Family and Community Engagement Specialist

Lutheran Services Florida (LSF) envisions a world where children are safe, families are strong, and communities are vibrant

LSF is looking for a talented Family & Community Engagement Specialist who wants to make an impact in the lives of others.

Purpose and Impact :

Primary responsibility is performing duties that requires advanced knowledge in the field of social services and using such knowledge and prior work experience to exercise discretion and independent judgment in providing the most appropriate services and support to children and families in the Head Start / Early Head Start program; 1) Conduct eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance, 2) Facilitate in parent engagement, 3) Provide high- quality health, mental health, nutrition support and resource linkage, 4) Build partnerships with families to assist them in identifying their own goals, strengths, needed services and support system, 5) Assists with developing and implementing family partnership agreements that outline families strategies and timetable for achieving their own goals, and 6) Responsible for the management and recordkeeping of the family comprehensive file etc.

Essential Functions :

Social Services

• Initiate collaborative partnerships with parents to establish mutual trust and respect.
• In collaboration with each family assess their need for social services; develop an individualized plan that responds to the family's need; deliver and / or coordinate the delivery of needed social services to each family through referral or providing director services; review and update as necessary.
• Conducts and documents follow-up on all referrals.
• Establish Family Partnership Agreements (FPA) with families and identifies family's strengths, needs and interests to help parents develop and achieve goals within 45 days of enrollment.
• Facilitate follow-up on Family Partnership Agreement (FPA) goals with families within 90 days and on-going at a minimum of 90 days or more frequently if necessary.
• Provide comprehensive community resource information to families, individualizing to respond to the family's needs and concerns to the maximum extent possible.
• Refer families to community agencies / programs; assess accessibility, relevance and usefulness of assistance received.
• Assist with the establishment and maintenance of ongoing collaborative relationships with community organizations responsive to the concerns of the families of children birth through age 5, pregnant women and their families; participate in community awareness events.
• Report suspected child abuse and / or neglect following program procedures and Florida law.
• Serves on a community board located in the area of assigned Head Start / Early Head Start site.
• Develops a working knowledge of community resources, and visits, at least annually, with major agencies for service delivery updates and community resource guide updates.

Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, Attendance (ERSEA)

Parent Engagement

Health

Recordkeeping

School Readiness

Program Operations

Other Functions :

Note : The duties above are illustrative and not exhaustive. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Depending on assigned area of responsibility, incumbents in the position may perform some or all of the activities described above.

Physical Requirements :

Must be able to sit, stand, walk, and move freely for extended periods of time throughout the workday. Regular movement between classrooms, offices, and community locations is required.

Must be able to occasionally lift and / or move up to 45 pounds (e.g., program materials, boxes of supplies, or equipment).

Must have adequate vision and hearing (with or without corrective devices) to read documents, use a computer, conduct home visits, observe family and child interactions, and communicate effectively with families and staff.

Must be able to use hands and fingers to operate office equipment (such as a computer, phone, copier, etc.) and write or type efficiently.

Must be able to speak clearly and hear adequately in order to interact with families, staff, and community members in person, over the phone, and in virtual meetings.

Must be able to travel locally to perform home visits, attend community events, and engage with service partners; reliable transportation and a valid driver's license may be required.

Must be able to work in a variety of environments including homes, offices, classrooms, and community settings, which may not always be ADA-compliant.

Reasonable accommodation may be made for otherwise qualified persons with disabilities.

Education : Bachelor's Degree is required in Social Work or Human Services or related human services field.

Experience : At least two years of experience working with children and families in a social services environment. Head Start / Early Head Start experience preferred.

Also required : Certification in First Aid and CPR within three months of the date assigned to this position; and successful completion of a Level II background screening and drug screening prior to hiring.

Bilingual preferred : English / Spanish or English and other languages present in the local area.

Skills :

Other : Must demonstrate sensitivity to our service population's cultural and socioeconomic characteristics and needs.

Principal Accountabilities :

Why work for LSF?

LSF offers 60 programs across the state of Florida serving a wide range of populations in need. Mission Driven staff members become part of the LSF community while transforming the lives of those in need. Our staff additionally find growth opportunities as they explore areas of interest within theorganization.

Amazing benefits package including :

LSF is proud to be an equal opportunityemployer.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.

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