EHS Family Support Specialist (FSS)

Title: EHS Family Support Specialist Employment Status: Full Time FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Reports to: Operations Center Director Supervises: N/A SELF Mission: Support for Early Learning and Families (SELF)convenesand mobilizes partners and stakeholders throughout Southwest Washington to promote community awareness and advocacy for early learning, kindergartenreadinessand school success for all children. Working with young children and families requires sound judgment, self-control, emotional competence, and the ability to adjust cognitive patterns to meet the needs of children with diverse backgrounds, varying social-emotional skills, and behavioral challenges.

Title: EHS Family Support Specialist Employment Status: Full Time FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Reports to: Operations Center Director Supervises: N/A SELF Mission: Support for Early Learning and Families (SELF)convenesand mobilizes partners and stakeholders throughout Southwest Washington to promote community awareness and advocacy for early learning, kindergartenreadinessand school success for all children. Position Summary: Roleof Family Support Specialist:Family Support Specialistsexplore, provide, and coordinate services and resource accesswith enrolled families. They coordinate familyand Centercommunity activities that support the mission of familial strength, healthy living, and overall well-being.Family Support Specialists are to bring support in a case management style and act as a liaison between families, staff, the community, and other family-related services.Utilizing a strengths focused approach,Family Support Specialists work toencourageand supportfamiliestobuild self-efficacy strategiesfor their children andtheir family system. Building Relationships with Families:Demonstrateunconditional positive regardfor families with diverseand varyingvalues, culture,socioeconomic status,andlifestyle circumstances.Work collaboratively with each family to recognize and identify the familysstrengths andneeds. Establish andmaintainprofessional roles and boundaries inthe working relationshipwith families. Encourage families to take part in thechild(ren)sprogram. EHSand ESD112Program Performance Standards:The Family Support Specialistis responsible formeeting program service goalsandoutcomes throughcase managementwithin the Center and homevisitsenvironments, as well as phone and email contacts. The Family Support Specialistmaintainsall documentation and data collectionin accordance withprogram and agency requirements.The Family Support Specialistparticipatesin ongoing in-service training and educational classes for professional development as assigned and to meet ongoing Federal, State, and organizational training requirements. Qualifications and Skills: An associate or higher degree with the equivalent of thirty college quarter credits of adult education, human development, human services, family support, social work, or related field. Thirty credits may be included in the degree or in addition to the degree. Experience working with children and families from diverse cultures and lifestyles. Willingness tomaintaina flexibleworkscheduleto meet the needs ofenrolledfamilies, including occasional nights and weekends. Knowledge of community resources and services available to children and families. Experience working in aHead Start,Early Head Start and/or ECEAP. Recent successful experience working with children and families in Infant,Toddleror Preschool settings. Excellent working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite, including Calendar,Sharepoint, and TEAMs. Ability to bevery detailedoriented and able to meet projected deadlines for data entry. Experience providing comprehensive services to children who arebirth tofive years in one or more of the following content areas: health, early childhood education, nutrition, mental health, and/or children with disabilities. Bilingual in Spanish/English a plus. Essential Functions: Resourcesand ServicesNavigation: Provide comprehensive child and family servicesutilizingrelationship-based family support principlesin alignment with EHSand ESD112 program performance standards. Collaborate with other staff, asappropriate, to develop and support individualized family goals that focus on strengths, responsibilities, timetables,and strategies for achieving these goals. Complete the Family Needs/Goals Assessment1timea year.Theseareused as guidesto help familiesevaluatetheirstrengths andneeds, and plan individualized goals. Develop Family Partnership Agreementswith families. Conduct home visits and monthly contacts aligned with program service outcomes and goals situated within the familys committed goals and/or needs. Maintain relevant knowledge of community programsand resources.Supportfamilies with referrals, access, andutilizationofappropriate communityresources, including medical, dental, social, educational, and occupational.Supportingfamilies in scheduling appointments, as needed. Encourage and promote parent/guardian and family involvementinCenter programactivities through home visits,Community Connects,parent/guardianmeetings, family events,PolicyCouncil, wrap around meetings, etcetera. Participate in meetings, programs, and activities for families and staff. This may include occasional nights and weekends. Fulfill program deliverablesin accordance withperformance standards and timelines. Actively engage in Center programthroughclassroomparticipationa minimum of 30-mintues bi-monthly. Support program continuation by occasionally substituting into classroom ratioin order tomaintainCenter operations. This includessupporting otherCentersand varying age groupsthroughout SW Washington. Integrated Services and Supports: Develop andmaintaineffective communication and working relationships with