Community Legal Services, Inc.
Peer Parent Advocate- Family Advocacy Unit
Philadelphia, PA - Full Time
Community Legal Services, Inc. of Philadelphia (CLS) is a non-profit public interest agency providing free civil legal services to low-income Philadelphia residents. As the largest provider of free civil legal services in the Philadelphia area, CLS is both locally and nationally renowned as a premier legal services provider dedicated to ensuring access to justice for all low-income individuals and communities.
CLS’s Family Advocacy Unit (FAU) is seeking to hire a full-time Peer Parent Advocate. The Peer Parent Advocate’s primary responsibility will be to work collaboratively with attorneys and social work staff representing parents in child welfare proceedings in Family Court. Teams are comprised of attorneys, social work staff, paralegals and parent advocates (parents who have experienced the child welfare system). In addition to providing our clients with high quality legal defense, objectives of the teams include keeping children out of foster care, shortening lengths of stay for children in foster care, promoting quality visiting arrangements and ensuring that families receive services that are well-tailored to expediting safe and lasting reunification.
Peer Parent Advocates will receive ongoing supervision on their cases from lawyers and the Director of Client Voice. Peer Parent Advocates can expect intensive, interdisciplinary training on CLS’s Advocacy model, child welfare, family court, client interviewing, and other critical skills. CLS is dedicated to providing ongoing professional development in best practices in all these areas in a variety of training forums for all staff.
Additional Responsibilities Will Include:
All Peer Parent Advocate applicants must have personally experienced and negotiated the child welfare system in the past and commitment to using their knowledge to help other parents involved in these systems.
The ideal candidate will have the following skills and abilities:
This is a full-time position covered by the collective bargaining agreement between CLS and the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, AFL-CIO and its affiliate District 1199C. CLS asks for a minimum two-year commitment from individuals who accept an offer of employment. The current minimum starting salary is $45,970 for entry-level applicants but that salary is subject to change or adjustment if an applicant has relevant years of experience and according to the provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement. Raises and benefits are also governed by that agreement.
Benefits: CLS offers a very generous and competitive benefits package including 100% employer paid medical (including gender affirming care), life, and short/long-term disability benefits, a 403(b)-retirement plan with employer contribution, and a generous leave package, including 13 paid holidays and five personal holidays each year
Community Legal Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. CLS, Inc. does not discriminate in the selection of employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, genetics, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, CLS complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
CLS’s Family Advocacy Unit (FAU) is seeking to hire a full-time Peer Parent Advocate. The Peer Parent Advocate’s primary responsibility will be to work collaboratively with attorneys and social work staff representing parents in child welfare proceedings in Family Court. Teams are comprised of attorneys, social work staff, paralegals and parent advocates (parents who have experienced the child welfare system). In addition to providing our clients with high quality legal defense, objectives of the teams include keeping children out of foster care, shortening lengths of stay for children in foster care, promoting quality visiting arrangements and ensuring that families receive services that are well-tailored to expediting safe and lasting reunification.
Peer Parent Advocates will receive ongoing supervision on their cases from lawyers and the Director of Client Voice. Peer Parent Advocates can expect intensive, interdisciplinary training on CLS’s Advocacy model, child welfare, family court, client interviewing, and other critical skills. CLS is dedicated to providing ongoing professional development in best practices in all these areas in a variety of training forums for all staff.
Additional Responsibilities Will Include:
- Providing support and practical information to parents
- Helping to advocate for parents with the Department of Human Services, Community Umbrella Agencies, and other social service agencies
- Attending Family Court appearances
- Supporting parents at various meetings such as public assistance, housing, Medicaid, schools, and other important venues
- Keeping case data and client files up to date
- Participating in CLS’s policy initiatives
- Presenting to community-based agencies about our model
All Peer Parent Advocate applicants must have personally experienced and negotiated the child welfare system in the past and commitment to using their knowledge to help other parents involved in these systems.
The ideal candidate will have the following skills and abilities:
- Experience with public benefits, housing, and education issues
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to interact well in a multi-cultural environment
- Ability to learn complex material quickly
- Initiative
- An ability to work as part of a team
- Personal experience as a parent in the child welfare system
- High School Diploma or a GED is a minimum requirement
- Aptitude for or demonstrated skill in client interviewing, written and oral advocacy
- Strong writing skills
- Computer literacy
- Willingness and motivation to assist on substantive cases and administrative matters.
- Fluency in writing and speaking a language other than English, preferably Spanish, is strongly preferred, but not required.
This is a full-time position covered by the collective bargaining agreement between CLS and the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, AFL-CIO and its affiliate District 1199C. CLS asks for a minimum two-year commitment from individuals who accept an offer of employment. The current minimum starting salary is $45,970 for entry-level applicants but that salary is subject to change or adjustment if an applicant has relevant years of experience and according to the provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement. Raises and benefits are also governed by that agreement.
Benefits: CLS offers a very generous and competitive benefits package including 100% employer paid medical (including gender affirming care), life, and short/long-term disability benefits, a 403(b)-retirement plan with employer contribution, and a generous leave package, including 13 paid holidays and five personal holidays each year
Community Legal Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. CLS, Inc. does not discriminate in the selection of employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, genetics, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, CLS complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
