FAMILY SERVICE WORKER

JOB TITLE: Family Service Worker

PROGRAM/DEPT: Early Childhood Division 

REPORTS TO: Education and Family Services Manager 

GRADE/CLASSIFICATION: Regular Full Time

FLSA: Non-exempt

Description:  To establish partnerships with families and support them in the identification and attainment of their family and individual goals and objectives; to partner with teaching staff and other components areas in engaging families in the life of the Head Start/School Readiness Program and to monitor service quality to children and families.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities (others may be assigned based upon program needs):

• Establish positive and continuous relationships with families and develop strength-based assessments that describe their goals, strengths, resources and support network.
• Serve families representing different cultures using a culturally competent and flexible approach.
• Promote children’s health development and interactive learning at home.
• Engage parents in volunteering, community service and other ways of contributing to program activities and services.
• Research and maintain up to date information on community resources.
• Match family needs with community resources in collaboration with area specialists as necessary.
• Advocate for families and support them in advocating for themselves.
• Assist with transitions to other programs, communities and schools.
• Assist parents with transportation needs through a variety of strategies.
• Provide appropriate and timely referrals to community resources.
• Coach, consult and educate parents.
• Assess crisis situations and ensure safety of all parties involved.
• Function as a mandated reporter on behalf of children about whom there is the suspicion of abuse or neglect.
• Facilitate all Quality Service Review meetings (QSR’s) with teaching staff for the purpose of mutually sharing relevant home and school information toward the goal of quality, timely service provision to all children and families in the program.
• Participate in case management to promote service integration.
• Contact parents via home visits, phone calls, group activities or site visits, as needed, to promote partnership and to provide for regular communications.
• Conduct timely follow-up with authorities, other agencies and with families, when appropriate, to determine child and/or family status as an avenue to individualizing services from the program.
• Work with program managers of health, mental health and disabilities, and child development in order to follow-up and ensure holistic service delivery.
• Promote and support parent involvement and leadership throughout the program.
• Provide assistance in coordinating and facilitating parent meetings and activities.
• Participate in conducting outreach, recruitment and enrollment of children and families.
• Monitor and report children’s classroom attendance and make follow-up phone calls or home visits after three absences.
• Participate in pre-service and in-service training days, as well as other workshops deemed necessary by the Administration.
• Provide assistance to the Disabilities & Mental health Manager or the Health & Nutrition Manager in the monitoring of files, managing enrollment applications, and mentoring staff, particularly new staff as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Minimum Requirements: 

• An Associate’s Degree in Social Service, Human/Family Services or a related field; prefer a minimum of 3 years working with families.  Family Service Credential a plus.

Skills: 

• Knowledge of theories and practice of social work, counseling or human services.
• Must possess personal qualities necessary to relate to parents and staff.
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Must have strong documentation skills.   

Physical Requirements: 

• Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard
• Ability to kneel, stoop, bend, and sit on the floor.
• Ability to lift up to fifty (50) pounds. 

Language Requirements: 

• Ability to read, write and speak English, bilingual a plus 

When duties and responsibilities change, the job description will be reviewed and changed based upon changes to program or organization’s priorities.

HRA of New Britain, Inc. is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disabilities/Vets.