Teen Family Support assists pregnant and parenting teenagers to develop and improve healthy parent-child relationships by providing long-term support through pregnancy, labor, delivery, and becoming a new parent.

The Parent Educator is responsible for providing consistent guidance and support through home visitation to pregnant and parenting young families. In this role, you will also support and guide families in establishing healthy parent/child relationships, with sensitivity to various cultural, racial, and ethnic groups. The Parent Educator reports to the Teen Family Support – Parent Educator Supervisor.

 $2,000 Sign On Bonus 

The Parent Educator position is located at the Easterseals Teen Family Support at 730 N. Church Street, Rockford 61103.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS/ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Building trusting relationships, teaching problem solving skills and improving the family’s support system through consistent, regular and comprehensive home visits.
• Assisting with program planning and development, i.e. monthly family events, quarterly report, program contract, program audits and program accreditation.
• Developing and implementing family goals with young families.
• Providing accurate information and support regarding prenatal issues, child development and parenting information utilizing Parents as Teachers Curriculum and approved handouts.
• Promoting and demonstrating positive parent/child relationships through observing moms and babies interacting. Facilitating parent-child activities during home visiting and videotaping of routine activities and completing an observation tool will be accomplished.
• Demonstrate familiarity with the services for pregnant and parenting young parents with community agencies and refer participants to appropriate services and resources.
• Meet regularly with Parent Educator Supervisor for reflective supervision and group supervision sessions.
• Participate in professional development both within the community and throughout the state. Participate in required MIECHV meetings and trainings.
• Ensure that monthly attendance, statistical reports, and appropriate client record keeping are entered in the MIECHV Visit Tracker data base system, and in the participant’s file.
• Serve as an advocate for the participant, making referrals to needed services and following through with receipt of services.
• Assist in arranging for participants to enroll/participate in educational services, job-related training or employment opportunities.
• Participating in client staffings, as requested by team members, work with the team to provide quality services to families.
• Attend bi-weekly Teen Family Support meetings and monthly Infant Mental Health consultation.
• Participate in interagency staffings with other staff working with the participant, such as other parent educators and doulas staff.
• Serving on agency and community committees, as requested.
• Participate in MIECHV Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) goal setting activities, as directed.
• Enter and track data on spreadsheets, as needed.
• Assist the program’s Parents as Teachers Blue Ribbon process, as needed.
• Ensuring that families have a medical home, refer to needed medical services in the community for themselves and their children.
• Monitoring and encouraging participants to follow through with immunizations and well baby care for their children.
• Provide handouts, discussion and support regarding birth control methods, including abstinence.
• Provide families with supplies as needed.
• All other duties as assigned.

Education/Certification:

• Bachelor’s Degree Preferred. 
• Minimum of High School Diploma. 
• Spanish Speaking Preferred.

Trainings at hire provided by the program*

• Mandated Reporter Online Training within the first week of employment 
• Foundations Certification I and Foundations II Certification within 6 months of employment.
• Life Skills Progression Training within 6 months of employment. 
• FANA within 9 months of employment.
• Ages and Stages Certification within 6 months of employment.
• Domestic Violence Training within 9 months of employment.
• Culture Diversity Training within 9 months of employment.
• 5 P’s Plus Certification with 9 months of employment (MIECHV)

Experience Required:

• Experience with family services which embrace the concepts of family-centered and strength-based service provision
• Knowledge of maternal-infant health and dynamics of child abuse and neglect
• Experience in providing services to culturally diverse communities/families
• Knowledge of infant and child development and parent-child attachment
• Strong interest in and commitment to working with pregnant and parenting teens/young adults and their children.
• Experience with children required.
• Experience with pregnant and parenting teens preferred.
• Experience in all aspects of child development, mother baby relationships, and attachment preferred.

Vehicle/Transportation Requirements:

• Valid driver’s license.
• Auto insurance.
• Reliable vehicle.

Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to relate to families in a supportive and nurturing way.
• Ability to attend overnight trainings, with a minimum of one being a week-long training (out of town trainings suspended during the pandemic.).
• Flexible scheduling to attend trainings and meet with families.
• Ability to travel throughout the Rockford Region in different geographic locations and housing situations.
• Computer skills – ability to utilize platforms for virtual home visits.
• Ability to work after hours on occasion to visit working families.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrates initiative and motivation.
• Ability to accept directions from supervisor, when necessary.
• Demonstrates leadership and ability to accept responsibility in initiating program success.
• Identifies problems and works to create solutions or to initiate an action plan.
• Can work as a team member.

ADA: Easterseals will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Unless exempted by the Americans with Disabilities Act, all persons hired for this position are required to possess the ability to perform the physical tasks necessary to treat clients, i.e., bending, floor-sitting, etc., as well as to have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently.