Job Description

Position Title: Family Service Worker 

Immediate Supervisor: Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Director

Titles of Position Supervised: None 

Major Objectives:

Establishes and maintains relationships with families based on trust and respect. Provides consultation to families in the program helping them in the evaluation, planning, and achieving their family goals and success. Works with families in the areas of Social Services, Transitions, Health, Nutrition, Inclusion, Mental Health, and Parent Engagement. Develops compassionate partnerships with families and provides referrals and support in accessing community resources for needed services. Assists families in crisis and supports the culture and value of each family. Provides parent education opportunities. Ensures compliance with Performance Standards and Licensing Requirements.

Qualifications: 

1. Minimum High School Diploma or GED.

2. Willingness to obtain a Family Service/Worker Credential.

3. Initial and periodic physical exam demonstrating the strength and stamina for the physical demands of spending extended time at the children’s level, lifting up to 40 pounds and handling equipment, furniture, and materials.

4. Have or be willing to obtain/maintain required professional development.

5. Cleared FBI Record check, including fingerprints, Criminal Record check and Arkansas ChildMaltreatment Central Registry check.

Essential Job Results: 

1. Ensures compliance by: 

a. Consulting with families to evaluate family needs and developing individualized support plans that describe family strengths, goals, resources, and needed services.

b. Maintaining appropriate documentation for each family goal and efforts to achieve both family and agency goals.

c. Engaging parents as full partners in the education of their child and their preparationfor and transition to Kindergarten, including providing resources for interactive activities with their child at school, at home, and in the community.

d. Encouraging and maintaining active parent leadership in the center, (Policy Council Representatives) providing parents with opportunities to be involved in group activities, including Policy Council, Parent Center Committee meetings, and educational activities, based on interest and need.

e. Ensuring the children are not left unattended at any time.

f. Following safety standards and participating in emergency response drills.

g. Providing referrals or resources as appropriate.

h. Assisting families in accessing services and addressing barriers to service, as needed, including advocacy with service providers when appropriate.

i. Helping families identify opportunities for education and employment training in the community, if needed.

j. Following up when services are received, and for each participating family, providing documentation which determines the quality of services provided.

k. Contacting or attempting to contact parents at a minimum of once every month and maintaining documentation of efforts or results. 

l. Assisting families in crisis, providing intervention supports to help them quickly achieve stability and safety. 

m. Maintaining accurate, organized, and up to date documentation of all efforts, follow-up efforts, and contacts made in working with families (i.e., referrals made, resources provided, home visit scheduling/documentation, and goals). 

n. Ensuring health requirements and follow-ups are completed and documented per required timelines. 

o. Completing, updating, and maintaining all relevant forms (electronic, paper, etc.) in an accurate and timely manner. 

p. Participating in regular child staffings, consultations, and action plan meetings in partnership with teachers, and content staff. 

q. Maintaining ongoing communication with teachers and content staff regarding shared children and families. 

2. Establish effective relationships with children, parents, members of the community and staff of the Head Start Program by:

a. Assisting with recruitment and enrollment of Head Start children.

b. Helping to make parents feel welcome and part of the overall program.

c. Assisting in planning and conducting a Head Start Orientation/Open House for parents each August and as children enter the program.

d. Building trusting and respectful relationships so parents will feel comfortable in sharing information on sensitive issues and confident their privacy will be respected.

e. Participating in parent/teacher conferences and home visits throughout the year.

f. Identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect in, so far as possible, a helpful rather than punitive manner toward the abusing or neglecting parents/caretakers.

3. Keeps Management informed by:

a. Participating in staff meetings.

b. Submitting assigned paperwork according to timelines.

c. Contributing ideas and information as requested.

4. Protects program integrity and client privacy by keeping any and all program information gained through employment at CSO absolutely confidential during and after this employment.

5. Demonstrates a commitment to lifelong learning by participating in Staff Development training and attending relevant and approved workshops.

6. Contributes to team effort by:

a. Welcoming new and different work requirements; exploring new opportunities to add value to the organization; helping others accomplish related job results as and where needed.

b. Completing any other duties as assigned.