Family Support Specialist

Head Start Family Support Specialist

The Head Start Family Support Specialist, under general supervision, provides consistent and multi-faceted support to the children and families being served through the Head Start program. This position works with families to develop and achieve Family Partnership Goals, often serving as a resource in this process. The Head Start Family Support Specialist provides families with a front line contact to address any issues or concerns that may arise relating to the education of an enrolled child. This position is heavily rooted in social services and requires detailed knowledge of community resources available to those being served in Head Start.

Essential duties and responsibilities include: assisting in ensuring maximum enrollment for the Head Start program and the creation and maintenance of a waitlist by actively recruiting families within the community; assisting families throughout the enrollment process (completing paperwork, obtaining documents, scheduling needed physical and dental exams among other possibilities), in some cases meeting with families off site or in their homes to complete their application packet; working with families, on an individual basis, to encourage, motivate and assist them in improving the conditions and quality of life; assisting families in developing ways to break down barriers keeping them from becoming active and engaged members of their community; assisting families in carrying out health and social service recommendations or referrals, in some cases attending appointments with families; maintaining an accurate, up to date family service record on each assigned Head Start child; serving as a liaison between the Head Start family and Head Start Center the child is attending; promoting and assisting in providing parent engagement in all facets of the Head Start Program; facilitating home visits as needed; providing social-emotional and behavioral support to children within the classroom; participating in the transition process for children exiting the Head Start program and entering the K-12 school district; providing training for volunteers, and at times, Policy Council and/or Parent Committee members; attending meetings and completing all required training; serving on various committees, task forces or other countywide workgroups, as directed; performing such other tasks as may from time to time be assigned by the supervisor; and regular predictable attendance.

Qualifications to perform this job successfully include: a bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Work or Early Childhood; experience working in a Head Start program; comprehensive experience and an excellent knowledge of the Federal Head Start Program, policies, procedures, rules and regulations related to Head Start including Performance Standards, Grant and Service Plans; knowledge of early childhood programs, related services (i.e., health, dental/oral health, mental health, human services, etc.) and financing; experience working with low-income and high risk families; excellent interpersonal skills; an understanding of the needs of and demands faced by Head Start families; a genuine empathy for and understanding of families with young children; excellent records management skills and practices; excellent oral and written communication skills; excellent organizational, leadership and interpersonal skills; experience working as part of a team; knowledge of administrative practices and procedures, including filing and business letter writing; excellent data management and assessment skills; a current valid driver's license and reliable transportation; ability to work effectively and collaboratively with other departments, agencies and individuals; ability to read, analyze and interpret periodicals and professional journals; ability to write reports and business correspondence; ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of educators, customers, and the general public; ability to express self clearly, both orally and in writing; demonstrated proficiency in the use of a personal computer (PC) or MAC in a networked environment to utilize the Internet and other electronic communications mechanisms such as email, conferencing, bulletin boards, etc.; excellent knowledge of productivity applications such as Microsoft Office (word processing, spreadsheets, database and presentation software) and other technology to support efficient and effective office operation is required; ability to read and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, governmental regulations and forms; ability to integrate technology into the everyday work flow is necessary; ability to implement new technologies; ability to apply the concepts of basic math, algebra and geometry consistent with the duties of this position; ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form; high level of professionalism with the ability to handle confidential information, use good judgment, plan and handle complex projects and maintain a flexible attitude; ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions; ability to work independently with management guidance; excellent customer service and communication skills with a family-centered focus; ability to build rapport with others and to serve diverse populations; ability to take the initiative, work well with others as a collaborative team member and exhibit good communication skills; ability to work effectively and collaboratively with other departments, agencies and individuals; while performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, sit, talk, see and hear; the employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl and reach with hands and arms; the employee is continuously repeating the same hand, arm or finger motion many times; the employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds such as books and training material; specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distant vision and the ability to adjust focus; frequent travel and/or driving to various off-site locations is required; the position requires the individual to sometimes work irregular or extended work hours and meet multiple demands from several people; the noise level in the work environment is quiet to loud depending upon the activity in the particular part of the day; the employee may be required to be outdoors for periods of time, and therefore subject to varying weather conditions, for purposes of accomplishing the essential functions of this job.