Bilingual Family Service Coordinator
Rock/Walworth County, WI
This is a Full Time (40 hours), Part Year (summers off) position serving Rock and Walworth County with a rate of pay ranging from $21.01-22.81 an hour.
The Bilingual Family Services Coordinator (FSC) works directly with families enrolled in Head Start to support their children's school readiness by connecting families to resources that address health, housing, food security, employment, and overall family well-being. This position serves as the primary liaison between the classroom and families, ensuring full access to services and culturally responsive support throughout the family's enrollment. The FSC partners with families to identify strengths and goals, builds individualized Family Partnership Agreements, and connects families to community resources that promote stability and self-sufficiency.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Conduct family needs assessments at enrollment and on an ongoing basis, covering health, nutrition, housing, mental health, economic stability, and other areas identified by the family.
- Support children and families through successful transitions into school districts and other early childhood education settings, including Head Start and Early Head Start programs, by providing resources, coordination, and individualized support to promote continuity of services and positive educational outcomes.
- Partner with Early Head Start Home Visitors to assess family needs, share relevant information, and coordinate compreehensive services that support child development and family success.
- Develop, implement, and monitor individualized Family Partnership Agreements in collaboration with families, supporting them in setting and reaching personal and family goals.
- Support eligibility determination, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance (ERSEA) processes in compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards.
- Serve as the primary point of contact, translator, and interpreter for Spanish-speaking families, including during home visits, parent-teacher conferences, IEP/IFSP meetings, and program events.
- Translate program materials, correspondence, and forms into Spanish to ensure equitable access to information.
- Provide case management and referrals to community resources such as housing assistance, food access programs, healthcare, mental health services, employment and training programs, and early intervention services.
- Conduct home visits to build relationships with families, assess needs, and support family engagement in their child's learning.
- Facilitate and encourage family participation in program governance, including Policy Council and parent committees.
- Support family transitions, including transitions from Early Head Start to Head Start and from Head Start into kindergarten.
- Maintain accurate, confidential family records in the program's data management system (e.g., ChildPlus) in compliance with program reporting requirements, including the Program Information Report (PIR).
- Collaborate as part of a multidisciplinary team with health, disabilities, mental health, and education staff to coordinate comprehensive services for children and families.
- Identify and respond appropriately to family crises, including providing emergency referrals and fulfilling mandated reporting responsibilities.
- Participate in community outreach efforts and build partnerships with local agencies serving low-income and Spanish-speaking families.
- Serve as a support to students in the classroom, and assist with coverage, as needed.
- Attend required staff meetings, trainings, and professional development activities, including at least 15 hours of annual professional development.
Minimum Qualifications
- Associate's degree in social work, human services, family services, counseling, early childhood education, or a related field; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience consistent with agency policy and Head Start staffing requirements.
- Staff hired without the above credential must obtain, within 18 months of hire, at minimum a credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, counseling, or a related field, in accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards (45 CFR §1302.91(e)(7)). eCFRHead Start
- Full bilingual fluency in spoken and written Spanish and English.
- Valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel locally for home visits and family activities.
- Ability to pass a background check, fingerprinting, and any state-required licensing checks for working with children and families.
- Familiarity with the local service area and existing community partner organizations.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport with diverse families.
- Ability to utilize case management and data systems (e.g., ChildPlus) and standard office software.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in social work, human services, family services, counseling, early childhood education, or a related field; OR an equivalent combination of education and experience consistent with agency policy and Head Start staffing requirements.
- Prior experience working in a Head Start, Early Head Start, or similar early childhood/family services program, or a non-profit family services setting.
- Extensive knowledge of family systems theory, trauma-informed care, and/or child development.
- Experience conducting home visits and developing family partnership agreements or case plans.
- Strong working knowledge of community resources available to low-income families.
PHYSICAL, MENTAL, and EMOTIONAL DEMANDS:
Employees must be able to demonstrate at all times that they are physically, mentally, and emotionally able to meet the requirements of their job.
Physical Demands:
Communication: Speaking clearly, hearing, and using hands to handle objects or controls.
Physical Activity: Depending on the job, employees may need to lift up to 40 pounds; stand for long periods of time; bend, squat or crouch; sit on the floor and return to standing; climb stairs; and/or move quickly throughout the building.
Visual Acuity: Seeing details of objects at various distances, as well as depth perception. The ability to withstand blue light from computer screens, smart phones, and other technology.
Auditory Acuity: The ability to hear and focus on conversations and potentially respond quickly to sounds.
Mental Demands:
Cognitive Skills: Learning new information, remembering processes, focusing, categorizing, and integrating information for decision-making. Making timely and effective decisions under pressure.
Problem-Solving: Identifying problems, analyzing situations, and finding solutions.
Organization and Planning: Organizing tasks, setting priorities, and managing time effectively.
Adaptability: Adapting to changing situations and priorities.
Stress Management: Managing stress and maintaining composure under pressure.
Crisis Intervention Skills: Experience in crisis intervention and the ability to manage high-stress situations.
Emotional Demands:
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and responding to the emotions of team members. Understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses and how they impact others.
Relationship Building: The ability to form and nurture meaningful connections with others, both personally and professionally.
Conflict Resolution: Resolving conflicts constructively and fairly.
Frustration Tolerance: Coping with and enduring frustrating situations without experiencing excessive negative emotions or behaviors
Resilience: Maintaining a positive attitude and bouncing back from setbacks.
Growth Mindset: Believing that your abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, effort, and learning, and maintaining an openness to receiving supervision and feedback to improve practice.
The physical, mental, and emotional requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
BENEFITS: Rock Walworth Comprehesive Family Services, Inc. offers a generous benefit package to regular employees that work 30 hours or more per week. The benefit package includes the option to enroll in health and dental insurance (up to 80% employer paid premium depending on the plan selected) and vision insurance. RWCFS, Inc. has a 401 K contribution to all employees after 1 year of employment and 1,000 hours worked. Other perks include life insurance at no charge, vacation, sick, and personal time accruals, as well as paid holidays. Part Year employees have built in vacations which include winter and spring breaks, and summers off (unemployment compensation is available during the summer layoff).