Summary 

Safe Shores – The D.C. Children’s Advocacy Center is an organization striving for excellence as a service provider and as a workplace. Safe Shores values respect, honesty, trustworthiness, professionalism, growth and learning, taking care to give care, innovation, teamwork and collaboration. We are seeking a highly capable, experienced, personable professional who is passionate about serving children affected by abuse, trauma and violence and helping children make their voices heard.   

This is a contract position.  The contract interviewer is responsible for conducting forensic interviews with children ages 2 ½ to 17 years in cases of alleged physical and/or sexual abuse or other violence.  The contractor must be skilled in using research-based forensic interview protocols and techniques in a developmentally appropriate manner to elicit truthful information.  Candidates for this position may be asked to provide a tape recording of one of her/his forensic interviews.  This position is a mandated reporter for child abuse and neglect under District of Columbia Statute § 4-1321.02

Primary Duties

• Carry Safe Shores’ On-Call Interviewer Telephone after regular business hours (after 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, after 3:00 pm on Fridays preceding a holiday weekend,  and at any time on holidays and weekends) during agreed upon coverage dates and be available to and respond timely to calls and to the interview site within two hours of receiving the call (or at time agreed upon with the investigator)  
• Coordinate with Safe Shores’ family support on-call staff to ensure there is optimal communication regarding each interview referral  
• Conduct emergency forensic interviews with alleged child/adolescent victims of abuse, using Safe Shores’ forensic interview protocol  
• Stay current with best practices/research in the field of interviewing and child development 
• Provide brief written summary of interview outcome using Safe Shores’ forms 
• Facilitate pre- and post-conferences with MDT members for each interview 
• Take photos of each child being interviewed and in select cases (as determined by MDT members) of their siblings or household members 
• Record interviews, create a DVD copy for the investigators

Additional Administrative Duties

• Consultant shall report to the Deputy Director, or to such other person as the Executive Director may designate 
• Consultant will participate in forensic interviewer meetings via telephone on a quarterly basis 
• Consultant is required to be available for consultation regarding interviews that he/she conducted within 48 hours of the interview  
• Consultant shall complete and submit a W-9 form to Safe Shores.  By completing this form, consultant acknowledges that s/he will be responsible for paying requisite taxes on earnings 

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, social work, or related field (from accredited U.S. institution)Master’s degree preferred 
• Minimum of two (2) years’ experience working as a forensic interviewer 
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with children and adolescents, ranging in age from toddlers to 17 years  
• Academic training and/or practical experience in and knowledge of developmental stages of children and the dynamics and effects of intra- and extra-familial child abuse 
• Formal training (within past three years) in NICHD-informed forensic interviewing protocol with children and adolescents and ongoing continuing education units on the topic of forensic interviewing 
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing and orally with diverse individuals and groups 
• Ability to successfully pass Child Protection Registry and criminal background check 
• Oral and written Spanish fluency preferred