families, children, staff, communityagenciesand partners. Participate and/or conduct outreach, recruitment, enrollment, and orientation activitiesforfamiliesparticipatingin Early Care and Education programs. Provideenrolledfamilies with information about preventative health related services as required by program standards. Maintain knowledge of relevant resources and programs to provide information, make referrals, and deliver integrated services. Provide coordinated support during times of transitions involving the family and/or child through anticipation, communication, and collaboration with necessary stakeholders. Monitor attendance of enrolled children, contact family when child has been absent forextended periods of timewithout Center contact. Maintain consistent communication with families, Center staff, and interagency personnelutilizingdirect, in person communication, phone calls, emails, and varying software platforms, such as ProCare. Activelyparticipateinmonthlycase conferencingthroughout the program year.Participate inFamily/Teacher Conferences, asdeemednecessary. Provide families withinformation and access knowledge forrequiredchild healthscreenings and examswithinstatedtimeframe.Documentrefusalswithindefinedtimeframe,upon occurrence. Documentation: Establish andmaintaincomplete andaccuraterecords on all required program databases and software, as applicable (ELMS,ChildPlus, ProCare, etc.), meeting timeliness standards and deadlines. Document and track follow up needs such as Family Partnership Goals, health, dental, nutrition, growth assessments, hearing, and vision concerns. Send referrals to the Health Services Coordinator and/or Family Services Manager, as necessary andin a timely manner. Health information to be entered into databases and updated for medical, dental, mental, and nutrition. Maintainan accuratecalendar to ensure program needs are met. Maintain confidentiality and professional boundariesregardingthe exchange of pertinent information. Be aware of all Policies and Procedures. Maintain all required records and child files inan accurateandtimelymanner. General timeline of documentation responsibilities (subject to change): Initial family contact MUST occurwithin14daysfromprogram enrollment. Conduct Pre-Assessment, Mid-Year, Post assessment correlate to the checkpoint calendar. Family home visitsfour timesperyearMUSToccur withinestablishedtimeline. Family contact documentation MUST occur within 7 days of contact event. Document all familyrelevant and necessarycontacts and home visits. Update information into thenecessarydatabases and child files. Participate in the developmentalscreeningsprocess as requested, withtimelyentry of results/event into database. Other Duties: Pleasenotethis job description is not designed to cover orcontaina complete listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that arerequired ofthe employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Employment Requirements: Successful completion of a portable background check (PBC) and clearance through the Department of Children Youth and Families prior to working inprogram. Valid drivers license orareliable transportationplan andbe able to work outside traditional working hours to occasionally meet the needs of our families. Participation in Washingtons State Training and Registry System (STARS) programrequired. Valid CPR certification including child/infant prior to working in program. Valid Food Handlers Cardrequiredprior to working in program. Negative TBtestcompleted within the previous twelve months prior to working inprogram. Documentation showing immunity to Measles, Mumps, & Rubella (MMR), either vaccination records or results of a Titer test prior to working in program. Completion of HIV/Blood Borne Pathogens training prior to working in program. Work Environment: This joboperateswithin achild carecenter, family homes, and community environments. This job presentspossible exposureto blood and bodily fluids or tissues andpossible exposureto communicable diseases. Requires the ability to move or traverse about inside and outside of thechild care, family dwellings, and varying environments to access and meet the needs of children and families. Moderate or frequent exposure to loud noises, outside weather elements, and temperature changes. Workspace is at an earlychild careCenters, as well as meetings and trainings at ESD 112 and other locations, as necessary. Physical and Mental Demands: The physical and mental demands listed here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The candidate must be able toobserveCenter and interpersonal activities with accuracyin order tointeract and respond effectively to children, families, and personnel.Candidatemust be able to effectively communicate verbally with coworkers, children, and families. This position requires the candidate to engage physically and mentally in activities with staff, children, and families. Mustpossessthe ability to lift and/or move materials necessary to meet requirements of Essential Functions of position, whichincludeexerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, 20 pounds of forcefrequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects including the human body. Must be able toassistin physical behavioral interventions and/or facility evacuationsin the event ofan emergency. Working with young children and families requires sound judgment, self-control, emotional competence, and the ability to adjust cognitive patterns to meet the needs of children with diverse backgrounds, varying social-emotional skills, and behavioral challenges. Job involves sitting, standing, walking, lifting, carrying, reaching, grasping, bending, stooping, crouching, pushing, and/or pulling. Position involves physical mobility with or without reasonable accommodation to perform essential functions of the job.