Family Support Specialist (Bilingual)

General Description

The Family Support Specialist is responsible for the overall case management of all services provided to families enrolled in the Early Head Start Partnership Program. A working knowledge and skill in relationship-based engagement with families and implementation of the Head Start Performance Standards is required.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Implement recruitment efforts for the local partner centers including recruitment of children disabilities.
• Establish and maintain accurate documentation of age and income eligibility for children participating in the program.
• Collaborate with families to complete an accurate Family Assessment annually and provide intervention, referrals and assistance for interests, needs and circumstances identified.
• Provide on-site case management services to families and children including assistance and referrals, i.e., emergency services, health/nutrition/dental referrals, education/ mental health/disability referrals, and child abuse and neglect referrals, etc.
• Assist families in identifying and defining goals as early as possible after enrollment; and ensure that progress review is done per procedure.
• Adhere to follow up procedures for tracking activities in all Early Head Start Service areas, i.e., medical, dental, mental health, CACFP/nutrition, disabilities, eligibility, and family & community partnerships.
• Maintain accurate and current recordkeeping in the family file by following the established contents of files and grantee database.
• Collaborate with all families and local health agencies to ensure that all children are linked to a medical and dental home for an ongoing source of continuous service.
• Provide immediate referrals, assistance and follow-up for crisis intervention needs.
• Participate in all staff-parent conferences/home visits by sharing developmental information from the family file to support relationships with families.
• Participate at the local parent/policy committee meetings to offer technical assistance to parents on community resources and programs.
• Maintain on-going contact with families and childcare partners regarding program services. Document contact on case notes in family files and MyHeadStart.
• Document and provide follow up regarding children’s absences in the program including daily and consecutive absences with follow up as well as home visits as needed.
• Offer and provide assistance to families with attendance issues.
• Train staff and parents, in collaboration with the managers, on the utilization of the Community Resources Book.
• Recruit and assist with the coordination of local Health Services Advisory Committee members and meetings for all partners.
• Attend and participate in staffing of children in collaboration with LIC, mental health provider and/or medical agency.
• Participate in the collection of data for the community assessment.
• Ensure the implementation of individual health care plans, if applicable.
• Monitor database reports per established procedures.
• Assist in the provision of family activities.
• Assist in the provision of various parent workshops.
• Participate in the monitoring system designed for CCR&R Early/Head Start Partnership Program, ensuring follow up on all issues found during technical assistance/monitoring visits.
• Respond appropriately to cultural diversity and be sensitive to the needs of the families and community served.
• Attend regularly scheduled meetings, Grantee service meetings / trainings, Pre-Service and In-Service Training.
• Must demonstrate belief in the CCR&R mission and vision in all verbal and written communication.
• Meet all timelines and reporting requirements.
• Receive and maintain trainings annually.
• Ensures that the usage of agency technology, equipment and time are utilized for agency business only.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned.