Family Support Specialist

Many parents wonder about when their child should walk, talk, and be potty trained. With Healthy Families and as a Family Support Specialist, our parents obtain all the information they need to know about child development. Family Support Specialist and parents collaborate to create personalized service plans which include setting meaningful and attainable goals, administering developmental screens, ensuring home safety, connecting to community services, teaching positive discipline strategies, and helping parents navigate through the joys and struggles of all aspects of parenthood.

FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALIST ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Implements effective engagement and retention strategies in order to meet and maintain caseload requirements.
• Identifies and assists families in accessing needed resources and social services.
• Works with assigned families to develop Family Goal Plans specific to their unique needs.
• Promotes effective parent-child interaction through teachings and activities that enhance and strengthen bonding and parenting skills. 
• Provides in-home parent education to families using program approved curricula (i.e. Growing Great Kids, Inc). 
• Establishes an individual record for each family and maintains accurate documentation of any and all activities related to service delivery and submits all corresponding data according to program requirements.
• Administers assessment tools at established intervals.
• Manages time and resources effectively through good organization and prioritization of work by utilizing positive problem solving skills.
• Demonstrates a strong work ethic and contributes to positive working relationships.
•  Attends and travels to home visits, trainings, meetings, staff development activities as required.
• Attends and is prepared for weekly supervision.
• Works within the philosophy of function of the Children’s Home Network.

FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALIST MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

• High school diploma or GED equivalent.
• One (1) year working with or providing services to children and families.
• The ability to establish trusting relationships.
• Acceptance of individual differences. 
• Experience and willingness to work with the culturally diverse populations that are present among the site's target population.
• Knowledge of infant and child development.
• Open to reflective practice (i.e. has capacity for introspection, communicates awareness of self in relation to others, recognizes value of supervision, etc.).
• Must possess and maintain a valid Florida driver’s license with no record of criminal driving offense of license suspension.  
• Must possess means of providing job related transportation and show proof of required insurance.  Must be insurable under CHN’s current auto insurance policy.
• Must be able to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.  
• Must successfully complete and maintain FDLE clearance, Federal background and state criminal background check and sexual predator screening.
• Bilingual- Spanish.

PREFERRED QUAIFICATIONS:

• Infant mental health endorsement level I or II preferred.

COMPETENCIES & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

Annual Training Requirements: The following training is provided annually: Sexual Harassment, Blood-born Pathogens, Workplace Accident Prevention and Reporting, Confidentiality and Privacy Practices, Diversity/Cultural Competency, Child Abuse and Neglect Mandated Reporter Statutes and Methods, Prevention of Violence in the Workplace, OSHA–related training, Crisis Prevention, and Program Goals.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 

• Knowledge and understanding of basic childcare practices.  
• Knowledge of community based resources.  Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.  Ability to develop problem-solving skills.  
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working and verbal relationships with others. 
• Ability to develop good listening skills.  Ability to establish a trusting relationship with families.  
• Ability to be non-judgmental. 
• Ability to foster self-sufficiency and independence in families.  
• Ability to provide quality documentation as required by agency standards, rules and regulations. 
• Proficiency with technology platforms to include Microsoft Office or at a minimum the ability to learn.

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL SKILLS:

• Visual: Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, read printed materials, and to make observations of physical facilities as regards to safety.
• Hearing: ability to understand and comprehend spoken dialogue in individual and group settings (with or without hearing device).
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively.
• Reasonable accommodation will be made for otherwise qualified individuals with a disability.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:

• Works indoors in an office environment and travels to home settings for the performance of home-visits. 
• High level of case management, which may include emotional discussions, requiring self-awareness and understanding of boundaries.
• For remote positions or when working remotely- reliable internet connection, private work space to ensure privacy and free of distractions is required.

BENEFITS:

• Paid Time Off - generous earned PTO; 15 days/yr. in your first 2 years; increases based on years of service thereafter.
• 9 Paid Holidays
• Mileage Reimbursement at the Federal Rate
• 401(k) / 401(k) 3% ER Match
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.