Family Support Specialist-Child Development Focus

SUMMARY: The Family Support Specialist – Child Development Focus (FSS-CD) provides trauma-informed, developmentally responsive support to children and families participating in Mountain Home Montana programming and services. This position functions as part of the Mental Health Center interdisciplinary treatment team and provides flexible support across the child development center, residential, outpatient, family support, and program environments based on client and operational needs.

The FSS-CD supports children’s emotional, developmental, behavioral, and daily care needs through structured routines, responsive caregiving, purposeful play, emotional co-regulation, family support, and relationship-based interventions. This role is based in the child development center, while also supporting family stabilization, treatment participation, emotional regulation, and continuity of care across programs. The FSS-CD is expected to flex throughout the building and programming environment as needed to support client participation, ratio coverage, therapeutic programming, residential support, and operational continuity. This role functions as an integrated member of the Mental Health Center treatment team and collaborates closely with therapists, case managers, peer support staff, residential staff, child development specialists, and leadership.

REQUIREMENTS: (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

● Bachelor’s degree in Human Services, Social Work, Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Psychology, Counseling, or related field required; or equivalent combination of education and experience consistent with Family Support Specialist requirements (6 years qualifying experience).

● Experience working with children, young families, parents, or caregivers in childcare, residential, behavioral health, educational, family support, or community-based settings.

● Knowledge of trauma-informed, strengths-based, relationship-based, and developmentally responsive approaches to care.

● Understanding of attachment, emotional co-regulation, family systems, human development, and early childhood development.

● Ability to work collaboratively within the broader interdisciplinary treatment team to support individualized treatment goals, therapeutic interventions, family stabilization efforts, emotional regulation strategies, and continuity of care across program settings.

● Ability to model and reinforce healthy boundaries, emotional regulation, developmentally appropriate interactions, and safe caregiving practices.

● Ability to assess family strengths, support practical skill-building interventions, and respond appropriately within emotionally heightened or clinically complex environments.

● Ability to remain calm, flexible, and clinically responsive in fast-paced or emotionally heightened environments while safely providing trauma-informed, developmentally responsive care.

● Strong communication, interpersonal, teamwork, problem-solving, observational, documentation, and organizational skills.

● Ability to maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality, and HIPAA compliance standards while building supportive relationships with children and families.

● Competency in Microsoft Office, Google Suite, electronic documentation systems, and/or EHR platforms.

● Flexibility, adaptability, accountability, and strong time-management skills with the ability to flex between child development center, residential, family support, and program support environments based on operational need.

● Commitment to equity, inclusion, culturally responsive care, and collaborative interdisciplinary teamwork.

● CPR/First Aid certification required or willingness to obtain within designated timeframe.

● Valid driver’s license and ability to pass background checks preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Ability to frequently stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, and sit on the floor throughout the workday.


• Must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 40 pounds regularly.


• Ability to actively engage in classroom, outdoor, and play-based activities with children.


• Ability to supervise children in dynamic and fast-paced environments.


• Ability to maintain focus, responsiveness, and energy throughout the workday.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 

• Provide trauma-informed, developmentally responsive direct care to children ages 0–5 through structured routines, purposeful play, responsive caregiving, and co-regulation strategies.


• Support children’s emotional regulation, developmental growth, social engagement, and daily care needs while recognizing behavior as communication.


• Prepare food and support meals, snacks, toileting, diapering, hygiene, and rest routines.


• Maintain safe, sanitary, organized, and developmentally appropriate environments in accordance with Montana childcare licensing regulations and Mountain Home protocols.


• Support implementation of social-emotional learning activities, therapeutic programming, and developmentally supportive routines.


• Collaborate with mental health center staff, therapists, case managers, peer support staff, and family support staff to promote continuity of care and family-centered support.


• Participate in interdisciplinary meetings, treatment plan consultations, training, Focus Week activities, and ongoing professional development.  


• Work within the organization's predictable annual operating calendar and scheduled program periods. Extended planned leave is generally expected to occur during agency closures, designated breaks, and other non-service periods.


• Build collaborative and professional relationships with caregivers while maintaining appropriate boundaries.


• Complete behavioral observations, incident reports, attendance tracking, and required child-related documentation in accordance with policy and licensing standards.


• Rotate into classrooms and development center spaces to support staffing coverage and operational continuity.


• Promote a childcare environment that functions as an extension of the therapeutic care team rather than a standalone childcare model.


• Maintain reliability, professionalism, flexibility, and other job-related responsibilities as assigned.