Family Specialist - Parent Educator

Family Wise University Ave
3036 University Ave SE
Mpls, MN 55414, USA

Family Wise has been keeping children safe and helping families lead stable, healthy and productive lives since 1976. Our programs help families build resiliency, identify and harness their strengths, and connect to other resources. We promote individual and community-led actions that enhance supports for children, parents, and families across Minnesota.

Our mission is to strengthen families by promoting the safety, stability, and wellbeing of children, and our vision is for a world where every child thrives. As a multi-service, multi-cultural agency, Family Wise focuses on nurturing children, families, and communities through culturally competent services. Our staff reflect the communities we serve through shared lived experiences and cultural background, and many can provide services in languages other than English.

Our programs focus on natural supports, experiential learning, education, and a therapeutic approach with expertise in trauma‑effective care.

$23.00 per hour

• Paid vacation and sick time
• Nine paid holidays and three floating holidays
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Health Savings Account (HSA), and options for Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Long‑term disability insurance – the employer pays the premiums
• Employer‑paid basic life insurance with the option for additional coverage paid by the employee
• Voluntary benefits:
  Accident, hospital indemnity, critical illness, short‑term disability insurance
• FWS sponsors a retirement plan with 3% employer match and immediate vesting

Because Family Wise is a member with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) who partners with St. Mary’s University, Family Wise employees and their spouses are also eligible for the following benefits y’s University:

• Discounted tuition for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate programs
• Access to advancement (internships, job placement, field practice)

This is a regular, full‑time, hybrid position that is scheduled to work during programming hours, which may take place in the evenings. The Family Specialist often works in the community and family homes.

Family Wise is hiring a Family Specialist – Parent Educator to provide a secure and neutral environment for parents to learn positive interaction, social, and emotional skills.

• Providing a secure and neutral environment, ensuring positive experiences for parents and their children.
• Assessing parent/family social, emotional, and cognitive skills.
• Teaching parent education sessions based on curriculum and expertise.
• Conducting parenting observations and providing parents feedback on their interaction skills.
• Modeling appropriate social skills for parents and their children.
• Providing life skills education to increase parental capacity for positive family dynamics.
• Teaching parenting groups monthly for a group setting option.
• Preparing timely monthly written reports.
• Attending all appropriate collateral meetings with counselors and referring agencies.
• Developing and implementing service plans with clients.
• Coordinating and communicating with county workers, referring partners, and other stakeholders.
• Facilitating meetings of family, professionals, and natural supports.
• Collaborating with community partners.

• You have a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development, Child Psychology, Family Social Science, Special Education, or a related human service field. A two‑year degree and two or more years of experience providing parenting services will also be considered.
• You possess two to three years of experience in child development, abuse/neglect support services, or parent education, and you have used intervention methods for children with special needs.
• You have experience working with culturally and racially diverse populations in lower socio‑economic conditions.
• If you are bi‑lingual in Hmong, Somali, Spanish, or other languages, this is highly valued but not required.
• You have strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• You can maintain a good working relationship with all co‑workers and…