Social Services Agency Interview Review Paper

Social Services Agency Interview Review BSHS/442 Advocacy and Mediation

Advocacy has played an important role in helping those individuals who do not have a voice, or who do not know where to turn when going through a difficult time. Advocates push to influence public policy and resource allocation decisions within social systems and institutions. Learning team A was asked to conduct an interview of a social services agency involved with advocacy. The learning team turned to a nonprofit organization named A.W.A.R.E. Inc. This organization was designed to help children and adults with behavioral disorders to reintegrate back into society. Within this agency is a woman who is a supervisor for staff but is also involved with another agency as part of her position within this nonprofit organization.
The agency used for this interview was The Clark County Child Advocacy Center. The interviewee was the Director of the organization and communication for the interview was completed via e-mail. The advocacy role the interviewee plays in this organization is CAC Advocate. The populations served by the agency are families that come to them when there
has been an allegation of sexual abuse. The advocate helps the clients speak for themselves.
They meet with non-offending caregivers whom child has been alleging sexual abuse. The advocate examines the situation at hand with the clients and presiding family members. “The Lewis and Clark County Child Advocacy Center provide immediate crisis intervention and referrals to community resources as needed. Such services include the victims’ compensation fund, shelter, food, and clothing” (A.W.A.R.E. Inc., 2013). The advocate’s role was acquired because no other advocate was staffed within the agency. So along with the role of director for the agency, she also became an advocate for abused children. The most rewarding about the role of the advocate is the ability to give parents hope during their difficult time in their
lives.
The role of advocate is a demanding job that requires much time and attention. It often seems there is not enough time or resources for the advocate to do their job. In the case of this advocate working with sexual abuse victims was not the intended course. It is hard enough to work with sexually abused children but one thing is certain, the situation becomes even harder when the parents are not supportive. When a child admits to sexual abuse it should be the job of the parent to help his or her child as much as possible deal with the problems he or she are facing. As an advocate it would have to be difficult to work with parents who appear to be skeptical of their child’s allegations. The advocate has to continue to be supportive, regardless of the opinion of the parent. The advocate has to remember it is his or her job to do what is best for the child despite the parents. The advocate is the voice of the child and although the job is far more time-consuming than originally intended it is a job that can make the smallest difference in the life of a child. In conclusion, The Clark County Child Advocacy Center is an agency where victims go because of alleged sexual abuse. This is a serious issue, and there are many victims suffering because of it. It is important for the advocate to sincerity toward these victims and their families, but keeps her personal thoughts separate. This agency has been very successful and will continue in years to come. This agency will also continue working with the A.W.A.R.E. Inc. organization to provide safe environments for children in need.

References
Lewis and Clark County Advocacy Center for Children, & Samms, P. (2013). A.W.A.R.E. Inc. Retrieved September 23, 2013, from http://www.aware-inc.org/services_cac.html