PURPOSE OF POSITION:

The Family Support Specialist will assist families by increasing their ability to maintain a safe and nurturing home for their children and to parent effectively.

This position will provide support and education for parents and children by assisting clients in learning basic living and parenting skills.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.         Provide home-based education and support to assist clients in acquiring basic living skills such as parenting, household management, and emotional regulation.  (50%)

2.         Engage in tasks necessary to the provision of direct service, including but not limited to: 

·        paperwork including progress notes, reports, documentation, assessments, service plans and discharge summaries completed in accordance with agency policy/procedure;

·        driving to and from home-based appointments. (25%)

3.         Collaborate with other agencies and service providers including case managers and foster care specialists to advocate on behalf of clients. (10%)

4.                  Participate in consultation supervision sessions as required. (5%)

5.         Collect statistics and implement CQI procedures as defined by program assignment. (5%)

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES (5%)

1.         Complete other responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.

2.         Complete training necessary to perform position and necessary for professional growth

3.         Facilitate a team atmosphere by working in partnership with other agency staff and promote a positive working environment.

4.         Represent the agency and programs in a positive manner to clients, community organizations and the public in general.

5.         Show flexibility with regard to work schedule (to be determined by supervisor); some evening or weekend work may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS:  To be able to perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

·                    Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or related field;

·                    Strong direct service professional skills, including:

o       Commitment to empowering others to solve their own problems,

o       Belief in a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person and that people have the capacity to grow and change,

o       Ability to develop respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence,

o       Ability to work collaboratively with coworkers and other professionals, and

o       Ability to:  maintain a helping role, intervene appropriately to meet service goals, and set appropriate limits.

·                    Experience with troubled families;

·                    Required knowledge and skills in:

o       The breadth of child welfare issues and services and the functioning and processes of advocating for families and children within the system,

o       The needs of neglected, abused and exploited children and adults,

o       Family functioning, and

o       Child development;

·                    Skill in working with families who may not want the services;

·                    Ability to analyze and make recommendation regarding individual cases and individual staff issues, and (frequently simultaneously) to analyze and apply larger, systemic issues;

·                    Ability to make independent decisions and act accordingly, or with minimal support from supervisor.  Ability to work autonomously and make appropriate decisions in crisis situations;

·                    Strong verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills;

·                    Transportation, valid driver’s license and insurance that meets agency requirements;

·                    Ability to interact with clients with sensitivity and responsiveness to cultural and socioeconomic characteristics in the service population;

·                    Ability to read, analyze and interpret forms, documents, evaluations and procedure manuals;

·                    Ability to respond to inquiries and possible complaints from clients and other providers; and

·                    Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.  Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instruction.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS

• Majority of work is a combination of office and home based environments.  Additional work may be performed in a variety of settings to meet department needs.  While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 35 pounds.
• Ability to work extensively with clients.
• Corrected hearing and vision within normal range.
• Ability to safely operate a vehicle.
• May be required to work on evenings and weekend as needed.