Family Support Specialist

Overview

Launch is dedicated to ensuring a brilliant start for all children. Through our preschool, after school and summer programs, we provide equitable access to the highest-quality learning and care in a safe, enriching environment that prepares children for success in school and life. Our programs serve a diverse group of over 1000 children ages 3-12 and are located on-site in 10 Seattle public schools’ locations, 3 community centers and one Impact Public Schools location. Drawing on more than 48 years of experience, we serve as a proven model of effective programming and a passionate advocate for children, families and communities. Launch strives to live an anti-racist, inclusive existence, and welcomes diverse voices, experiences, and perspectives.

The Family Support Specialist serves as a liaison between families, sites, and community resources. Assisting with recruiting eligible children for ECEAP, acting as the bridge between the preschool classroom and the home, helping to empower families to overcome socioeconomic barriers and supporting the overall family wellbeing.

Essential Job Functions

• Conducts outreach in the community, manage applications, verify family income, and maintain full enrollment for the ECEAP sites.
• Help families with identifying their strengths, sets goals for economic success/stability, and assists in creating action plans to achieve them.
• Assists in navigating referrals, assesses family needs and provides resources to meet the identified needs.
• Partner with parents to secure required medical, dental, and immunization records, and assist families in developing child health/nutrition plans.
• Acts as liaison between parents and program sites to develop a spirit of community engagement, assist with parent meetings; develop and translate organization materials, promote special events, facilitate communication between parents, school, and social service agencies, generate activities to enable families to interact with one another.
• Assists Early Learning Director and Program Site Managers in maintaining accurate program records and files, including enrollment and financial information, family assistance referrals, goal progress, health and immunization records and follow-up data.
• Assists Early Learning Director in timely administration of ASQ and Health Screenings; follow up with families as needed
• Timely reports for other grants, as assigned

Other Essential Functions:

• Attends in-service training sessions, staff meetings scheduled, professional development activities.
• Establishes and maintains professional communication and working relationships with staff, families, and the community.
• Adheres to program licensing requirements, timelines, and Seattle Preschool Program performance standards.
• 30 (thirty) hours of professional development required per year, such as STARS or other job-related workshops, classes, or job-embedded professional learning
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Education, Experience & Training Equivalent

•  An associate’s degree or higher degree with the equivalent of 30 (thirty) college quarter credits of adult education, human development, human services, family support, social work, or related field. The 30 (thirty) credits may be included in the degree or in addition to the degree

OR

•  Washington State ECE Home Visitor Certificate

OR

•  A Home Visitor Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential from the Council of Professional Recognition

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Understand family and relationship development cycles.
• Demonstrate acceptance of all types of family groupings and use materials that reflect nontraditional families.
• Build positive and goal-directed relationships with families.
• Ability to establish mutual trust with families.
• Ability to work collaboratively with families to assess needs through a strength-based approach.
• Ability to link families to community resources and engage families in program activities.
• Ability to increase families’ knowledge of parenting, school participation, and leadership.
• Ability to cultivate community partnerships.
• Ability to maintain professional and ethical boundaries with families, staff and volunteers.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and adhere to all ethical guidelines in handling sensitive information.
• Ability to problem-solve, think strategically, and handle sensitive information and difficult situations tactfully and confidentially
• Ability to exhibit cultural humility when working with staff and families from diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds
• Ability to communicate effectively, professionally and empathetically in both written and verbal formats.
• Must be able to lift items weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Must be able to assume and maintain a variety of postures (sitting, standing, walking, bending, twisting, and reaching).
• Ability and willingness to travel to other Launch worksites as needed.
• Strong organizational skills, demonstrated by (but not limited to) a safe, clean and effectively managed worksite and compliance with Launch’s confidentiality policy regarding child, family and employee information.
• Successful experience working in a team setting.
• Proficiency or willingness to learn software systems, including MS Office.
• Demonstrate an eagerness to learn and enhance skills that promote Equity and Inclusion.
• Proficiency in Spanish or Chinese language and culture preferred.

Condition of Employment

• Ability to obtain and maintain criminal record clearance
• TB Clearance
• Food Worker Card
• First Aid/CPR
• Blood Borne Pathogens/HIV training
• Mandated Reported Training
• MMR Vaccination Record
• Must attend any required training

After Hire

• Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families Trainings
• Medication Management
• Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
• Families Experiencing Homelessness
• Abusive Head Trauma

Within 3 Months of Hire

 STARS training credentials, or ability to become certified

The statement contained in this job description reflects general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of the job. It should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas as deemed fit for the organization.