Family Advocate

Join our team:

The Rock Island County Children's Advocacy Center (RICCAC) is seeking a compassionate, motivated, and trauma-informed Family Advocate to join our mission-driven team supporting children and families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

In this rewarding role, you will serve as a trusted guide and source of support for children who have experienced sexual abuse, physical abuse, or other forms of maltreatment, as well as their non-offending caregivers. From the first contact through the completion of services, you will help families understand the process, access critical resources, and feel supported every step of the way.

As a Family Advocate, you will provide crisis intervention, emotional support, case management, and trauma-informed advocacy, while helping families connect with medical care, counseling, victim compensation, legal assistance, and other community resources. You will work closely with a dedicated Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) that includes law enforcement, DCFS, prosecutors, medical professionals, and mental health providers, ensuring children and families receive coordinated, compassionate care.

This position offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children while building strong professional relationships with community partners and gaining valuable experience in victim advocacy, child welfare, crisis response, and multidisciplinary collaboration.

If you are passionate about helping children heal, empowering families, and being part of a supportive team committed to protecting our community's most vulnerable children, we encourage you to apply.

Client Advocacy and Case Management

• Provide trauma-informed crisis intervention, emotional support, safety planning, and ongoing advocacy to child victims and their non-offending caregivers.
• Explain the Children's Advocacy Center process, forensic interview process, multidisciplinary team process, and criminal justice system in a compassionate and understandable manner.
• Conduct intake with families and complete all required documentation.
• Maintain regular contact with families throughout the duration of the investigation and prosecution, ensuring they remain informed and supported.
• Assess client needs and coordinate referrals for medical services, mental health treatment, victim compensation, social services, financial assistance, transportation, housing, and other community resources.
• Assist families with applications for the Illinois Crime Victims Compensation Program and other available victim assistance resources.
• Provide court support and accompaniment when appropriate.
• Maintain communication with investigators, prosecutors, and other MDT partners to provide families with updates regarding:
• Investigation status
• Court hearings
• Continuances
• Case disposition
• Sentencing
• Offender incarceration and release notifications, when applicable
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries while building supportive relationships with clients.

Multidisciplinary Team Responsibilities

• Participate in Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) case review meetings.
• Serve as the family liaison within the MDT by communicating client needs, concerns, and service updates.
• Collaborate with law enforcement, DCFS, prosecutors, medical providers, therapists, and community partners to ensure coordinated services.
• Advocate for the best interests and safety of child victims throughout the investigative and treatment process.

Documentation and Record Keeping

• Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential client records.
• Complete all required intake forms, consent forms, referrals, releases of information, and case documentation.
• Enter and maintain client information within the CAC database and other required reporting systems.
• Maintain compliance with HIPAA, confidentiality laws, agency policies, grant requirements, and National Children's Alliance (NCA) Standards.

Professional Development

• Complete a minimum of 24 hours of NCA-approved victim advocacy training within the timeframe required for accreditation.
• Complete a minimum of 8 hours of continuing education every two years in the field of victim advocacy, child abuse, trauma, or related topics.
• Participate in ongoing professional development and agency training.

General Duties

• Attend staff meetings, MDT meetings, supervision, and agency trainings.
• Assist with community education, outreach events, fundraisers, and public awareness activities as requested.
• Maintain required personnel records, including mileage, timesheets, expense reimbursements, and training documentation.
• Provide administrative support as needed, including:
• Answering telephones
• Greeting children and families
• Scheduling appointments
• Filing
• Data entry
• Preparing correspondence
• Assist with grant reporting and grant writing activities as assigned.
• Maintain strict confidentiality regarding client, agency, and personnel information.
• Serve as a mandated reporter and immediately report suspected child abuse or neglect in accordance with Illinois law.
• Demonstrate professionalism, cultural sensitivity, and respect when interacting with clients, staff, volunteers, and community partners.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, Human Services, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Counseling, or a closely related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Ability to work effectively with children and families who have experienced trauma.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and electronic databases.
• Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel within the service area.
• Successfully pass:
• Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Child Abuse and Neglect Tracking System (CANTS) screening upon hire and every two years thereafter.
• Criminal background check upon hire and every two years thereafter.

Preferred

• Experience working with victims of child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, trauma, or related victim services.
• Knowledge of Children's Advocacy Center services and multidisciplinary team response.
• Experience with victim advocacy or case management.
• Bilingual language skills.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• 14 paid holidays annually
• 20 days Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Birthday floating holiday
• SIMPLE retirement plan with employer contribution after one year of eligible service
• Paid professional development, conferences, and continuing education opportunities