Family Support Specialist (Orange)

Job Title: Family Support Specialist (Orange County)

Salary Range: $21.15 - $24.72 per hour

Status: Non-exempt, Full-time, 35 hours per week 

Reports to: Program Coordinator, Associate Director of Family Support Services

Function:

Family Support Specialist provides weekly home visits, facilitate parenting support groups, provides transportation to parents and children for visits and services, assists with childcare, and supports Family Educators to meet client and program needs. Family Support Specialist also provides case management and supportive counseling to families referred by the Department of Social Services and/or may be involved with preventive agencies.  

Job Requirements:

• This position requires knowledge about, understanding of, and an ability to work with children and families, with expertise in early childhood development.
• Experience in Child Welfare or related field strongly preferred.
• Possession of a reliable vehicle and valid NYS driver’s license is a must.
• Bachelors in social work or related field is required.
• Candidates who are bilingual in English and Spanish are strongly preferred.  
• Working knowledge of community resources in Orange County (training provided). 
• Candidate must have the ability to work flexible hours.
• Must be able to work indoors and outdoors and travel to different areas of Orange County.
• The ideal candidate will be able to adapt to and manage frequently changing client needs, including client home conditions, mental health needs, substance use, and potential client’s trauma history.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.

Job Responsibilities:

• Teaching, advising, coaching, and supporting families in mastering parenting skills through home visits and/or group facilitation with a reduced caseload.
• Provide transportation and childcare to parents and children for visits and services in personal vehicle, as needed.
• Maintaining a flexible schedule so that home visits can occur in the early morning or evening hours, if needed, based on client needs.  
• Maintaining accurate visit records, documentation, and reports on a timely basis. 
• Collaborating with the Department of Social Services, Child Protective Services, and other service providers to ensure family cooperation with mandated services and child service needs. 
• Ability to work with people from many different racial, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.  
• Possess strong teaching/coaching skills; meet the needs of family members with effective solutions. Possess compassion and empathy.  
• Modeling nurturing attitudes and behaviors in all contacts with program participants and teammates while acting in congruence with Nurturing Program philosophy, methods, and Standards of Practice. 
• Provide excellent and thorough customer service to all family members. 
• Possess ‘out of the box’ thinking and resourcefulness. 
• Ability to work effectively when under pressure. 
• Ability to work independently; but relate issues to manager appropriately. 
• Attend supervision meetings, staff meetings, and training as required. 
• Complete client-facing and administrative duties as assigned by supervisor based on program need.

Our Mission:

Family Services brings people together to find the support they need, improving their lives and communities, and building a stronger safer Hudson Valley.

Our Values:

Compassion – Extending empathy and understanding to others.

Integrity – Being honest and dependable.

Hope – Believing in the strength of the human spirit and heart, to emerge and thrive when faced with a challenge.

Diversity – Promoting a vision of community comprised of wide-ranging assets.

Respect – Treating all individuals with dignity and without judgement.

Community – Recognizing and reinforcing the importance of our world as being comprised of people of differing strengths and perspectives.

Justice – Promoting social and economic equity and fairness.

Quality – Aspiring for excellence in every aspect of our work.

Competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills, communication, and public speaking skills 
• Computer literacy
• Strategic thinking  
• Organizational skills 
• Client focus 
• Time management 
• Attention to detail
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred

Work Environment:

As a Family Support Specialist, most of the time will be spent conducting home visits, providing client transportation, advocating for families, and helping families become self-sufficient. Family Support Specialists are required to have supervision with the Family Education Program Coordinator on a weekly basis and must be able to take direction from either supervisors and/or co-workers based on the situation. Training on the program curriculum is provided.

This job posting is for a home-visiting parent education program seeking a professional and dedicated Family Support Specialist. The primary focus of this role involves conducting home visits, advocating for families, and empowering them to attain self-sufficiency. During these visits, you will encounter diverse home conditions, encompassing overcrowded living spaces and substandard housing. As a skilled professional, you will navigate through challenges such as mental health concerns and substance use issues within the families you serve. Poverty often looms as a backdrop, impacting the families' well-being due to limited resources and socioeconomic barriers. Regular supervision will be provided to ensure you receive the necessary support and guidance to address complex family dynamics and challenging situations. Training on the program curriculum will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively engage with families, guiding them on their journey towards stability and improved outcomes.

#INDCP

We are an equal opportunity employer and our goal is to be a diverse workforce representative of the community we serve. Family Services, Inc. follows federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination in hiring and employment. We do not discriminate against employees or applicants in violation of those laws.

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