Position Type:
Elementary School Teaching/Pre K

Date Posted:
2/8/2023

Location:
Lake County Illinois Campuses
(High-Needs School)

Closing Date:
Until Filled

PURPOSE
The Family Support Specialist is responsible for conducting community outreach efforts to identify and develop relationships with community-based organizations that provide other needed services to families. In addition, this position actively engages in recruitment and ensures enrollment in Pre-K programming. The Family Support Specialist works closely with Pre-K Team on intake, assessment, and support needs.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/OUTCOMES % TIME SPENT Major Work Duties

• Perform initial assessment of family.
• Assists family in strengthening the parent-child relationship by being strengths- based.
• Assist family in establishing goals and a plan for accomplishment of those goals, as well as the assessment of the normal growth and development of the target child.
• Conduct/Monitor development screenings.
• Documents contacts with the family members or on behalf of family members.
• Maintains records and statistics required by the Network, city, state and other funding sources.
• Participates in public speaking as requested.

25% Home improvement activities and visits

• Assist parents in improving skills to optimize the home environment.
• Help families to improve support system.
• Increase family's ability to problem solve and advocate for themselves and their children.
• Conduct home visits as needed to support family needs and goals.
• Inform families of their rights and procedural safeguards in conjunction with special education personnel.

25% Outside agency work

• Identify and refer family for contact/appointments at other supportive agencies, including health care appointments.
• Track immunizations.
• Organize opportunities for parents to meet on a monthly basis for socialization, education, and support.

25% Community and development activities

• Participates in community boards, civic organizations, ECE councils, advisory groups.
• Responsible for compliance and maintaining current reporting for COPA monthly updates.
• Participate in the on-going development and related activities of a comprehensive quality improvement process within the program
• Attend problem-solving meetings and special education evaluation conferences when appropriate.

25%
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education, Training and/or Experience

1. BA/BS in early childhood, social services, or related field.
2. Ability to complete extensive home visiting in underserved community.
3. Two years paid or volunteer experience working with families and children.
4. Ability to speak the primary language of the clients they are working with.
5. Maturity and experience in successfully working with children (0-5 years of age) and their families.
6. Knowledge of normal child growth/development and parent-child relationships.
7. Ability to relate to families from a strength-based model.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Personal Characteristics

1. Strong interpersonal and relationship building/management skills, the ability to relate to individuals who may not share basic commonality, including value system and behavior norms
2. Effective communication skills across diverse populations/audiences
3. Passionate about improving the quality of life for children and families
4. High degree of integrity, reliability, initiative and accountability
5. Passionate about your team winning and succeeding
6. Available to families after-hours on an emergency basis.
7. Non-judgmental
8. Creative and knowledgeable about community resources.
9. Enjoys and functions appropriately with long-term, ongoing projects; doesn't need immediate feedback or results for personal validation.
10. Ability to establish and maintain personal/programmatic boundaries, while providing supportive services.
11. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to relate to individuals who may not share basic commonality, including value system and behavior norms.
12. Believes in and is comfortable with advocating for nurturing, nonviolent discipline of children.
13. Experience in working with culturally diverse communities and families with the ability to be culturally sensitive and appropriate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Additional training in child/family screening protocols and parenting curriculums/programs such as Parents as Teachers or Parent Café's preferred.
2. Knowledge of a variety of topics related to children living in poverty. Topics include but are not limited to: accessing the community pipeline of services, supporting challenging behaviors, advocacy training, child development, toxic stress, secure attachment, and strengths based goal setting preferred.
3. Spanish/Bilingual Preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/TRAVEL
Ability to communicate and exchange information over the phone and in-person. Lift and carry file boxes up to 15 lbs. Travel by car and/or public transportation.

WORKING CONDITIONS
Moderate in-district travel as well as intermittent in-state travel. Intermittent prolonged and irregular hours of work.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/COMPETENCIES

• Communication skills with the ability to listen to challenging family situations.
• Ability to travel by car and/or public transportation.
• Strong empathy skills.
• Knowledge and belief in early education concepts.

This job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of LEARN Charter School Network. Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder's responsibility.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, family medical history, disability or veteran status.