Family Support Specialist - PMC - YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

POSITION TITLE: Family Support Specialist STATUS: Exempt, FT GRADE:3 SALARY: $54K/yr

DEPT:Youth and Family Potential, Strong Families PROGRAM: Strong Families Suburban

REPORTS TO:Program Manager– Strong Families Program SUPERVISES: N/A

SUMMARY: The Family Support Specialist will be responsible for recruiting and managing a home visiting caseload for the Strong Families Program which serves at risk families. The Family Support Specialist will provide mentoring and educational support services to parents and focus intensely on building protective factors within the family and increasing effective parenting skills to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect. The Family Support Specialist will work in collaboration with a team to meet the needs of the families they serve through family screenings and assessments, parent workshops, and outreach events.

COLLABORATES WITH: Collaborations are frequent with the Program Manager, team members, community partners, school social workers, other staff members and community groups and members.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage caseload for 16 families ensuring client understanding of, and promoting development of healthy attachments and positive relationships between parents and their children
• Maintain up-to-date documentation and management of data systems
• Assess all families for intake, provide appropriate referrals, and review parenting needs
• Develop home based service plans with members that identify and address their own and their children’s needs
• Maintain client confidentiality at all times
• Maintain all required and appropriate records, reports and statistics of member caseload
• Assist with community outreach to solicit program involvement and promote program expansion
• Present on a variety of topics related to child development at schools and other local agencies
• Participate in all required training sessions as designated by ISBE and YWCA program guidelines
• Contribute to a collaborative, high trust team environment in a participatory, positive manner
• Maintain a working knowledge of trends and best practices within area of home visitation services.
• Support the Child and Family Development Team
• Opportunities for supervising volunteer mentors may be available

NON-ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: Attend special events and programs as needed.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED: Other duties outside of the responsibilities of the position may be assigned, whether for a project, special needs task or other assignment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is preferred, with a preference for coursework in Early Childhood Development, Family Studies, Human Services or a related field
• Previous home visiting experience is preferred
• Knowledge in early childhood development; working with high needs families and children
• Highly developed presentation skills, including listening and reflection
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills with cultural competence for working with diverse cultural backgrounds
• Ability to climb stairs and ambulate in and out of locations in all weather
• Ability to travel within the Northwestern Suburban Chicago area as needed
• Must provide evidence of reliable and insured transportation
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Ability to lift and carry up to 15 pounds

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING REQUIRD: Current knowledge of the field of Early Childhood and of issues relevant to the position is required, supported by twenty (20) hours of professional development annually.

EDUCATION REQUIRED: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Child Development, Education, Social Work or a related field, or certification of study or comparable length and area of study, is preferred.

CERTIFICATION(s) Preferred: Parents As Teachers certification

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment includes office work, heavy travel and in home services with families. The noise level is usually moderate. Movement requirements include walking, driving, sitting on the floor or kneeling. There may be a need to reach or to lift objects, such as packages or supplies. Communication needs include seeing, hearing and speaking. While in the office, there will be periods of sitting, holding a telephone and using computers. Attendance at community meetings and home visits will require heavy local travel. Reasonable accommodations will be made for an incumbent to meet the essentials responsibilities of the position.

WORK SCHEDULE: Monday – Friday, this position may require work on some evenings and weekends. schedule can vary depending on the needs of the agency.