Associate Child Advocate

Recruitment #260506-0958MP-001

Location Hartford, CT

Date Opened 5/8/2026 12:00:00 AM Salary $102,653* - $139,958/year (*New hires to state service start at the minimum) Job Type Open to the Public Close Date 5/22/2026 11:59:00 PM

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Introduction

The State of Connecticut, Office of the Child Advocate is currently accepting applications for an Associate Child Advocate in Hartford.

What We Can Offer You

• Visit our State Employee Benefits Overview page!
• Professional growth and development opportunities.
• A healthy work/life balance to all employees.
  
  

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

• Hybrid.
• 40 hours/week.
• Monday - Friday.
• First Shift, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Location: 165 Capitol Avenue in Hartford.
  
  

THE ROLE

The Associate Child Advocate is responsible for directing the operations of the agency and works closely with the Child Advocate to identify and advance policy initiatives, supervise staff, manage investigations, and develop reports and recommendations. The Associate Child Advocate must be capable of serving as the Child Advocate in the event of absence of the Child Advocate.

About

ABOUT US

The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is an independent state agency. Its mission is to ensure that publicly funded entities that serve children are accountable to the citizens and families of Connecticut, and effectively care for the most vulnerable children. OCA’s statutory responsibilities include investigating complaints regarding services provided to children, evaluating the delivery of services provided to children, advocating on behalf of children in Connecticut, reviewing the circumstances of unexpected or unexplained death of any child, taking all possible action necessary to secure the legal and civil rights of children, reviewing the needs of children in foster care, periodically reviewing facilities in which juveniles are placed, publishing biennially a comprehensive report regarding conditions of confinement for incarcerated youth, and publishing an annual report regarding the activities of the OCA.

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Selection Plan

For Assistance In Applying

Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit for additional support throughout the recruitment process.

Before You Apply

• Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
• Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.
• Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69, resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
• Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
• Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
• Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
• Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the ‘Apply’ or ‘Apply Online’ buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.
  
  

After You Apply

• Some email providers may experience delays or issues delivering messages. To avoid missing important updates— such as referral questionnaires or interview scheduling links—please check your Personal Status Board regularly. For added convenience, you can also enable text (SMS) notifications. To do this, log in to your Personal Status Board and select “Update My Contact Information”.
• Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire’s expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
• Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
• Stay Connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
• The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
• Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
  
  

QUESTIONS? WE’RE HERE TO HELP:

Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Brittney Woodley at brittney.woodley@ct.gov. Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Office of the Child Advocate this class is accountable for directing the daily operations and staff of the agency.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

• Directs staff and daily operations of agency;
• Evaluates staff performance;
• Provides staff training and assistance;
• Oversees investigations and inquiries;
• Acts as primary liaison with other agencies, officials and third parties regarding agency policies and procedures;
• Develops agency policies and procedures;
• Mediates conflicts;
• Oversees intake process and determines timeliness and jurisdiction of concerns;
• Conducts investigations, analyzes results and prepares reports and recommendations;
• Assists the Child Advocate in review and analysis of policies and regulations impacting children in state care;
• Prepares agency response to proposed rules and regulations;
• Prepares reports as directed by the Child Advocate;
• Review Department of Children and Families records and other documentation when there is a child fatality;
• Prepares chronologies when requested;
• Acts for the Child Advocate in their absence;
• Conducts evaluation of delivery systems;
• Provides recommendations for system reform, policy initiatives and advocacy;
• Represents agency at public functions and meetings;
• Leads the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection;
• May conduct inspection of facilities and programs;
• May appear in court, at hearings or other formal proceedings on behalf of agency;
• Performs related duties as required.
  
  

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

• Considerable knowledge of
• relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
• child welfare system;
• resources and services delivery systems available to and impacting children;
• Knowledge of
• and ability to apply management principles and practices;
• standards of practice and administration of programs dealing with children and youth;
• child development;
• mental health and behavioral challenges facing children and youth;
• impact of cultural issues on service delivery;
• Considerable
• interpersonal skills;
• oral and written communication skills;
• investigative skills;
  

Minimum Qualifications - General Experience

Nine (9) years of experience in a professional capacity advocating on behalf of children or families or public policy, promoting the well-being of children or families.

Minimum Qualifications - Special Experience

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in a supervisory capacity.

Minimum Qualifications - Substitutions Allowed

• College training in social work or a closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
• A Master's degree in social work, public policy or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
  
  

Note: Closely related fields are child development, child welfare, psychology, counseling, criminal justice, human development and family relations, social and/or human services, marriage and family therapy, nursing, education and public administration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in at least two child-serving state systems: child welfare, mental health, behavioral health, education, juvenile justice, or healthcare.
• Experience presenting and advocating for public policy changes affecting children and families in legislative settings.
• Experience directing systemic advocacy activities for 5 or more years.
• Experience leading systemic investigations of publicly funded services for vulnerable children.
• Experience directing operations and managing projects.
• Experience supervising professional staff in the human services field with a focus on child advocacy.
  
  

Special Requirements

Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.

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Fill out the Supplemental Questionnaire and Application NOW using the Internet.