Family Support Specialist

Responsibilities

• Reviews hospital or clinic records in accordance with confidentiality policies and interviewing/conducting the identified assessment tool with new parents or first-time parents (prenatally and/or immediately after the birth of their child) to determine eligibility for home visitation services
• Initiates and maintains regular and long-term (up to three years) contact/support with families which will occur primarily within the family’s home
• Assists the family in establishing goals and a plan for accomplishment of those goals, as well as the assessment of the normal growth and development of the target child
• Establishes and continues to build trusting relationship to support family-centered and strength-based interventions
• Affords assistance in strengthening the parent-child relationship
• Affords assistance in improving the parent's skills to optimize the home environment
• Improves the family support system; and increases the family’s ability to problem solve and assume the role of advocate for themselves and their children
• Identifies and refers contact/appointments at other appropriate community-based agencies, including health care appointments, depending on the family’s needs
• Makes appropriate referrals to and follows up with community partners for further assistance to clients
• Attends and participates in meetings, weekly supervision, and quality improvement activities as required
• Communicates effectively and demonstrates courteous and cooperative behavior with clients, referral sources, community partners, and colleagues
• Participates in training opportunities to maintain individual and organizational competency in assigned areas of responsibility

Qualifications

• Bilingual and able to read, write, and speak Spanish proficiently
• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent, college degree preferred
• Experience in working with or providing services to children and their families
• An ability to establish genuine trusting relationships
• Acceptance of individual differences
• Experience and willingness to work with the culturally diverse populations
• Knowledge of infant and child development
• Open to reflective practice and supervision