This job is grant dependent. 

Company Overview 

The Olympic Peninsula YMCA is a non-profit organization that oversees Y programs and focuses on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Our mission is to build healthy minds, bodies, and spirits throughout the communities we serve. We strive to promote the values of caring, respect, responsibility, and honesty. We are open to people of all ages, beliefs, incomes, races, genders, and abilities.  

Jefferson County Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) Overview 

When a child discloses abuse, families and caregivers often feel overwhelmed and uncertain about what steps to take next. They may have questions about the legal system and how to access the support their family needs. To help meet this need,  

the Olympic Peninsula YMCA and local community partners are working to establish an accredited CAC to serve East Jefferson County. This center will offer a safe,  supportive space for children who have experienced abuse and their non-offending family members to begin the process of healing and seeking justice. The CAC model brings together professionals from various agencies—such as law enforcement,  child protective services, victim advocacy, medical and mental health providers— into a coordinated team. This streamlined approach ensures that children and families are not retraumatized by having to navigate multiple systems, and that they receive care in a child- and family-friendly environment. 

A key component of the CAC is the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT). The MDT consists of law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, mental health, medical and other agencies working together as a team to provide a coordinated response 

to child abuse. The MDT functions as a team and works together to serve alleged child abuse victims in a child friendly and trauma informed environment. Learn more about the CAC model here: https://vimeo.com/263000974. 

Position Overview 

We are seeking a part-time Child Forensic Interviewer to support the CAC. This position works in concert with the CAC Director and MDT and conducts legally sound, trauma-informed interviews with children, adolescents, and vulnerable adults who may have experienced or witnessed abuse or violence in East Jefferson  County. All work is performed with strict confidentiality and cultural competence. Average working hours, outside of training, are estimated at 8-10 hours per month, depending on the volume of forensic interviews and attendance at MDT meetings. 

The interviewer is required to follow the Washington State Criminal Justice Training  Commission’s Child Abuse Interviewing & Assessment (CAIA) protocol and will become the primary civilian child forensic interviewer for the CAC. The role includes collaboration with law enforcement, child welfare, prosecution, and other MDT  members. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Conduct developmentally and legally sound forensic interviews with children,  adolescents, and vulnerable adults on-site at the CAC, or in the field, including courtesy interviews for police agencies from other jurisdictions as needed.  

• Commit to an onboarding and training program of up to 100 paid hours in the first year (depending on experience) to gain a high level of proficiency and expertise in child forensic interviewing. 

• Consult with MDT partners before, during, and after interviews. • Complete required documentation, tracking, and record-keeping in a timely and accurate manner.  

• Attend monthly MDT case reviews to share interview findings and address team questions. 

• Provide after-hours interviews in emergencies. 

• Prepare for and testify in legal proceedings should a case go to trial. • Uphold professional standards and respect for families, MDT partners, and staff. 

Qualifications

• Expertise in forensic interviewing or the willingness to acquire this specialized skill.  

• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate  compassionately and professionally with children, families, and  

multidisciplinary team members. 

• Proven ability to engage children of all ages in interview settings. • Strong organizational skills with excellent written and verbal communication abilities. 

• Capable of working independently while contributing effectively as part of a team. 

• Committed to handling sensitive and confidential information with the highest level of discretion. 

• Proficient with technology, including Microsoft Office, Google Suite,  videoconferencing, and database systems. 

Education/Experience Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, Counseling, Criminal Justice, or related field  (master’s preferred). 

• Two years’ experience working with abused children and/or families impacted by violence preferred; a genuine interest in working with these populations required.  

• Must either possess current Washington State Criminal Justice Training  Commission’s Child Abuse Interviewing & Assessment (CAIA) or attend this training immediately after date of hire. 

• Possess reliable personal transportation and valid WA driver’s license. • The successful candidate must pass a criminal background check as required by RCW 43.43.830 and applicable grantors. 

Training Requirements 

The interviewer will be expected to participate in a forensic interviewer onboarding program and continued knowledge building throughout the tenure of the position.  Initial training may include all or some of the following: 

• Participation in a 16-week onboarding course that includes: the background of the CFI, protocols, corroboration and witnesses, child development and witness to homicide, interviewing young children, WA State Organized  Response to Child Abuse (ORCA) protocol review, interviewing older teens,  working on your introductions, reluctant children, narrative practice, working with your MDT, the NCA Standards, and more. 

• Participate in peer review (minimum 2 annually) and continuing education (8  hours every 2 years) per the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) Standards of  Accreditation.

• Have current CPR and first-aid certification or be able to obtain within 30  days of hire.

Working Conditions/Environment 

• Interviews are typically scheduled with at least 24–48 hours’ notice;  however, the ideal candidate can accommodate interview requests within 24  hours or outside regular business hours when needed. 
• The role is expected to conduct up to 25 interviews annually. 
• Work is primarily performed indoors at the Jefferson County CAC, with occasional travel within East Jefferson County for remote interviews or partner site visits. 
• Exposure to potential secondary trauma because of exposure to disclosed information. 
• Work may involve situations involving domestic violence, abuse, family breakdown, conflict, and aggression. 

Physical Demands 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be  met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with  disabilities to perform the essential functions:  

• Ability to speak concisely and communicate effectively. 
• Be able to communicate using a computer and phone/smart device.
• The employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to  move around the work environment. 
• Visual and auditory ability to respond to critical situations ability to act  swiftly in an emergency. 
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance  vision, and the ability to adjust. 
• Carrying supplies, up to 20-lbs. 

YMCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer