Family Support Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Job Goal:

To provide comprehensive services to families that are family-centered and strength based and will focus on: establishing a trusting relationship; assisting in strengthening parent/child attachment and relationships; assisting parents in improving their parenting skills and providing a safe & nurturing home environment; improving the family support system; increasing the family’s ability to problem solve; and assisting the parent in optimizing their child’s development through play and parent/child interactions.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Initiate and maintain regular, long-term home visits to support families, using a strength-based approach to promote positive parent-child relationships, support healthy child growth and development, and enhance family functioning by identifying strengths and utilizing problem-solving skills
• Assist parents in completing the ASQ and ASQ-SE and other tools in order to determine developmental progress and needs of their child
• Assess family strengths and needs through the Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth scale, Family Concerns and Referrals, ongoing home visits, and other tools
• Develop goals with the parent(s) and make a plan for accomplishment of those goals (Family Goal Plan). This plan will be based on family, parent, and child assessed needs and will facilitate the parent in working on their goals
• Provide information on child development and parent/child attachment. Encourage, and provide opportunities for, positive parent/child interactions
• Assess and provide guidance related to child safety
• Track child immunizations and help families establish an ongoing relationship with health and dental care providers
• Provide resources, referrals and information to families as appropriate
• Maintain appropriate and up-to-date client records, including completion of the statewide research data, and month end reports in a timely manner
• Participate in Medicaid Admin tracking on selected days and input into the state system in a timely manner
• Screen families using the New Baby Questionnaire and be knowledgeable of Healthy Families Oregon eligibility requirements
• Participate in weekly Reflective Supervision
• Develop and maintain positive, working relationships with community resources/partners

General Staff Responsibilities:

• Participate in staff meetings, conferences, training sessions and workshops as assigned
• Demonstrate familiarity with employment policies, performance standards, work plan and objectives of Agency
• Maintain congenial and respectful relations with staff, children, families and community
• Keep current and accurate records and file reports on time
• Maintain confidentiality in regards to staff and family information
• Maintain objectives and professional standards
• Improve self‐skills and education
• Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in Child Abuse and Neglect Policy
• Be present at work in order to provide consistency of services
• Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in the performance of daily duties
• And or any other duties deemed necessary by your supervisor

Education Requirements:

• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent
• Associates degree (Bachelor’s degree preferred) in Social Services, Early Childhood Education, Social Work, Sociology or related field preferred
• Infant mental health endorsement level I or II preferred

Experience and Skills Requirements:

• Minimum of 1 year home visiting experience, and show high degree of comfort and skill in working in diverse environments, homes, and communities
• Experience in working with or providing services to children and families that are family- centered and strength-based
• Demonstrating a strong background and passion in prevention services to expectant parents and babies through the age of three
• Demonstrate skill and proficiency in outreach and retention; ability to build quick rapport with parents
• Experience and willingness to providing services to culturally diverse communities/families.
• Demonstrates a commitment to working well with parents, babies, and staff of culturally diverse backgrounds
• Knowledge of maternal/infant health, infant and child development, and parent-child attachments and relationships
• Open to reflective practice (i.e. has capacity for introspection, communicates awareness of self in relation to others, recognizes value of supervision, etc.)
• Experience in coordination and implementation of parent support/education groups
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, to include computer skills and electronic communications
• Knowledgeable of resources in local community
• Demonstrates initiative and resourcefulness in work activities
• Ability to relate tactfully, confidently, sensitively, and non-judgmentally with parents, staff, and community partners
• Ability to establish trusting relationships
• Acceptance of individual differences
• Current CPR and First Aid cards
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred

*Salary is commensurate with education and experience.

Physical Requirements:

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. While performing the duties of this job, the

employee is required to:

• Observe, compare, and monitor behaviors, records and data to determine compliance with prescribed standards
• Comprehend, analyze, and make inferences and references from written material
• Lift and move heavy and/or bulky objects up to 50 lbs.
• Sit for long periods of time with keyboard and do data entry at a computer.
• Occasionally required to stand, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• Frequently required to drive, walk and climb stairs in the office and in a variety of community based and home settings.
• Drive a private or Agency vehicle; must possess a valid driver's license and personal automobile or provide a plan that will allow fulfillment of position requirements. (A DMV Record check will be conducted prior to hire)
• Occasional filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bending as necessary;
• Produce written documentation with clearly organized thoughts using proper sentence construction, punctuation and grammar.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Environment/Conditions:

• The work environment includes indoor office environments or comparable spaces, families’ homes and community spaces, with frequent exposure to outdoor weather when traveling to home visits and meetings. The noise level varies by sites, home visits, and meetings.
• Job tasks are performed in close physical proximity to other people

Agency‐Wide Requirements:

• Current enrollment in the Child Care Division’s Central Background Registry
• Current physical examination, drug screen, and TB screen documentation prior to hire
• Desire to work with low-income children and their families
• Communicate effectively with staff, families, children, and the public using the telephone and in face-to-face, one-to-one, and in group settings
• Fluent in English both verbally and written

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and the employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Umatilla-Morrow Head Start, Inc. is committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals in all aspects of employment, including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, career advancement opportunities, working conditions, scheduling, disciplinary action, termination of employment, compensation, and access to benefits and training. We recruit, hire, and promote into all job levels the most qualified applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics.