Parent Support Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Description : PURPOSE :

PURPOSE :

Works with families that have had an abuse report / investigation with allegations of abuse, neglect; or with children of families identified as needing services.

The focus will be partnering with case management staff to work with families in their home and supply them with connections to community services and interventions that will manage danger threats, increase safety and support the child(ren) remaining in the home.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Keep children safe from harm
• Enhance parents' ability to create stable and nurturing home environments that promote healthy child development
• Assist children and families to resolve crises, connect with necessary and appropriate services and supports within their community so they can remain safely together in their homes
• Avoid unnecessary return to out-of-home placement of children
• Help parents improve their relationships with their children and provide better care, nutrition, hygiene, discipline, protection, instruction, and supervision
• Help parents provide a better household environment for their children by improving household maintenance, budgeting, and purchasing
• Assist parents in locating temporary supervision of children when the parents need temporary relief or childcare
• Perform or Assist families in seeking providers to perform household maintenance budgeting, and purchasing as it applies to the overall case plan and when parents are unable to on their own or need temporary assistance.
• Assist parents and children to manage and resolve conflicts.
• Assist parents in meeting the special physical, mental, or emotional needs of their children and help parents to deal with their own special physical, mental, or emotional needs that interfere with their ability to care for their children and to manage their households.
• Help families to discover and gain access to community resources to which the family or children might be entitled to and which would assist the family in meeting its needs and the needs of children including the needs for food, clothing, housing, utilities, transportation, appropriate educational opportunities, employment, respite care, and recreational / social activities.
• Help families by providing in-kind assistance to meet their needs for food, clothing, housing or transportation when such needs prevent or threaten to prevent parents from caring for their children, and when such needs are not met by other sources in the community in a timely fashion.
• Participate in home-based family team meetings with family and community partners that are involved with the family.
• Be familiar with and knowledgeable of services and providers within community that provide and offer services and supports to meet families’ needs.
• Arrange or provide transportation of clients when needed.
• Maintain professional and respectful interaction with family and any identified support to the family.
• Participate in team staff meetings.
• Develop and maintain case documentations according to agency standards.
• Attends staff development training for professional growth.

Requirements :

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE :

Minimum of High School Diploma or GED equivalent; two years direct experience in the delivery of services to families and children.

Associates Degree in Human Services Field Preferred