Family Support Specialist - Associates Degree

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Family Support Worker Supervisor this role optimizes the home environment for the physical, mental, and emotional well‑being of children who are at risk of being abused or neglected, assisting in strengthening the parent‑child relationship by improving parenting skills, reducing family stress, and meeting the needs of parents. Service provision in this position is primarily field‑based in the clients’ homes.

Must live in Orange County and provide three personal references and three professional references prior to interview.

• Maintains a high level of adherence to contract and grant outcome standards.
• Demonstrates and maintains a positive work environment.
• Maintains a quarterly home completion rate of at least 80% as required by Healthy Families America (HFA) Standards and Healthy Families Florida (HFF).
• Helps plan and execute graduation ceremonies for participating families.
• Helps orient and train new Family Support Specialists.
• Provides one‑to‑one support to primary participants through intensive home visitation and group facilitation, as well as enhanced case management services.
• Offers crisis intervention by providing additional oversight on high‑risk cases to families within their team’s caseload under the guidance of the Family Support Worker Supervisor.
• Acts as a liaison between families and other community agencies.
• Acts as supervisor to maintain the individual team’s daily functions when the supervisor is out.
• Trains and mentors new team members on local community resources and referrals, ensuring compliance with HFF training requirement.
• Provides caseload support to the team through coverage of home visits, assessments, transportation, etc. as needed.
• Works with individual clients, providing services to them during home visits.
• Establishes and maintains a trusting relationship with at‑risk families by providing regular client contact through home visits.
• Performs developmental assessments according to the intervals needed and completes the documentation in a timely manner.
• Maintains all outcome measures at the required levels.
• Develops individual case plans with goals, objectives, and activities to meet client needs.
• Performs follow‑up on Family Goal Plans, Child Development assessments and any community referrals given to clients.

• Meets with supervisor weekly to evaluate client status.
• Transports clients to and from doctors’ appointments, other social service agencies, picnics, outings, and social events.
• Attends regular staff meetings, team meetings, in‑service training, and other meetings as required.

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Development, Psychology, Social Work, Nursing, Education, or a related field is required.
• High school diploma or its equivalent and four (4) years of Healthy Families experience, Associate’s degree and two (2) years of Healthy Families experience, or a Child Development Associate (CDA) and four (4) years of Healthy Families experience (in addition to the requirements listed in the Experience section) may substitute for the Bachelor’s degree.

• Valid Florida driver’s license.
• Minimum 2 years driving experience with no more than six (6) points, at least 21 years of age, and must be insurable under the Orlando Health insurance carrier’s requirements and standards.
• Access to an automobile and the ability to travel to various sites throughout the community using one’s own vehicle.

• Requires at least one (1) year of experience working in the areas supporting families, reducing family stress, and teaching positive parent‑child interaction skills.
• Demonstrates a knowledge of and belief in a non‑violent approach to disciplining children.
• Demonstrates knowledge of child development, family dynamics, family problems, and stresses of parenting.
• Experience in working with or providing services to children and families, demonstrating an acceptance of individual differences and experiences.
• Shows a willingness to work with the culturally diverse populations present among the site’s target population and is open to reflective practice (i.e., has capacity for introspection, communicates awareness of self in relation to others, recognizes value of supervision, etc.).