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Cope Family Center

Family Support Specialist

Cope Family Center, Napa, California, United States, 94559


Job Description

Dedicate your skills to help transform early childhood experiences and empower parents - make an impact with our passionate team!

JOB SUMMARY

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) implements the Parents As Teachers (PAT) Evidence-Based model of early childhood home visiting with parents and caregivers of children ages 0-5 years of age, including prenatal families, in Napa County. The FSS is responsible for initiating and maintaining regular and long-term contact with families through home visits, family connection events, and in other appropriate community-based settings. Interventions are strength-based, family-centered, and directed at establishing a trusting relationship, assisting in strengthening the parent-child relationship, assisting parents in improving their skills to optimize the home environment, improving the family support network through referrals to needed resources, and increasing the family’s ability to problem-solve and assume the role of advocate for themselves and their children. Using the PAT Foundational Curriculum, and other prescribed curricula/program materials, the FSS partners, facilitates, and reflects with families, emphasizing parent-child interaction, development-centered parenting, and family well-being in their work with the families.

With the support and guidance of the Home Visiting Program Manager/Supervisor, the FSS participates in collaborative, reflective supervision, and contributes to Cope’s strength-based organizational culture.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Engage in recruitment and outreach activities to establish rapport with families and invite them to enroll in the PAT Program, continuing to build a supportive relationship with the family.

Complete an initial and annual family-centered assessment with each family, including all parent/caregiver and child information records.

Make regular contact with clients based on assessment of family stressors, scheduling home visits as prescribed by the program model.

Identify client service needs and partner with the family to develop a mutually established Goal Plan; review and update progress and action plans regularly.

Plan, provide and document personal visits focused on parent-child interaction, development-centered parenting, and family well-being.

Use the PAT Foundational Curricula, and other prescribed curricula/program materials, to share research-based information with families.

Plan and provide group family connection events to give families an opportunity to build social connections with each other, engage in parent-child activities, and increase their knowledge of ways to support children’s development.

Complete initial and annual (minimum frequency) developmental screening and health review, including hearing and vision screens, for each enrolled child age 5 and under.

Complete other research-based screens and assessments with parents/caregivers and children in the family as indicated by best practices and program policies.

Connect families to resources that help them reach their goals and address their needs and interests.

Help parents and children transition to other services as needed, e.g., to preschool, kindergarten.

Participate in scheduled reflective supervision, staff meetings, organizational DEI and Distributed Leadership initiatives, and professional retreats as scheduled.

Obtain competency-based professional development.

Participate in continuous quality improvement initiatives within the program, the organization, and the community.

Provide positive role modeling for families by demonstrating safe infant and childcare practices, encouraging positive parent-child interaction, and educating parents on age and developmentally appropriate methods of discipline.

Provide case management to identified families, encouraging and facilitating enrollment in Medi-Cal and other available health and social service programs.

Participate as a member of the Home Visiting Team, working collaboratively within the team and throughout the organization.

Participate in weekly Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings with partnering community providers.

Participate in activities and meetings of related community agencies, encouraging awareness about the program and organization.

Manage confidential client information according to best practices and program policies, through daily entries in a prescribed web-based data system, assuring all documentation is current.

Accurately maintain reports and records, completing tasks within specified time frames.

Maintain up-to-date records of contacts with professionals from other agencies regarding program participants.

Collect program evaluation data from clients.

Qualifications:

Bachelor degree in human services (such as Child Development/Family Relations, Psychology or Social Work), or a related field, including equivalent degree attained outside of the United States, required;

OR

Associate degree in Human Services (such as Child Development/Family Relations, Psychology or Social Work), or a related field,

AND

one to (1-2) years of experience in the fields of social services, early childhood development or family therapy, may be considered equivalent to a Bachelor degree;

Ability to reflect upon one’s strengths and weaknesses and engage in ongoing personal and professional development;

Must have a strong understanding of healthy child development, positive parenting strategies, substance abuse, intimate partner violence, and mental health diagnoses and treatment modalities;

Able to engage resistant clients and to support parents under stress;

Knowledge of child abuse and neglect, and family violence dynamics;

Familiarity with child abuse and neglect reporting procedures;

Effective problem-solving skills.

REQUIREMENTS:

English literacy required; & Excellent English writing skills required;

Bilingual preferred; Spanish biliterate preferred;

Able to maintain strict confidentiality in office/client matters;

Able to understand legal responsibilities and take required action as a Mandated Reporter of Child Abuse and Neglect;

Ability to write and communicate orally with effectiveness;

Strong organizational and record keeping skills;

Ability to work independently and be self-motivated while working primarily outside of the office setting;

Able and willing to manage a flexible 40 hour/week work schedule, including variable hours, evenings, and weekends;

Able and willing to travel throughout Napa County in personal vehicle;

Able and willing to travel for trainings, including out-of-state trainings as required and opportunities that occur outside of traditional business hours;

Able and willing to work as a team member with a professional staff in a shared office space;

Able and willing to support the agency’s community disaster relief work in times of need, as assigned;

Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 programs, web-browsing, manage email using Outlook, and ability to manage data entry in web-based data system;

Must possess valid California driver’s license and proof of insurance;

Pass DOJ and FBI fingerprinting and background check.

Benefits:

Health, Dental & Vision Insurance

Retirement Account 401(k) + matching

Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Application Process:

Please note:

We will only consider inquiries complete with a current resume and a detailed cover letter expressing your interest in this position. We look forward to learning more about you!

Recruitment for this position will continue until candidates are hired.

Job Type: Full-Time/40 Hours per Week/Non-Exempt/Benefited

Hourly Range: $25.50 - $28.00

Cope Family Center is an equal opportunity employer. Federal and State laws and the Agency’s policy prohibit employment discrimination against applicants for employment and employees on the basis of age, ancestry, sex/gender (including gender identity,) pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, marital status, registered domestic partner status, medical condition related to cancer or genetic characteristic, national origin, physical or mental disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or veterans’ status. Discrimination is also prohibited on the basis of a perception that a person has any of the above characteristics.

To access information about the EEOC, visit EEOC at https://bit.ly/3eY9Wul.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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