Bilingual Family Support Advocate

Richland County First Steps•Columbia, SC

7d•$20 - $22

About The Position

Richland County First Steps is seeking a dedicated, bilingual Spanish/English Family Support Advocate to provide home-based services to pregnant women and families with young children. Using the Parents as Teachers curriculum, the advocate conducts weekly or biweekly visits and provides comprehensive support to enhance family well-being, strengthen parent-child relationships, and empower families as advocates and leaders. The role serves families in Richland County and includes a caseload of 12–15 families, with travel of up to 45 minutes to each home visit. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional evenings and weekends. The advocate works in a collaborative office environment and participates in reflective supervision, staff meetings, and trainings. Bilingual Spanish/English proficiency is essential for effective communication and culturally relevant support. Richland County First Steps is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.

Requirements

At least an associate degree in Early Childhood Education, Social Work, Psychology, or a related field.
Experience working with infants, toddlers, and families from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and English.
Ability to work effectively with culturally diverse families and communities.
Technology proficiency and ability to learn new database systems for documentation.
Reliable transportation and a valid driver's license.
CPR and First Aid certification.
Current Parents as Teachers certification or ability to obtain it.
Commitment to completing 20 hours of professional development annually.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree.
Experience in crisis intervention.

Responsibilities

Conduct weekly or biweekly home visits based on family needs, following the Parents as Teachers curriculum.
Provide child development education, parent education, case management, and family support.
Connect high-risk families to community resources, including medical homes, counseling, community assistance, employment, and training opportunities; document and follow up on referrals.
Document activities in a timely manner, including weekly visit logs, child assessments, screening information, and activity reports.
Review individual family needs and child development progress before each home visit.
Assist in preparing for family socialization events and group connections.
Accurately enter and maintain data for all families in relevant databases.
Complete family and child assessments within required timeframes.
Create, maintain, and manage comprehensive binders for each family.
Participate in reflective supervision sessions, staff meetings, and trainings.
Develop transition plans for each child and family based on age.
Assist in onboarding new home visitors by arranging observation opportunities and demonstrating data-entry processes.
Seek and gather resources from partner agencies in Richland County to support enrolled families.
Maintain a caseload of 12–15 families and travel up to 45 minutes for home visits within Richland County.