Family Support Specialist

** Family Support Specialist (Bilingual preferred)**

**Job Category****:** Education Services **Requisition Number****:** FAMIL004017 Showing 1 location **Job Details**

**Description**

Childrens Home & Aid invites you to join our team of mission-driven staff who share a common vision: an equitable world where all children and families thrive in strong communities. As a leading child and family service agency with more than 20 locations across Illinois, our mission is to advance the well-being of children by investing in families to disrupt the systemic and multi-generational cycle of racial, social and economic inequality.

Our full-time staff receive competitive salaries and a generous benefits package, including a paid leave accrual rate that starts at two weeks annually and grows to more than five weeks of paid time off each year. We hold ourselves and each other accountable for fostering an inclusive work culture where we can be our authentic selves, where we create and have equitable opportunities, and where our voices are supported and encouraged.

The Family Support Specialist serves as the first point of contact for families in Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park who apply for services at Childrens Home & Aid, and is responsible for carrying out all funding source requirements to confirm participant eligibility; identify needs of children and families; coordinate, enroll and track participation in services to improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families; and maximize the familys well-being and the academic functioning of children.

**Core Responsibilities:**

* Recruit families with children for enrollment in the program, engaging in scheduled recruitment outings on a regular basis, including weekend recruitment events.

* Complete and obtain all essential documentation to validate the eligibility of all applying families and secure all essential documentation to ensure the most eligible families are enrolled in our program.

* Coordinate the placement of eligible children in the center with the assigned Supervisor, Manager and/or Director of Programs.

* Establish trusting, nurturing relationships with clients/participants.

* Participate with the multidisciplinary team to ensure that all support services are extended to families based on their needs.

* Monitor absenteeism/participation of children, contact parents and/or conduct team meetings with parents to discern justification for absenteeism/participation.

* For Center Based Only: Report absences of three days or more to Family Support Services Supervisor or assigned Site or Program Supervisor for further follow-up recommendations. For Home-Based only: Report two consecutive missed visits to Family Support Supervisor or assigned Site or Program Supervisor.

* Work in collaboration with other designated staff to regularly involve parents in all program options.

* Recruit, retain and support parents on the Site Level and Parent Policy Committees for Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.

* Coordinate Site Level Parent Committee meetings with elected parent representatives; assist parents in conducting meetings and keeping meeting minutes for Head Start and Early Head Start Programs.

* Provide support to parents, providers and partners to ensure all funding requirements are effectively implemented.

* Maintain current child and family data in all required data base systems. Monitor and track children and family outcomes. Provide information for program reports.

* Work in partnership with staff to engage families with all referrals and follow up at least monthly on family participation with referred external services.

* Assist providers and partners in planning for families (parent involvement, parent policy, parent volunteers).

* Participate in regular supervision and staff meetings as required by the program.

* Work in collaboration with content area staff to fully integrate all content support throughout programs (education, health, disability, nutrition) etc.

* Work in partnership with community partners and various external stakeholders to bring resources and support to programs.

* Maintain accurate documentation in child and family files, including case notes.

* Provide regular reports on child and family goals, referrals, and other areas, as required.

* Collect, review and utilize data and information on clients and services to inform program/department performance.

**If working with Prevention Initiative Program additional responsibilities may include:**

* Responsible for carrying out Prevention Initiative Program in coordination with other site staff.

* In coordination with other staff members, complete home visits two times per month per family which will include parent child activities.

* Participate in planning and implementation of monthly groups that will include parent child activities.

**Qualifications:**

* Bachelors degree in social work, psychology, or other closely related field required.

* Must be able to maintain flexible work schedule that may occasionally include working evenings and weekends.

* A minimum of one (1) year of experience working with children (0-5 years of age) and their families.

* A minimum of one (1) year of experience working with culturally diverse communities and families; demonstrates effective skills to be culturally sensitive and appropriate.

* Demonstrates proficient Bilingual English/Spanish skills in speaking, writing and reading both languages (preferred).

* Must have valid drivers license, auto insurance, and reliable vehicle.

* Demonstrates proficient knowledge and understanding of normal child growth/development and parent-child relationships.

* Demonstrates fundamental knowledge and understanding of maternal-infant health and concepts of child abuse and neglect.

* Demonstrates effective skills to relate to families from a strength-based model even in an apparently chaotic family environment; and effective skills to approach families from a family-centered service model.

* Demonstrates a belief in and is comfortable advocating for nurturing, nonviolent discipline of children.

* Demonstrates effective verbal communication and interpersonal skills to establish and maintain rapport and professional relationships with co-workers, team members and families enrolled in services.

* Demonstrates effective age and developmentally appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication skills with children enrolled in the program.

* Demonstrates proficient written communication skills to document and convey information accurately.

* Demonstrates effective skills to create and generate required data reports.

* Demonstrates effective active listening skills and the ability to give full attention to what others are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

* Demonstrates effective skills to assess family stressors and make sound decisions, exercise judgment appropriate to respond to client needs and intervene in crisis.

* Demonstrates effective organizational and time management skills sufficient to meet the responsibilities and manage stress related to the job.

* Demonstrates proficient use of a computer and skills to access and utilize web based programs, data management programs and Microsoft Office Suite.

**Where you work matters.**

Youre considering a new position, so no one knows better than you that where you work matters. We believe that by building diverse teams of passionate advocates for youth and families, we can continue to show up for Illinois families, putting those families at the center of every decision, and strengthening the communities where we all work, play, and live together. ()

We invite you to become an active member of a team that supports, inspires, and challenges each other, and grow your career in an organization that celebrates emerging leaders and provides