What are the responsibilities and job description for the Parenting Counselor position at Chatham County, NC?
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Job Description
Are you passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of families? Do you have a deep understanding of child development and a strong desire to support parents in nurturing healthy, balanced relationships with their children? If so, we have the perfect opportunity for you!
We are seeking a compassionate and skilled Parenting Counselor to join our dynamic team. In this role, you’ll provide guidance, support, and expert advice to parents navigating the rewarding yet challenging journey of raising children. If you’re ready to help families thrive and make a lasting difference, we want to hear from you!
Chatham County Parenting Program is a federally funded program that provides supportive services to parents and guardians. Services are provided to families who need support learning or enhancing their parenting skills to assist with practicing positive parent-child interactions. The Parenting Counselor/Educator helps parents obtain the knowledge and skills needed to raise physically, psychologically, and emotionally healthy children. This position performs intermediate-level work by interviewing parents and families to coordinate and develop parenting strategies and activities to meet their social, physical, intellectual, creative, and emotional needs. This position requires the use of an evidenced-based curriculum for group and in-home services. The Parenting Counselor/Educator works in close collaboration with other programs that are focused on the well-being of children and families. The work is performed under the general supervision of the Diversion & Advocacy Program Director.
Essential Functions
- Screen and assess individuals referred to Family Treatment Court (FTC);
- Screen and assess individuals referred by other entities for eligibility;
- Attends FTC sessions, as well as other criminal, civil, and Department of Social Services (DSS) court sessions where referrals may be made;
- Provide information for FTC dockets, reports for court, and collaborating programs;
- Remains updated on best practices for family treatment court and parenting models seeking new innovations and techniques;
- Delivers evidence-based parenting classes to enrolled participants;
- Provides a curriculum for parents (or group work) for participants;
- Conducts pre- and post-evaluations to measure participant progress in parenting skills and knowledge;
- Provides information and educational opportunities in the area of substance use treatment for the team;
- Reports noncompliance issues to the teams and recommendations for appropriate sanctions, if needed;
- Plans for graduation ceremonies and other events for the participants of the courts;
- Establishes relationships with clients to assess treatment and support services that are needed;
- Establishes criteria, develops projects, and assesses program effectiveness;
- Conduct visits and deliver curricula in participants’ homes;
- Communicates with treatment providers and the teams on a regular basis to share client information and progress; maintains computer records, data, and reports for individual clients, and overall program information, ensuring that confidentiality requirements are met and maintained;
- Advocates and supports client recovery and rehabilitation needs, including coordinating other necessary community-based services such as housing, entitlements, education, transportation, and job training;
- Answers incoming calls and performs office administrative work as needed;
- Uses computer applications or other automated systems such as spreadsheets, word processing, calendars, e-mail, and database software in performing work assignments;
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field such as early childhood education, child and family development, human services, social work, or psychology, and a minimum of two (2) years in the field. Must have experience working with families and children or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Thorough knowledge of evidence-based parenting programs, especially pertaining to families struggling with substance use and addiction;
- Thorough knowledge of child development, family dynamics, and trauma-informed counseling;
- Thorough knowledge of and experience with substance use and mental health assessment and service provision, including interview techniques, current screening tools, diagnostic methodology, record collection, and treatment referrals;
- Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of case management and maintaining computerized files and reports;
- General knowledge and understanding of the criminal justice system, court procedure, and sentencing guidelines;
- General knowledge of general interviewing practices and/or techniques;
- General knowledge of social work and counseling practices and techniques including crisis prevention and intervention;
- Interest in and commitment to substance use treatment and recovery;
- Ability to demonstrate compassion, especially when clients are experiencing complex issues or in crisis;
- Ability to demonstrate cultural competence, to understand and value clients’ unique values and perspectives;
- Ability to develop trusting, helping relationships and work effectively with individuals and families from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds;
- Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse audience;
- Ability to identify which guideline(s) to use, and interpret how to apply the guideline(s);
- Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with court system stakeholders, clients, treatment providers, and the team;
- Ability to solve problems, work independently, and operate under difficult and stressful circumstances;
- Ability to recruit, support, and encourage client participation and success;
- Ability to communicate both orally and in writing;
- Ability to establish and maintain effective professional relationships with co-workers, criminal justice stakeholders, community members and individuals with criminal records and/or pending criminal cases, and the general public;
- Ability to effectively use computer applications such as spreadsheets, word processing, calendars, e-mail, and database software to maintain and track data, generate reports, and prepare presentations;
- Ability to demonstrate sound judgment, integrity, resourcefulness, accuracy, thoroughness, and the physical condition commensurate with the demands of the position.
Physical Requirements
This work requires the frequent exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking, hearing, handling or feeling and repetitive motions; frequently requires standing, walking and reaching with hands and arms and occasionally requires climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling and lifting; work has standard vision requirements; work requires vocal communication to express or exchange ideas orally; work requires hearing to perceive information at normal spoken levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work in an office setting and field environment including frequent travel to various locations; sitting for prolonged periods; standing for brief period. Ability to work in an outdoor setting during community outreach events. Must possess the visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, perform accounting and extensive reading, and operate a computer terminal.
Special Requirements
Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license.
Substance use training and specialization preferred.
Familiarity with substance use screening tools and toxicology preferred.
Prior experience with treatment and diversionary programs or courts in the criminal justice system preferred.
Experience with grant writing and fundraising is a plus.
Must complete required trainings, as well as travel for trainings as needed.
Must occasionally work outside of normal business hours.
Chatham County is fully committed to equal employment opportunity (EEO) principles and issues this anti-discrimination/EEO compliance clause to support and maintain employee’s rights and responsibilities relating to equal employment. The core of equal employment opportunity is the right to work and advance on the basis of merit, ability, and potential, free from prejudice or discrimination. In accordance with the applicable anti-discrimination statutes, executive orders, and other authorities, Chatham County protects employees against discrimination, to the fullest extent of law, on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, political affiliation, whistleblower activity, parental status, and military service (past, present, or future), and against retaliation for participation in EEO activity or opposition to discrimination.
