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Family Support Specialist

Infant welfare society of Evanston • Full-time • Skokie, Illinois, United States • $42k - $46k / year • 2m ago

Infant Welfare of Society of Evanston, Inc.

Job Description

Job Title: Family Support Specialist/ Home Visitor

Reports To: Program Director, Teen Baby Nursery

Category: Salaried, exempt

AGENCY MISSION

The Infant Welfare Society of Evanston mission is to deliver exceptional care and education for infants and young children and support families efforts to be effective parents and advocates in their child’s learning and development.

Summary

As the Family Support Specialist, he or she works to insure families receive comprehensive, coordinated support services with a focus on prevention. The Family Support Specialist provides child development, social, health and parenting support services to a caseload of 15 families. Services are delivered through home visits, group activities, advocacy and crisis intervention. The Specialist uses a research based curriculum to plan safe, developmentally appropriate experiences for infants and toddlers in their homes while deepening the parents’ understanding of their roles as their child’s first teacher.

Essential Job Duties

Maintains a Family Caseload of at minimum 15 Birth to-3 Families conducting weekly home visits

· Maintain accurate records of ISBE/ECF Participants who are enrolled in the program

· Maintains confidentiality of all family information and records in accordance with IWSE confidentiality policy and procedures.

· Works as a team with community center directors, staff, and resource agencies

· Assist in the planning and implementation of Monthly Parent/Child Play Groups and Parent groups

Track and analyze family data not limited to IFGP(Individual Family Goal Plans) and Social service referrals to provide accurate program results to Program Director

· Acts as a direct link and advocate for families to assure providers and agencies are user friendly to ISBE families.

Monitor and maintain files of all family support services including home visits, referrals, transitions, to ensure families receive supportive services and resources needed and report to Program Director.

· Performs any other task deemed necessary by the Program Director.

Required Qualifications

Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Early Childhood Education or Related Field (Preferred)
Minimum of 3 years of experience in early childhood education, early childhood development, and program management and coordination preferred.
Daily Access to a Vehicle, Valid Driver’s License , and Proof of Current insurance

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of programs and systems that serve children, families, low-income communities, and culturally diverse families
Knowledge of child development and parenting education strategies.
Knowledge of child abuse risk and protective factors.
Proven ability to establish professional working relationships with a wide variety of staff and families representing a range of cultural and economic differences.
Ability to engage with diverse staff and families in large and small trainings
Knowledge of rights and procedures for children with disabilities.
Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information and materials.
Advance computer literacy including: database management, spreadsheet, word processing, internet, email, google calendars

Reporting and Documentation

· Maintain complete and accurate records in program database and in individual files.

· Ensure case notes are written accurately and inputted in a timely manner using current data system.

· Track referrals made to outside agencies and from outside agencies to IWSE

· Report any changes of participant status to Program Director

Professional Development

· Promote positive, pleasant and professional relationships with staff.

· Identify and participate in professional development activities (including regular independent reading, webinars, meeting and conferences) to attain and maintain expertise in area of responsibility.

· Maintain records of professional development certificates, trainings, schedules

CERTFICATES AND LICENSES

· Certification in Infant and Child Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Pediatric First Aid (within six months of employment).

· A physical exam by a licensed health provider, certifying good health and freedom from communicable diseases, along with a negative result for a tuberculosis test, with six months prior to the date of hire.

· Freedom from conviction or pending charges of criminal activities as described in the State of Illinois Licensing Standards for Day Care Centers.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standards exist.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to, handle, touch, carry and otherwise perform the duties described herein. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; carry; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The employees must be able to communicate verbally as well as hear children and adults communicating even when not directly speaking to the employee.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, toxic or caustic chemicals, and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $42,000.00 - $46,000.00 per year

Benefits: