Family Engagement Specialist- Part Time

Description

This part-time position provides supervision and parent education during court-ordered visitation sessions. Responsibilities include monitoring parent-child interactions, providing supportive coaching and education to parents, documenting visitation activities, and transporting children to and from scheduled visits. Work hours will primarily consist of evenings and weekends to meet the needs of families and court-ordered schedules.

What puts Family Forward Out Front:

• Get paid to change lives and reshape communities
• Strong peer support with a focus on teamwork
• Emphasis on professional learning, growth, and development
• The diversity of the position gives you opportunities for new experiences
• Member and active participant in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce
• Gateway Equity Institute Non-Profit Partner

What to expect on a given day as a Family Engagement Specialist:

• You will monitor and facilitate visits between youth in foster care and biological parents, providing guidance and education to parents.
• You’ll maintain professional standards during visitation and document observations objectively.
• You will prepare timely, accurate, objective, and factual documentation of visitation activities in accordance with agency, contractual, and court requirements.
• You’ll complete documentation during visits when appropriate and feasible, or ensure all documentation is completed and entered within established program time frames.
• You will coordinate visitation schedules with families, foster parents, and other involved parties while responding to scheduling changes and cancellations as needed.
• You’ll maintain regular communication with case managers, foster parents, biological families, placement providers, and other stakeholders regarding scheduling, visitation updates, transportation, and service needs.
• You will respond to visit cancellations or schedule changes by completing documentation, communication, scheduling activities, transportation adjustments, or other assigned work as directed.
• You’ll maintain flexibility to accommodate family availability, court schedules, transportation needs, and other operational requirements, including evenings and weekends.
• You will assist group members with integration techniques and application of skills taught.
• You’ll intervene as required during visitations between youth and parents.
• You will establish and maintain appropriate professional boundaries with parents, placement providers, and children as needed.
• You will encourage participation of group members.
• You’ll participate in Family Support Team Meetings as necessary.
• You will provide weekly reports to the foster care case manager.
• You’ll complete annual training in Child Abuse and Neglect identification, and Mandated reporting and prevention training, as well as other required trainings.
• You will maintain confidentiality of client information in accordance with agency policy and applicable federal and state confidentiality laws.
• You will fulfill all mandated reporter responsibilities in accordance with Missouri law and agency policy.

Travel and Transportation Essential Functions

• You will transport children safely to and from court-ordered visitation sessions and other approved locations as assigned.
• As necessary, you will travel to transport children and facilitate supervised visitation at community locations, agency sites, and other approved settings. Travel may include locations outside the employee's primary work location or regularly assigned geographic area, based on program and client needs.
• You’ll maintain any vehicle used to transport clients in a safe, clean, and sanitary condition; including being free from strong odors.
• You’ll comply with all traffic laws and agency policies…