Collaborative Family Engagement (CFE) Coach

The Collaborative Family Engagement Coach provides coaching and consultation to Fort Bend County’s CASA program with the overall goal of being able to increase capacity and implement CFE in Fort Bend County. CFE is integrated within all of CASA’s specialized programming including Infant and Toddler, NEST, and WINGS. CASA volunteer advocates are trained to utilize tools that assist in family finding and helping families recognize available support systems to them. Knowing that every child in the child welfare system has experienced trauma to some degree, CFE strives to decrease long-lasting issues and help these children move on with their lives in a family environment. Working together to strengthen families helps provide accountability, safety, placement, permanency, and healing. CFE also recognizes children heal through relationships, and that every child has a family who can be found through perseverance. This position reports to the CASA Program Director.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES 

Program Administration

• Coach and guide implementation of Collaborative Family Engagement  Program  and the 4C’s of CFE (Collaborate, Cultivate, Convene, Connect) to engage families and children involved in Children’s Protective Services’ cases
• Facilitate trainings for volunteers based on information vital in helping engage families in the foster care system
• Provide assistance and consultation to CASA volunteers, CASA staff, and CPS staff as needed on issues surrounding family engagement
• Coordinate with CASA Program Director, Advocacy Specialists, Family Group Decision Making (DFPS) staff, and case-related connections to schedule family meetings
• Maintain accurate data tracking and reporting related to CFE
• Any other duties, as assigned

Casework Responsibilities

• Provides consultation, feedback, guidance, evaluation, motivation, training, monitoring and preparation to CASA volunteers, CASA staff, and CPS personnel on the use of CFE tools and meetings
• Facilitate CFE team meetings and Family Meetings
• Attends all case staffings for CFE cases
• Contacts families and all parties to coordinate family meetings
• Co-facilitates family meetings with DFPS Family Group Decision Making staff
• Documents and disseminates all notes for family meetings
• Keeps necessary and appropriate records for all CFE cases
• Consults with appropriate DFPS staff regarding client needs and volunteer assignments
• Assist in gathering and reporting data to Texas CASA and other organizations, as requested
• Document CFE implementation in Optima and prepare reporting
• Any other duties, as assigned

 Volunteer Supervision and Case Management, as needed

• Supervise and monitor overflow up to 10 CASA cases and volunteers, as needed, based on the number of children coming into care and caseloads of other CASA Staff. This would entail the following:
• Attend court hearings as necessary
• Attend emergency hearings as necessary
• Consult with appropriate DFPS staff regarding client needs and volunteer assignments
• Act as primary liaison with volunteers
• Provide assistance and consultation to volunteers as needed and when requested. Contact volunteers a minimum of once per month
• Notify volunteers well in advance of hearing dates
• Review court reports prior the hearing date
• Assess and record volunteer performance
• Maintain compliance with Texas CASA and National CASA standards
• Maintain orderly CASA case files
• Any other duties, as assigned

 Strategic and Operational Plan

• Assist in the development of a Collaborative Family Engagement long-range plans and annual operational plans
• Any other duties, as assigned

 Community Outreach Responsibilities

• Maintain effective     relationships      through      personal     contact     and written communication with other providers and resources for youth in foster care, professional and social service organizations, Texas CASA, the Department of Family and Protective Services, and University of Texas
• Engage in public speaking regarding the Collaborative Family Engagement project when appropriate
• Any other duties, as assigned

 Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in social service-related field preferred. Ability to communicate with and empower volunteers, CASA staff, CPS personnel, and other CFE team members to be effective in their roles. Knowledge and  understanding  of  issues  and  dynamics  within  families  in  crises relating to child abuse  and  neglect.  Experience  working  with  such  families  given  preference. Ability to work within a team atmosphere.

Other Requirements

• Submit to a child abuse and criminal background check Complete 30+ hour pre-service training
• Must maintain 12 hours of continuing education annually
• Valid driver’s license
• Must comply with all city, state, and federal laws

Interested individuals should complete a CAFB employment application and send it, along with a cover letter and resume to HRRM@cafb.org.

Court Advocacy Specialist

The Court Advocacy Specialist is responsible for supervising and evaluating advocates appointed to serve children in foster care.  The goal is to provide advocates with supervision and monitoring to ensure children’s best interest are being met while involved in the legal system. In addition, this position assists with advocate recruitment, screening, and training of advocates as well as program development, tracking and evaluation.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

     Advocates and Casework

• Supervise and monitor up to 30 advocates and up to 45 cases. Provide consultation, problem solving, troubleshooting, feedback, guidance, evaluation, motivation, training, monitoring and preparation for court appearances.  Demonstrate knowledge of each case’s history and pertinent advocacy issues.
• Monitor CASA’s involvement in these cases and case activity, while assuring that Child Advocates of Fort Bend’s policy and practice standards and sound case management practices are followed.
• Attend court hearings as necessary
• Attend emergency hearings as necessary
• Consult with appropriate DFPS staff regarding client needs and advocate assignments
• Act as primary liaison with advocates. Release and reassign advocates whose advocacy is inappropriate or detrimental.
• Provide assistance and consultation to advocates as needed and when requested. Contact volunteers a minimum of once per month
• Notify advocates well in advance of hearing dates
• Review court reports prior the hearing date
• Assess and record advocate performance
• Maintain compliance with Texas CASA and National CASA standards
• Maintain orderly CASA case file

     Volunteer Training

• Assist with the design and implementation of volunteer pre-service and in-service trainings
• Participate in quarterly training sessions
• Provide training to other CASA Programs as needed

     Collaboration and Outreach

• Participate in public awareness and community outreach
• Coordinate assigned activities with key stakeholders in the community

     Financial and Records

• Assist in preparing outcome reports for grants
• Collect and tabulate program effectiveness measures

     Program Activities

• Attend all available conferences and workshops for the development of programs for advocates
• Participate in program implementation, evaluation and planning
• Attend monthly staff meetings
• Serve on appropriate community committees and task forces
• Participate in planning for all CASA programs

     Strategic and Operational Plan

• Assist in the development of a CASA long-range plan and annual operational plans

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s degree in social services or related field with at least 3 years’ experience working with services for children and adolescents.  Strong project management skills and ability to work independently with a wide variety of people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds.  Highly organized and detail oriented.  Use computers and program related softwar5e proficiently, ability to develop and design a program for advocates and children/youth and evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

• Pass a child abuse and criminal background check
• Complete 30+ hour pre-service training
• Must maintain 12 hours of continuing education annually
• Bending, stooping, reaching and other movement required
• Ability to lift 20 pounds
• Valid driver’s license
• Must comply with all city, state and federal laws
• Perform other duties as assigned

BENEFITS

• Medical
• Vision
• Dental
• Competitive pay
• 401(k) options
• Half days on Fridays
• Recognized as a “Best Place to Work” recipient

Interested individuals should complete a CAFB employment application and send it, along with a cover letter and resume to HRRM@cafb.org.

Child Advocates of Fort Bend is an equal opportunity employer.

CAFB adheres to a strict Zero Tolerance for Child Abuse Policy in our practices and operations.

We’ve been named by Houston Business Journal as One of the Best Places to Work for 2025!