Family Support Specialist I - Bilingual - Healthy Families

Polk County, FL•Bartow, FL

61d•$17•Onsite

About The Position

Healthy Families is a free, voluntary, home visitation program designed to promote and enhance the healthy development of children and families. The program (parenting classes, parenting programs) promotes positive parenting and works to reduce negative childhood outcomes, including abuse and neglect. The program offers outreach services designed to build trusting relationships, promote positive parenting, enhance maternal-infant bonding and attachment, enhance the child's physical, emotional and educational development, and enhance parent-child interaction. Assistance also is provided to participating families in the use of available community services and resources.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited high school or possess an acceptable equivalency diploma; AND
Have one (1) year experience:
Working with infants or young children.
Working with or providing services to children and families.
Working with the culturally diverse populations present among the site's target population (economically disadvantaged, minorities, etc.).
At least one (1) year demonstrated knowledge of infant and child development (through babysitting, childcare, and/or classroom work).
At least 1 (1) year experience in a job or environment requiring openness to reflective practice (i.e. has capacity for introspection, communicates awareness of self in relation to others, recognizes value of supervision, etc.).
Read, speak, write, and effectively communicate in both English and Spanish, as this is specifically a Spanish/English bilingual position.
A comparable amount of related training and experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications at the discretion of the Health and Human Services Director, except for the bilingual requirement.
Must possess a valid driver's license or be able to secure a valid Florida driver's license at the time of employment. Must not have had a preventable crash or a moving violation within twelve (12) months prior to making application.
Must have the physical, developmental, and mental ability to perform job tasks, work efforts, responsibilities and duties of the job illustrated below:

Nice To Haves

Infant mental health endorsement preferred.

Responsibilities

Assists in strengthening the parent-child relationship through improving parenting skills and meeting dependency needs of parents.
Works with individual participants and groups.
Establishes a trusting relationship with at risk families by initiating and maintaining appropriate participant contact.
Establishes a family support plan with goals, objectives, and activities with the supervisor, and follows through with implementation.
Assists parents in making and attending appointments for doctors, social service agencies, etc.
Acts as a liaison between families and other community agencies.
Familiarizes self with community resources appropriate to needs of the families.
Meets with Supervisor on a weekly basis to evaluate participant status.
Attends regular staff meetings, case conferences, in-service training, and other meetings as required.
Documents home visit observations and activities in a consistent and timely manner.
Demonstrates ability to work as part of a team as well as independently.
Consistently follows County, Healthy Families Polk, and Healthy Families Florida policies and procedures.
Performs related duties as required.