Family Support Specialist - Parents as Teachers

Summary Summary: Under the direct supervision of the Parent Educator Supervisor, the Parent Educator provides parent education, developmental information, and family support to parents through personal home visits to promote the healthy development of children from pregnancy to kindergarten. Parent Educators utilize the nationally recognized “Parents as Teachers” curriculum to deliver quality home-based early childhood education, developmentally age-appropriate resources and effective child–parent interaction techniques. Responsibilities Attend training to become a Certified Parent Educator. Provide personal home visits to families on assigned caseload. Plan and conduct home visits using the Parents As Teachers (PAT) instructional curriculum based activities, methods and materials. Provide early detection and developmental screening services to children zero to five years of age. Monitor client caseload and record child’s developmental progress. Maintain accurate records of all personal home visits, contacts, screenings, resource linkages and data input of progress and required reports. Maintain client confidentiality and integrity in keeping with agency policies, practices, professional standards, and program requirements. Acquire knowledge and expertise of the agency’s Client Management System (Visit Tracker) software and other various database systems. Participate in community outreach events as needed and required. Attend agency staff meetings as necessary and required. Perform all other duties as assigned and adhere to ongoing policies, program standards and supervisory directives. Education and Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree in early childhood development or related field is preferred, with a minimum of two years’ experience directly working with young children under the age of 5 required. Other Requirements OTHER: This position requires a personal vehicle, a valid driver’s license, and a current car insurance policy. No transportation of participant families or children is necessary, but having a vehicle facilitates ease of completing home visits in addition to all other job requirements. May be asked to do some light transporting of donated items, such as clothes, diapers, and pack ‘n plays at times. Skills Required Strong knowledge of child development, parent education, and the Parents as Teachers curriculum Ability to build trusting, respectful relationships with diverse families Skilled in observation, assessment, and documentation of child and family progress Effective communication and active listening skills Experience connecting families to community resources and supports Strong organization, time management, and documentation abilities Understanding of trauma-informed care and family systems Demonstrates cultural sensitivity, professionalism, and confidentiality Self-motivated and able to work independently while collaborating with a team Genuine commitment to empowering parents as their child’s first and most important teacher Work Environment WORK ENVIRONMENT: Must work flexible hours with occasional evening hours to meet the needs of families. Must be prepared to travel to various program sites and various communities. #J-18808-Ljbffr Maryland Nonprofits