Family Support Specialist

At Iris Family Support Center, Inc., we're on a mission to strengthen family foundations across Northern Indiana. Here you'll have the chance to support children and families as they navigate the complexities of family dynamics, striving to achieve stability and harmony within their family unit.

The Family Support Specialist (FSS) plays a pivotal role in nurturing and empowering families by fostering consistent, long-term connections. These engagements, scheduled at least weekly and extending up to three years, are predominantly conducted within the family's home environment, ensuring personalized attention and rapport building.

During these visits, lasting a minimum of one hour, the FSS implements interventions that are family-centered and strength-oriented. The primary focus is on establishing a foundation of trust, enhancing the parent-child relationship, and equipping parents with skills to cultivate a nurturing home environment. Additionally, interventions aim to bolster the family's support network and enhance problem-solving abilities, fostering self-advocacy for both parents and children.

Moreover, the FSS facilitates access to external resources by identifying and making referrals to supportive agencies, including healthcare services. Collaboratively, the FSS assists families in setting achievable goals and devising action plans, while also assessing the developmental milestones of the targeted child.

Given the dynamic nature of family dynamics, the FSS is equipped to handle multiple crises adeptly and is entrusted with maintaining meticulous records as stipulated by Healthy Families Indiana (HFI) and Healthy Families America (HFA) standards.

**Bilingual Preferred**

Essential Functions

• Initiate services prenatally or within the first three months post-birth, offered voluntarily.
• Conduct creative outreach to engage families.
• Provide at least one-hour home visits (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) aiming for 80% visit completion.
• Flexibly schedule visits, accommodating school/work hours.
• Develop transition plans for families exiting services.
• Document visits and collaborate on achievable family goals.
• Address risk factors and promote positive parent-child interaction.
• Implement evidence-based curricula in 50% of visits.
• Administer tools, make referrals, and connect families with medical providers.
• Support immunization efforts and offer transportation.
• Attend weekly supervision, meet billing requirements, ensure confidentiality.
• Report suspected cases of abuse, participate in training and meetings.
• Facilitate child development activities during home visits.

Qualifications (Core Competencies, Skills And Experience)

• Experience in providing services within a home-based model to overburdened communities and families.
• Working knowledge of attachment theory, parent-infant relationships, and effective/nurturing parenting techniques.
• An ability to establish trusting relationships
• Acceptance of individual differences
• Knowledge of infant and child development
• Open to reflective practice
• Willingness to allow new staff to shadow visits

Work Environment

• This job operates in a professional office environment and in familys homes. This role routinely uses standard office equipment.

Physical Demands/Expected Hours of Work & Travel

• Navigate narrow hallways and small rooms with agility.
• Endure strong odors.
• Handle and lift objects weighing up to 60 pounds.
• Read printed materials in low-light conditions.
• Operate standard office equipment proficiently.
• Assess and interpret various cues to detect signs of potential child abuse or neglect.
• Utilize sight, hearing, and smell to assess environmental safety for children.
• Possibly encounter infectious diseases, substances, and contaminated items (such as bed bugs, lice, etc.).
• Encounter animals during home visits.
• Travel within Allen County to clients' homes is expected; occasional out-of-county training may be required.
• Some flexibility in hours is permitted, however staff must be available within the core hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and should meet the requirement of 40 hours per week to maintain full-time status. Evening and weekend availability may be necessary to accommodate families' needs.

Required Education and Experience

• Minimum of a High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Experience in working with or providing services to children 0-3, preferably developmentally appropriate and their parents.
• Must be agreeable to attend 130 hours of Healthy Families Training within six months of their date of hire which may be out of town.
• Experience and willingness to work with the culturally diverse populations present among our Target Population.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Infant mental health endorsement level I or II preferred
• Bachelors Degree in Human Services, Social Work, Early Education, Child Development or directly related field
• Bilingual

Additional Eligibility Qualification

• At least 21 years of age and able to operate a motor vehicle
• Have a valid drivers license, proof of insurance and continuous use of a reliable vehicle, where car seats can be installed, and multiple passengers can ride.

Iris is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer