Family Support Services Specialist - 2025766

About the Role

World Relief Western Washington (WRWW) seeks a Family Support Services Specialist to help expand our Family Support Services (FSS) program to the local immigrant and refugee community. FSS provides individualized support to children and families in accessing and navigating various early childhood and learning systems as well as school systems and other supports for students. FSS also provides pro-active support with accessing various community resources and opportunities such as childcare subsidies, student enrichment, behavioral health support, and student scholarships. Our programs aim to support and invest in refugee and immigrant children and their families through strengths-based, culturally responsive, and healing-centered wraparound programs focused on holistic development, educational support, community integration, and a sense of belonging.

Responsibilities

• Outreach, Enrollment and Intake
  • Build and maintain the FSS program caseload through community outreach as well as following up on referrals from within WRWW, community partners, and direct family requests.
  • Follow all due intake and enrollment processes, helping coordinate the intake process as needed.
• Resources and Systems Navigation
  • Assist and support with applying for WCCC subsidies, childcare, and early childhood systems such as ECEAP/Head Start, Preschool and home-visitation programs, and Kindergarten.
  • Provide follow-through support with additional needs, including any cross-departmental referrals and case coordination.
  • Assist and support with school navigation including school registrations, IEP or 504 plans, and other academic or English language learning needs for students.
  • Research and facilitate connections of families with enrichment opportunities and tutoring support.
  • Provide support with accessing resources for the behavioral and mental health needs of students.
• Playgroups and Parent-child Programming
  • Support with organizing and facilitating parent-child programming activities, including playgroups and other parent/parent-child workshops, in coordination with other team members and community partners.
• Family Engagement
  • Partner with families using a culturally responsive and healing-centered framework—assessing their requirements, setting goals based on strengths and barriers, facilitating community and resource connections, and offering relevant support.
  • Ensure sustained engagement through active follow-up and relationship-building with families.
  • Provide home-visits and accompany families to help with navigating systems and resources.
• Community and School Partnerships
  • Continue to build the resources list and establish connections with local organizations & partners to expand the availability of quality services for refugee and immigrant families and children.
• Family Engagement Events
  • Support with coordinating and organizing family engagement events, field trips, and training/workshops.
  • Coordinate and support initiatives to provide family resources and meet felt needs (e.g., backpack drives).
• Assessments
  • Administer ASQs and PICCOLOs screenings, and any other internally developed assessments or surveys, and provide follow-up services regarding child development, disability services, and family well-being.
  • Administer parent feedback surveys to support the program's learning and evaluation efforts.
• Documentation
  • Use internal tools and databases to collect, track, and update participant information, documents, case notes, feedback, and other program details.
  • Work closely with the Coordinators and Program Manager to ensure all early childhood programs data are recorded in a timely manner.
• Learning
  • Engage in continuous learning, participate in office and program trainings to better serve families and children.
• Teamwork
  • Assist the rest of the Children and Family programs team with work planning, services, and support with other planned program activities as needed.
  • Contribute to overall programming with insights and expertise to strengthen services for families and children in the community.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Mature and personal Christian faith.
• Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief.
• Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities.
• Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Relief’s Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity, and National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document.
• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Social Work, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience required.
• At least 1-2 years of social work or casework experience working with families in accessing community resources and navigating systems related to children/students.
• Ability to build strong cross-cultural relationships and engage families using culturally responsive, trauma-informed practices.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, with the ability to communicate effectively and professionally with diverse stakeholders (caregivers, students, volunteers, and staff).
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability and willingness to travel to participant homes, partner, and program sites.
• Valid Driver's license and ability to pass a driving record check.
• Current (or ability to quickly secure) CPR/First Aid Certification required.
• Individuals with lived immigrant/refugee experience strongly encouraged to apply.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong collaboration skills to partner with caregivers, team members, and community partners.
• Creative, resourceful, and self-motivated.
• Strong organization and time management skills.
• Demonstrated cultural humility and experience supporting families across languages and cultural contexts.
• Proactive in building partnerships, researching resources, and facilitating opportunities for children and families.
• Knowledgeable about inclusive early childhood practices, child development, IFSP/IEP procedures, and reducing barriers and stigma for people with disabilities.
• Accountable and thorough with excellent follow-through on each task.
• Experience with planning/coordinating programs and events for families and children is preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications (Word, Excel); and ability to learn other internal applications.
• Proficiency in a language commonly spoken by refugee and immigrant communities is strongly preferred.

Benefits

• Competitive benefits package for full-time, regular employees.
• Employee discount program.
• Gold-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding core components of well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.