Family Support Specialist

Description

SGA YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES OVERVIEW

SGA’s mission is to help children, families, and communities facing great challenges to realize their potential. SGA uses a proven and innovative method called the Cycle of Opportunity. This system is a continuum of comprehensive services that helps break the cycle of adversity and provides families with enough opportunity to change their lives and their communities. 

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION

The Family Child Care Home program partners with local home-based child care providers and implements monitoring, training, technical assistance, and support to Early Head Start-funded children in their programs ages 0 to 3 years old. The Child Development Specialist supports family childcare providers by ensuring that qualified staff are in place, and they have ongoing training and professional development to support staff in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities. 

MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct regular visits to each home, some of which are unannounced, not less than once every two weeks. 
• Periodically verify compliance with either contract requirements or agency policy.
• Facilitate ongoing communication between program staff, family, family childcare providers, and enrolled families.
• Provide recommendations for technical assistance and support the family childcare provider in developing relationships with other childcare professionals. 
• Assist in planning and implementing a developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum for FCCH providers.
• Monitor provider credentials and provide oversight to the ongoing professional development of teachers and teacher assistants. 
• Maintain participant family and provider records around education and disabilities as required by agency and program standards. 
• Monitor and ensure proper documentation for children’s education files. Ensure the ongoing assessment/screening of each child enrolled in the FCCH Program. 
• Assist with the development, implementation, and evaluation of FCCH Providers and homes. 
• Coordinate the disabilities components of the Early and Head Start Performance Standards. 
• Assist FCCH providers with Teaching Strategies Gold.
• Monitor TS Gold data (lesson plans, observations parent/teacher conferences, etc) and providers’ ongoing feedback to the FCCH providers.
• Conduct formal individual child observations and provide ongoing feedback to the FCCH Providers and parents. 
• Monitor the progress of children with identified special needs and adjust plans (Interim intervention plans, behavior support plans, IEP and IFSP implementation plans, etc) as necessary to achieve positive gains. 
• Document in CSD CARES monitor and update disability tracking sheet. 
• Comply and enter data as required by the program. 
• Assist in planning special events for participants. Work with the program team to involve participants in these events.
• Assist in organizing and facilitating monthly meetings with the FCCH Providers. 
• Assist and participate in recruitment efforts, maintaining full enrollment, recruitment of children with disabilities, and maintaining written partnerships and relationships with community agencies.
• Participate in the development of program policies, service delivery plans, and ongoing monitoring of program quality. 
• Work with a Family Case Worker to check eligibility for enrolled children. 
• Participates in ongoing training and staff development provided by DFSS, HS, and SGA workshops and conferences. 
• Perform other related duties as assigned. 

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE JOB

Education:

• Bachelors or advanced degree in child development, early childhood education, or related field. 
• Gateways level 5 ECE credential or valid Professional Educator License (PEL) with an Early Childhood Education endorsement. 

Experience:

• 1-3 years early childhood experience within family childcare (FCC) setting.
• Other:
• Must have reliable car for transportation as well as valid drivers’ license and automobile insurance. 

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Competent in Microsoft Office tools and inputting services in an online database.
• Bilingual/Bicultural in English and Spanish  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to remain stationary 50% of the time.
• Must be able to frequently move inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. 
• Occasionally ascends/descends stairs.
• Frequently moves desks, chairs, tables, easels, and children's toys. 
• At times may be required to lift up to 25 lbs. for various classrooms and events needs. 
• Frequently moves in outdoor weather conditions.

 Full Time Employee Benefits Package: 

• Health Insurance (HMO and PPO options)
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short & Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending Account
• Employee Life Insurance
• 403b Retirement Plan 
• RTA Commuter Benefit

Time Off Eligible after 90 days

• 10 days accrued vacation 
• 10 days accrued sick 
• 2 Personal days