Family Support Specialist - PAT

About the Role

The Parent Educator provides parent education, developmental information, and family support to parents through personal home visits. This role promotes the healthy development of children from pregnancy to kindergarten using the nationally recognized Parents as Teachers curriculum.

Responsibilities

• Attend training to become a Certified Parent Educator.
• Provide personal home visits to families on assigned caseload.
• Plan and conduct home visits using the Parents As Teachers (PAT) instructional curriculum, methods, and materials.
• Provide early detection and developmental screening services to children zero to five years of age.
• Monitor client caseload and record child's developmental progress.
• Maintain accurate records of all personal home visits, contacts, screenings, resource linkages, and data input of progress and required reports.
• Maintain client confidentiality and integrity in keeping with agency policies, practices, professional standards, and program requirements.
• Acquire knowledge and expertise of the agency's Client Management System (Visit Tracker) software and other various database systems.
• Participate in community outreach events as needed and required.
• Attend agency staff meetings as necessary and required.
• Perform all other duties as assigned and adhere to ongoing policies, program standards, and supervisory directives.
• May be asked to do some light transporting of donated items, such as clothes, diapers, and pack-n-plays at times.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in early childhood development or related field is preferred; minimum of two years' experience directly working with young children under the age of 5 required.
• Personal vehicle, valid driver's license, and current car insurance policy required.

Skills

• Strong knowledge of child development, parent education, and the Parents as Teachers curriculum.
• Ability to build trusting, respectful relationships with diverse families.
• Skilled in observation, assessment, and documentation of child and family progress.
• Effective communication and active listening skills.
• Experience connecting families to community resources and supports.
• Strong organization, time management, and documentation abilities.
• Understanding of trauma-informed care and family systems.
• Demonstrates cultural sensitivity, professionalism, and confidentiality.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently while collaborating with a team.
• Genuine commitment to empowering parents as their child’s first and most important teacher.

Work Environment

• Must work flexible hours.
• Must be prepared to travel to various program sites and communities.