Home Visitor

Position Summary:

The Creciendo Juntos project offers home visiting for families beginning during pregnancy and continuing for several years. The model calls for families to be visited regularly from pregnancy through to school entry when the child is 5 years old. In addition to the regular home visits, families are also offered opportunities to participate in group sessions focusing on parenting as well as receive developmental toys, books, and other materials.

Babies begin learning before birth, and the skills they develop in the earliest years form the foundation on which they can build throughout their lives. To support Chicago families in making the most of this window for early development, and to advance the science on learning and skill development, the Center of Economics and Human Development (CEHD), Preparing for Life (PFL), and Casa Central (Casa) have established the Creciendo Juntos project

The Creciendo Juntos project is an initiative focused on three goals. Firstly, to establish and implement an effective home visiting program using the Preparing for Life curriculum and approach. Next, to collaborate with families and communities to co-create the program, maximizing benefits for all. Lastly, to evaluate many aspects of this project through a joint research study.

This project relies on the knowledge and experience of each of the partners. The curriculum, designed and supported by PFL, enhances children’s early development and promotes school readiness by strengthening parent-child relationships and focusing on caregivers’ strengths. The implementation partner - Casa Central - will run the program, bringing a direct connection to the community and an understanding of its needs and mechanisms for incorporating the community’s voice. CEHD researchers, who have previous experience studying early childhood programs, will analyze the program’s impact on interactions and children’s skill development.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Include the following, other duties as assigned:

The Home Visitor and home visiting team will work from a clearly outlined program manual with the expectation of delivering the following outcomes for the targeted children, their parents and families to achieve:

• Improved school readiness.
• Supported confidence in parenting and enjoyment of parenting

Home Visitors will deliver these objectives by:

Home Visitor Responsibilities

General:

Family Support:

Case Management:

Research:

• Administer surveys to families and manage other enrollment documentation
• Regularly record self and family during home visits for supervisory and continuous quality improvement purposes

General Requirements:

Sensitivity to cultural diversity is required. Will be subject to drug and alcohol screening, as well as aptitude and skills testing. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience:

Required qualifications:

Work or related (nursing, psychology, education, etc.)

Essential Experience/Knowledge:

Desirable Experience / Knowledge:

Personal Skills

Language Skills:

Bilingual in Spanish required.

Computer Literacy & Knowledge Skills Abilities:

Word processing; spreadsheets; internet skills; data entry skills, and in managing Microsoft applications to facilitate communication. Preferred experience with database systems.

Mathematical Skills:

Basic mathematical skills are required.

Operating Environment and Working Relationships:

Ability to work within an interdisciplinary team as a cooperative and supportive team member. Ability to establish relationships with families from diverse backgrounds. Must understand the scope of community resources and how they can meet the needs of children and families served. Knowledge of community resources and capacity to develop community cooperation to ensure families receive comprehensive services.

Decision Making Authority:

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or scheduled form and convey needed information with stakeholders in a manner which improves the early learning experience for children/families.

People Management:

Ability to utilize reflective practices to provide support to volunteers, interns, and team members.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, and listen. Employees frequently are required to use their hands. Must be able to lift and carry 25lbs.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Other:

Must have a valid driver’s license; car and insurance. Reliable personal transportation is essential for conducting home visits and community-based work (mileage reimbursement provided by the agency). Must have a cell phone with the capability to add applications to communicate with participants and agency staff (monthly cell phone stipend provided by the agency).

Disclaimer:

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. The content of this job description is not intended to be constructed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.