Head Start Family Support Specialist

Description

General Role and Responsibilities: The Family Services Specialist (FSS) is responsible for the overall coordination of enrollment and social service provision for Head Start children and their families. The FSS provides case management services for a caseload of families, including provision or assistance in linkage and referral to appropriate community resources. The Family Services Specialist coordinates services for children and their families in the areas of Parent, Family, and Community Engagement, Early Childhood Development and Health (i.e. Health, Disabilities, Mental Health, Dental and Nutrition), Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (ERSEA), and Program Governance. The Family Services Specialist works with the teaching team in assigned classrooms to coordinate the provision of and/or linkage to timely services and interventions. This position requires active participation with other Family Services Specialists, members of the teaching teams, various Head Start staff, SCH staff and parents.

General Skills And Qualifications: Possess the skills necessary to provide high quality case management services, coordinate activities across program content areas and maintain engagement of families in various aspects of the program in both in-person and virtual learning and working environments.

Specific Responsibilities In This Position

• Establish positive and productive working relationships with Head Start families
• Utilize a systems theory approach to assess, identify and address family strengths, interests and challenges
• Work with families to develop a functional Individual Family Partnership Agreement (IFPA) with goal(s) based on identified strengths, interests and challenges that have been identified through observations, conversations, and family screenings.
• Provide case management services which include: making of referrals to appropriate community agencies, organizations and businesses and follow-up regarding IFPA goals and community referrals
• Maintain required child, family, volunteer and programmatic documentation via computer data entry and physical files
• Cook up team meetings with assigned classroom teaching staff. Ensure required team meeting documentation is completed, including signatures and dates
• Cook referral and follow-through processes for children with suspected health, behavioral health, or developmental concerns
• Meet with parents/guardians as outlined in program plans
• Work in conjunction with designated mental health provider(s) to coordinate behavioral health services for children and families
• Implement active supervision strategies whenever students are present
• Aid in the coordination of programmatic activities
• Serve as a liaison between Head Start staff, Head Start families and community organizations, agencies, and businesses
• Cook up and facilitate monthly Parent Committee meetings for assigned classroom(s) which includes election processes and meeting preparations; meetings may be in-person or virtual as conditions allow
• Assist families in the completion of the application process both in-person and virtually
• Utilize Enrollment Selection Criteria Point System to determine program eligibility
• Maintain a working knowledge of the Head Start program to assist in explaining the program to parents, families and community members in order to strengthen understanding of child development, early childhood education and program policies and procedures
• Monitor child attendance daily and address attendance concerns
• Maintain current class rosters and waiting lists
• Recruit program volunteers (parent and community volunteers) as conditions allow for in-person participation
• Develop, coordinate, and implement opportunities for parent involvement at the classroom level
• Develop, coordinate, and implement a minimum of one male involvement activity per assigned classroom per year
• Attend and participate in program-wide activities
• Participate in the evaluation of programmatic services through the Self-Assessment Process
• Cooperate and collaborate with other SCH Head Start, Geminus Head Start and School City of Hammond staff members
• Participate in required trainings and other professional development opportunities

Other duties may be assigned

Qualifications And Education Requirements

• BA/BS degree in Human Services, Psychology, Sociology/Social Work, Family Services or Counseling
• Bilingual – Fluent in Spanish (speaking, reading and writing) preferred
• Head Start experience a plus
• Case management experience preferred

Personal Attributes Desired

• Dependability
• Confidentiality
• Professionalism
• Ability to foster the building of community
• Ability to comprehend instructions and correspondence
• Ability to perform general mathematical computations with accuracy
• Ability to solve practical problems with a variety of variables

Physical Requirements

• Regularly required to sit, stand, walk and talk or hear
• Occasionally required to run; stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds