FAMILY SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Description

Belmont Charter Network is a family of 5 community schools centered on the central mission to promote the academic, social and emotional well-being of each child. Our schools are supported by a non-profit partner to provide holistic services to the school including out-of-school time, our social work project and Head start.  How do we do this?  We do it by ensuring our students have access to complete support both in and out of the classroom through a talented team of teachers, leaders, social workers, and partners.

We believe that schools and learning should be joyful!

You can find more about our core values and vision here.  We believe that education is the single biggest way we can disrupt the systemic racism that impacts Philadelphia and by extension our country.  We are a mission centered organization that has grown since its founding over 20 years ago to be the organization that serves Philadelphia today.   Learn more about our partners who support this vision by creating a full scope of community support for our students and families.  Our approach is grounded in trauma informed practice which you can read more about here.

Your areas of knowledge and expertise:

• Demonstrated skill in working with students from diverse cultural, economic and ability backgrounds.
• Creative problem solving
• A commitment to being a lifelong learner, commitment to refining your craft
• A knack for connecting with people across differences including parents, colleagues and students.

Position Summary: 

The Family Support Specialist is responsible for serving the entire school community while partnering with internal departments, community agencies and nonprofits to support students and families on tiers 2 and 3 in the Multi-Tiered System of Support model. Working closely with students, parents, and educators to address academic, personal/social, and career development goals and needs by designing and implementing the comprehensive family support model that focuses on the five school domains. Belmont Charter Network is a collaborative effort between the Prevention and Family Support Department and the Multi-Tiered System of Supports to create an environment promoting student achievement, active engagement, and equitable access to educational opportunities for all students.

This is an 11 month position that is supervised by the Director of Prevention and Family Support.

Core Responsibilities: 

• Strengths-Based Counseling and Support:
  • Implement a strengths-based perspective to mobilize family, school, and community resources for BCN students' optimal learning.
  • Provide classroom guidance and individual/group counseling, emphasizing early intervention for children facing challenges in school, home, or community adjustment.
• Consultation and Collaboration:
  • Collaborate with teachers, families, internal support teams, and external agencies to ensure a comprehensive support network.
  • Conduct crisis intervention and navigation adhering to State and BCN protocols, including Behavioral Health, McKinney Vento, Grief and Loss, and Mandated Reporting.
• Family Support and Resource Provision:
  • Offer support and resources to parents/guardians through home visits, parent training, community forums, and referrals to community services.
  • Manage case documentation, including D.A.P, Progress Notes, Consent Documents, Release of Information, and maintain trackers for Attendance, Truancy, McKinney Vento, and Dependent Youth.
  • (Belmont Academy Only) Work in partnership with School District of Philadelphia to meet Head Start program requirements, including but not limited to enrollment and eligibility, family support and partnerships and family service notes
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• Student Transition Management and Training:
  • Manage student transitions related to grade promotion and alternative placement.
  • Conduct an end-of-year needs assessment with case management families, providing close-out summaries of case documents.
  • Ensure compliance with due dates for case note completion and handle student summer referrals, such as summer camp and partnerships with agencies.
  • Provide training to school staff, enhancing tools for student and family involvement and educating on state mandates.
  • Conduct appropriate strengths-based inventory assessments for newly enrolled students.
  • Collaborate with essential school-based departments and community-based agencies in a team-oriented approach.

Additional responsibilities: 

• Teaming with essential school based departments and community based agencies 
• Attend department and school-wide programming which may include after hours events
• Perform other tasks and assume additional responsibility as may be assigned by the Director of Prevention and Family Support. 

Skills and Abilities: 

• Excellent proficiency in communicating efficiently with compassion and empathy, particularly with children, as well as adults.
• Familiarity with the needs of children and knowledge of child development principles.
• Experience in assisting parents to develop the expertise needed to operate their home.
• Non-discriminating approach to duties.
• Compassionate, persevering and a good listener.
• This position demands a high level of performance, coordination, data collection and effective management to meet deadlines.

Qualifications

Qualifications: 

Education and Experience: 

• Master’s degree in Social Care, Social Work or any other human related courses. An advanced diploma in Counseling might be an added advantage.
• Strong knowledge of student mental health interventions and programming in addition to special education processes. 
• Experience initiating working relationships with families in all situations and track record of assisting families through challenging situations.

Salary : $55,000 - $62,000