Family Support Specialist (FSS)

Job Title: Family Support Specialist

Program: Parents As Teachers Home Visiting Program

Status: Full time, Non-Exempt (Hourly), 40 hours per week

Pay Range: $25.55 - $27.70 per hour depending on qualifications and experience

Reports to: Home Visiting Program Manager / Supervisor

Work Location: In-Office and Telecommuting, as well as family homes, outdoor and community locations

Organization Overview

Cope Family Center, a non-profit agency located in Napa, helps parents manage stressful situations and challenging life events so they can give their children a brighter future. Our mission is to empower parents, nurture children and strengthen communities. We prevent child abuse and support families through our evidence-based programs.

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. TheFSS 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 and 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’s 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 a personal vehicle for home visits and other work-related activities. Business mileage will be reimbursed in accordance with the organization's mileage reimbursement policy and applicable California law.

· 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 a valid California driver's license and maintain required automobile insurance, with proof of insurance provided upon request.

· Successful completion of all required criminal background clearances and fingerprinting, including DOJ/FBI checks and Live Scan, as applicable under California law

Please Note: This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Duties may change based on organizational needs.

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. Please share what your aspirations are and how your education/experience match the qualifications of this job. We look forward to learning more about you!

If you are interested in this opportunity, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Cope Family Center is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment on the basis of any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law, including race, color, religion, religious creed, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, reproductive health decision-making, or any other protected status.

Pay: $25.00 - $27.70 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Application Question(s):

• Do you have a Bachelor’s degree in human services (such as Child Development/Family Relations, Psychology or Social Work), or a related field?
• Do you have an 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?

Work Location: In person