Family Support Specialist

Title: Family Support Specialist

Supervised By: Family and Community Services Manager (F&CSM)

Qualifications:

This position requires at a minimum an Associate degree in Social Work, Early Childhood Education, or a related field and three years working in an early childhood setting. Knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards and Program policies a plus. This is a full-time position.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Willingness to learn and adhere to Head Start Program Performance Standards and agency policies and procedures.
• Ability to work well with diverse population.
• Ability to develop respectful relationships of trust with program partners, staff, service providers, and parents.
• Ability to work with EHS team to assist parents of infants and toddlers in advocating and decision making.
• Ability to work with outside service providers/networking.
• Ability to utilize agency resources, technology, and literature appropriately to answer questions and provide guidance to staff and parents.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Strong knowledge of community resources and how to access services for children and families.
• Ability to embrace the use of data for continuous improvement and program planning processes.
• Knowledge of standard record keeping including progress notes and maintenance of required documentation.
• Strong organizational and communication (verbal and written) skills to implement effectively and appropriately with others.
• Knowledge of and proficiency with basic computer skills including Microsoft Office applications and a variety of other office equipment.
• Ability to learn and utilize program agency and program database systems.
• Have reliable transport, valid driver’s license and vehicle insurance and the ability to travel between childcare and family child care sites on a regular basis.
• Successful completion of background check: FBI & BCI.
• Be able to pass a pre-employment physical and drug screening.

Key Responsibilities:

• Adhere to Early Head Start requirements pertaining to families and family partnership agreements; supports families' efforts to reach their goals, evaluation of progress, service documentation, and timely completion of all case management requirements.
• Identify, recruit and enroll children into the Early Head Start program, maintaining enrollment per program requirements.
• Conduct recruitment activities for EHS-CCP infants and toddlers and promote awareness of the EHS program to community.
• Orient parents to the goals and objectives of the program and prepares welcome packets for new EHS families.
• Conduct the enrollment process sessions that includes obtainment of all pertinent forms, such as child's health history, nutrition assessment, consent for services, family needs assessment, etc.
• Aid assigned EHS-CCP partners concerning the EHS enrollment process.
• Develop a Family Partnership Agreement with each family within assigned caseload.
• Assist F&CSM in obtaining further evaluation of infants and toddlers within assigned caseload who are suspected of having a disability.
• Assist caregivers in completing the agency’s screening tools within 45 days of entering the program.
• Assist families of infants and toddlers within assigned caseload who identified as having a disability to participate in the development of an IFSP.
• Work closely with the F&CSM and the Education Manager to ensure that children within the assigned caseload who have disabilities or are suspected of having disabilities are quickly referred for evaluation of services.
• Visit assigned partner child care centers and family child care homes, at minimum, monthly.
• Assist F&CSM, the Education Manager, and families with children having a disability in the development of an IFSP if the family desires.
• Provide information and orient assigned families to the health program and its requirements. Assists families in locating source of health and dental care and encourages their involvement in the health care system.
• Participate, as needed with special health screenings and maintains accurate health records. Follow up with families and children on an ongoing basis. Provide families with high needs, i.e., infants and toddlers with disabilities, domestic violence, with appropriate community resources and linkages, and assists families in crisis in areas such as food, housing, clothing, and transportation.
• Implement the Head Start Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework.
• Assist parents within assigned caseload, in applying for child care subsidies programs.
• Work collaboratively with EHS-CCP Child Care Center Directors, teachers, and staff to comply with Head Start Performance Standards, Step Up To Quality standards, and Child Care Licensing Minimum Standards.
• Visit family homes to enroll students in program, interview parents, inform parents of school and/or community resources and provide child development/parenting information, and setting family goals.
• Accompany teachers on home visits for assigned caseload as needed.
• Assists in recruiting, interviewing, training, and placing parent volunteers in Early Head Start programs and support parents as visitors, observers, and participants in group activities with their infants and toddlers.
• Obtain and maintain copies of all health documents in the database to meet federal and agency health requirements that may include the collaboration and communication with health care providers, families, and community service agencies.
• Perform data entry services by maintaining a variety of manual and electronic documents, files and records (e.g., program participation, contact sheets, family file, agency computer program, agency referrals, etc.) to effectively providing required information and/or documentation for internal and federal ongoing monitoring.
• Encourage and assist in offering parents in the program opportunities to be involved in group activities, including parent advisory groups, policy groups, planned family events and educational activities based on interest and need.
• Provide opportunities for infants/ toddlers and families to participate in family literacy services and supports families in identifying and accessing community resources; and provides opportunities to include parents in the development of the programs' educational curriculum.
• Plan and facilitate parent engagement and educational activities that meet the ongoing and expressed needs of parents.
• Disseminate local information concerning family activities to EHS-CCP providers and EHS families.
• Collaborate with EHS-CCP staff to provide opportunities for families including child growth and development, parenting skills, child abuse prevention, guidance and discipline, medical, dental, nutritional and mental health, disabilities, family literacy, and community advocacy.
• Assist and involve assigned parents in the transition from Early Head Start to Head Start or other pre-school programs.
• Participate, coordinate and attend community outreach events, parent meetings, family events and any other such meetings needed by the program.
• Participate in workshops, meetings, community events, etc. (e.g. FS meetings, OHS/EHS conferences, etc.) to receive and/or present information.
• Maintain confidentiality as well as report suspected incidents (e.g. physical, sexual and/or substance abuse, contagious diseases, etc.) to appropriate parties as required by federal and local laws YWCA EHS policies.
• Perform all other related duties and fulfills responsibilities as required.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $17.50 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• Social work: 3 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Work Location: Multiple locations

Salary : $18