CLACKAMAS COUNTY CHILDREN'S COMMISSION, INC. Healthy Families Family Support Specialist

GENERAL OBJECTIVE:

To provide high-quality home-based services that lead to strong family outcomes, in compliance with all applicable standards and regulations

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Dedicated:

•  Implement home-based services for assigned families in alignment with agency policies and procedures, to include: child development, family engagement, parent education, physical health, mental health, early intervention, community resources, family well-being, self-sufficiency, prenatal development and preventative care, positive parenting, attachment and parent/child bonding
• Collaborates in the planning and implementation of family socializations, parenting education, and parent activities/events
• Utilize agency provided, research-based curriculum to fidelity.
• Promotes parent and family engagement in ClackCoKids offerings and activities.
• Follows agency enrollment policies and procedures to assist in enrollment of children and families into the program throughout the school year.
• Works with supervisor to facilitate the resolution of family concerns as they occur.

Compassionate:

• Leads with strength-based approach to promote family empowerment at all times
• Schedule and complete required individualized home visits with each family based on families’ scheduling needs/preferences.
• Complete needs assessments with assigned families and work alongside them to set achievable goals
• Ensure needed social services are provided to all assigned families, which may include direct, individual problem solving; referrals; long- and short-term goal setting; assistance with follow-up; and advocacy.
• Supports healthy family and child outcomes through providing health education/information, supporting timely exams/screenings, and offering consistent and supportive follow-up when needed
• Ability to use a positive approach in directing and redirecting child behavior

Inclusive:

• Promote the role of parents as the primary nurturers and teachers of their children
• Partner with families to implement educational activities that support individual child needs, goals, and interests.
• Partner with the parent in setting individualized school readiness goals for their child.
• Encourage the development of parenting skills through support and education that honors individual family values/beliefs.
• Provide guidance and coaching for parents in methods of age appropriate, constructive, culturally responsive, and positive strategies to work with their child.
• Demonstrates commitment to agency’s philosophy and approach to equity and inclusion

Professional:

• Promotes all services and programs at ClackCoKids at all times.
• Participate in cross-component collaborations as appropriate and in alignment with agency policies and procedures.
• Attend and actively engage in agency committees, meetings, and events as assigned.
• Attend agency trainings as assigned and work with the supervisor to develop an individual professional development plan.
•  Attend and engage in regular supervision meetings with direct supervisor and team meetings as assigned, utilizing reflective practices
• Utilize agency systems for accurate, high-quality data entry in alignment with agency policies and procedures.
• Manage time in an effective manner, including keeping an up-to-date calendar.
• Completes additional duties as assigned.

Trustworthy:

• Respect and maintain confidentiality for client information, as well as in all other relevant/appropriate circumstances.
• Build and strengthen collaborations and rapport with community agencies and supporters in a manner that benefits. children and families and highlights the mission and impact of ClackCoKids.
• Uphold and honor commitments made with families and co-workers.
• Engage in direct conversations with the intent to strengthen and preserve relationships.

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS:

PROGRAM PARTICIPATION AND TEAM MEMBER:

• Arrives at work on time, punctually attends and actively participates in all required activities, meetings, and trainings.
• Be a respectful, cooperative, and reliable team member and participant in program activities.
• Projects a professional work image, both in dress and manner.
• Be familiar with, and adhere to, position-related policies and procedures as well as the program’s overarching objectives.

Code of Conduct:

Perform all work in compliance with the Clackamas County Children’s Commission Code of Conduct.

Confidentiality:

Respect and maintain confidentiality of information regarding enrolled children and families, personnel issues, and other program operations as appropriate.

Training:

In consultation with supervisor, develop professional work goals and training plan. Participate in training as requested.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Work is usually performed in client homes and in an office environment. 
• Frequent exposure to video terminal and keyboarding. 
• Daily driving in local traffic conditions. 
• In normal work day may bend, squat, and climb occasionally. 
• May lift up to a maximum of 50 lbs.
• Frequent carrying of objects weighing up to 20 lbs. 
• Frequent walking, standing, sitting including the ability to sit on the floor during home visits to participate in parent-child activities.

Disclaimer

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

Under Oregon statute, after July 1, 1996, an offer of employment for this position is contingent upon the results of criminal offender information record check and, possibly, fingerprinting, conducted on applicants for employment in early childhood services agencies. Applicants who have been convicted of certain offenses or who refuse to consent to such background checks will not be hired for this position.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood or closely related field preferred
• Infant Mental Health endorsement (preferred)
• A minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent, with preference for a home-based CDA® credential (or comparable credential), or equivalent coursework as part of an associate’s or bachelor’s degree
• Experience in working with or providing services to children and families.
• Knowledge of infant and child development.
• Competency to plan and implement home-based learning experiences that ensure effective implementation of the curriculum and promote children’s progress, including children with disabilities and dual language learners.
• Competency to build respectful, culturally responsive and trusting relationships with families and the ability to accept individual differences.
• Experience and humility to work with culturally diverse families.
• Willing to engage in building reflective capacity (e.g., capacity for introspection, communicating awareness of self in relation to others, recognizing value of supervision, etc.).

Skills and Abilities:

• Bilingual required
• Good computer skills
• Ability to use positive behavior intervention and support (PBIS) approach to directing and redirecting child behavior.
• Ability to positively interact with families of various cultural and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Ability to possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and insured vehicle available for use on the job. Ability to possess and maintain compliance with State of Oregon Criminal Background Registry.
• Ability to possess and maintain current First Aid/CPR certification.
• Ability to obtain and maintain an Oregon Food Handler’s Card