Family Support Advocate

• Center for Early Relationship Support Programs - Healthy Families
• Waltham, MA, USA
• 21
• Hourly
• Full Time
• We regret that we cannot take phone calls regarding this position. JF&CS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Family Support Advocate

ABOUT JF&CS

For more than 150 years, Jewish Family & Children's Service has been helping individuals and families of build a strong foundation for resilience and well-being. We intentionally serve and employ people of ALL faiths, backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. Through an integrated portfolio of more than 40 programs reaching communities throughout Eastern and Central Massachusetts, JF&CS focuses on meeting the needs of new parents and their children, older adults and family caregivers, children and adults with disabilities, and people experiencing poverty, hunger, or domestic abuse. 

ABOUT OUR HEALTHY FAMILIES PROGRAM

Healthy Families Central Middlesex is an intensive weekly home visiting program for first-time parents 23 years of age and younger providing family advocacy and parental coaching.  Family Support Advocates are trained by Children's Trust and are employed by Jewish Family and Children's Service located in Waltham.  The program goals are to prevent child abuse and neglect, support health and development of children, assist with parental education and economic self-sufficiency, promote optimal parental health and wellness, and reduce repeat teen pregnancies.  Our teamwork, training and work with families is currently being conducted with a combination of in-person home visits and virtually through Zoom, FaceTime, and WhatsApp. 

This role, the Family Support Advocate provides intensive outreach and home-based service (currently combined with virtual) to pregnant or parenting moms and dads in the towns of Acton, Arlington, Bedford, Belmont, Boxborough, Burlington, Cambridge, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Needham, Newton, Somerville, Waltham, Watertown, Wellesley, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

• The Family Support Advocate is a full-time position of 36.25 hours per week.
• The hourly rate of pay is $21.
• This position is hybrid where your schedule will include time in our Waltham office, in home visits and working from home. Once you are fully trained you can build your own flexible schedule around home visits and time in our office.

Your workday will include:

• Conducting regular home visits (including virtual meeting methods) with up to 15 families in the service area, building and maintaining relationships with family members and directly assisting the family prenatally, through pregnancy, delivery, and up through to the child's 3^rd birthday
• Providing coaching and resources on a range of topics, including infant and child development, immunizations, positive nurturing routines, family planning, nutrition, breastfeeding, home safety and stress management
• Working closely with the Healthy Families team, conduct family assessments, develop, and implement individualized family goal plans based on the family's goals
• Facilitating appropriate use of primary care and other services, track immunizations and referrals made
• Encouraging family members and co-parents to participate in family support services, social activities, parent education and health promotion activities
• Working with Healthy Families team to plan social activities and incentive programs for program participants, and assist in other partnership projects as needed
• Attending meetings of the Healthy Families team, participating in regular individual supervision, and attending scheduled staff development and extensive training programs
• Helping to insure continued linkage to primary care and family support services, and outreach to families in need of follow-up
• Collecting data, documenting all encounters on a web-based system, and participating in Healthy Families activities in accordance with all Healthy Families America standards

The role comes with the following benefits:

• Best-in field paid time off, including 22 days of vacation time, plus 10 national and some Jewish holidays
• Paid sick time
• Mileage reimbursement
• Immediate eligibility for insurance and benefits 
• Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
• Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• 403b Retirement Plans
• Disability, Critical Illness, and Accident Insurance

ABOUT YOU

Ideal candidates for the Family Support Advocate position have the following qualifications, experience and skills:

• Bachelor's or degree in a related field (Social work) or working towards an associate degree
• We also will consider candidates with significant experience (3+ years) working with families and children
• Driver's license and car for home visiting (mileage reimbursement available)
• Ability to establish trusting relationships, accepting of individual differences 
• Knowledge of infant, child, and adolescent development 
• History working with culturally diverse populations
• Bilingual proficiency would be preferred but is not essential to this role
• Open to reflective practice; capacity for self-reflection in relation to others 
• Ability to work well in a team environment
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite (excel, word, outlook, power point)

ABOUT THE PROCESS

Applying for the position of Family Support Advocate has the following requirements:

• A current resume
• Cover letter
• COVID-19 vaccination and proof of vaccine

If you are selected for consideration, the hiring process could include: 

• An initial phone screen
• An in-person interview with team members 
• Background check
• 3 References, including two professional references
• Copy of diploma of highest education received
• Other hiring requirements

**In compliance with federal vaccine mandates, COVID-19 vaccination & proof of vaccine will be required prior to employment or employees must have an approved exemption for medical or religious reasons by the first day of employment with JF&CS.**

JF&CS is an equal opportunity employer who serves and employs people of all cultures and faith traditions and highly values diversity, equity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all without regard for race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability.