who reside in or visit the MMC residential shelters and/or the Family Stabilization community sites. In addition to providing developmental and age appropriate activities, the Child Advocate will provide respite care while parents are on premises in classes, groups, counseling, or other services. Under the direction of the Child Advocate Case Manager and the Child Advocate Program Manager (CSPM), the Child Advocate may assist in individualized child case management planning and implementation. This position may be required to cover any shifts at any of MMC’s CEC locations, as needed.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Under the direction of the Child Advocate Program Manager (CSPM) and Child Advocate Case Manager, care and activities are implemented for children who are being served in any of the Children’s Enrichment Centers.
• Child Advocate staff contribute to the service delivery in the following ways.
• Ensure that all areas of the CEC are clean, safe and secure prior to having children enter.
• Ensure documentation of arrival and conduct a health check for all children accessing the Enrichment Center, and notify the CSPM, Child Advocate Case Manager , or appropriate staff of any observed issues or concerns regarding arriving children.
• Provide respite childcare for a diverse community of children (individuals, sibling sets, and groups).
• Design and implement activities focusing on educational, social-emotional, and developmental needs of children at a variety of developmental stages.
• Provide support for Child Advocate Case Manager in planned activities, assessment, documentation, and other child case management-tasks, as needed.
• Provide 1:1 or small group care for children unable to participate in activities led by the Child Advocate Case Manager.
• Manage set up and clean-up of each activity and the general area where children are.
• Assist parents and facilitate parent/child interaction during family activities of the CEC or the Shelters.
• Collaborate with Child Advocate Case Manager to document and communicate the observed needs and behaviors of the children served.
• Practice communication and behaviors that incorporate a trauma-informed perspective, as well as an appreciation for and responsiveness to individual differences.
• Promote practices of personal cleanliness, self-care, professionalism, and teamwork.
• As needed, work with Child Advocate Case Manager to complete ASQs with parents, First 5 documentation, client files, and agency stats forms.
• Take stock of needed supplies and equipment, and report needs to the CSPM.
• Assist in sorting, storing and distributing the CEC’s in-kind donations.
• Perform duties that are required of a Mandated Reporter of Suspected Child Abuse.
• Attend and actively participate in all in-service trainings, as well as other trainings, as directed by the CSPM
• Adhere to MMC policies and procedures, as well as CEC guidelines.
• Safeguard assets of the MMC and clients.
• Safeguard client security and confidentiality.
• Work as a member of a team to support the agency’s mission, goals, and core values.
• Aid team members in quality operation of the service site, filling in to address other needs when children are not present.
• Regular attendance and promptness are considered part of each employee’s essential job functions.

Requirements

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the additional knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Must have High School diploma or equivalent.
• One to two years’ experience in child care setting and/or courses in child development.
• One to two years’ experience and training working in a shelter environment preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITES NEEDED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE POSITION:

• Ability to read and interpret and comprehend documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Customer service and problem-solving skills essential.
• Ability to speak effectively with clients or employees of agency.
• Ability to add, subtract, two-digit numbers and to multiply, and divide with 10's and 100's.
• Ability to adapt to the environment, to solve practical problems, to deal with a variety of multiple variables in situations where only limited standardization exists and to make independent decisions within scope of responsibility.
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Demonstrated ability to work with sensitivity and without discrimination towards peoples of diverse cultures, races/ethnicities, socio-economic positions, ages, religions, genders, physical/mental challenges/disabilities and sexual orientations.
• Sensitivity to issues pertaining to domestic violence.
• CPR/First Aid certified, preferred.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Require possession of a valid California driver's license and proof of liability insurance.
• Must be insurable at all times at standard rate set by MMC insurance carrier.
• Must pass a tuberculosis, drug, and fingerprinting test.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; talk or hear; stand; walk; reach with hands; arms and keyboarding.
• The employee is occasionally required to sit, stoop, bend, kneel, or crouch; and smell.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects; talk or hear; stand; walk; reach with hands; arms and keyboarding.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Fine Dexterity – Both – frequent.
• Repetitive use of hands – frequent.
• Grasping - simple/light - frequent.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• There may be occasional exposure to pathogens that require an understanding of universal precaution.

The Marjaree Mason Center, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to make all personnel decisions without discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sex, physical disability, mental disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, national or ethnic origin, and any other protected status.