Family Support Specialist - Bilingual

Children’s Home & Aid; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision insurance

3+ weeks PTO in first year

11 paid holidays

401(k) with match

Supplemental insurance options

Job summary

Brightpoint is seeking a Family Support Specialist in Chicago to recruit families for Early Childhood services and verify eligibility through documentation. You will coordinate child placement and build trusting relationships with families in both center and home-based options.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and Gateways Level 5 credential, plus English and Spanish bilingual abilities. A driver’s license is required; full-time, on-site schedule with competitive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social services or related field is required.
• Gateways Level 5 Family Specialist Credential or equivalent is required.
• A minimum of one year of experience with culturally diverse families preferred.
• Ability to communicate in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Recruit families for enrollment in Early Childhood services.
• Complete documentation to validate eligibility for families.
• Coordinate placement of eligible children in center or home-based programs.
• Establish trusting, nurturing relationships with participants.
• Monitor attendance and participate in team meetings with families.
• Report absences for center-based programs as needed.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

Driver's license

Strong communication

Empathy and cultural sensitivity

Education

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Human Services, Family & Consumer Science, Family Studies or Counseling

Gateways Level 5 Family Specialist Credential or equivalent

Job description

Description

Brightpointinvites you to join our team of mission-driven staff who share a common vision: an equitable world where all children and families thrive in strong communities. As a leader in the human services sector for 140 years, we aim to advance the well-being of children by investing in families and strengthening communities through data-informed, collaborative, and preventative solutions.

Family Support Specialistserves as the first point of contact for families who apply for center-based Early Childhood services at Brightpoint. The Family Support Specialist is responsible for participant eligibility, identifying the needs of children and families, and coordinating, enrolling and tracking participation in services to maximize the child and family’s well-being. As a Family Support Specialist, you will recruit families with children for enrollment in the program, complete and obtain all essential documentation to validate eligibility, coordinate the placement of eligible children and establish trusting, nurturing relationships with program participants.

• Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Human Services, Family and Consumer Science, Family Studies or Counseling required.
• Gateways Level 5 Family Specialist Credential or equivalent Family Development Credential required.
• A minimum of one (1) year of experience working with culturally diverse families preferred.
• Knowledge and understanding of normal child growth/development and parent-child relationships preferred.
• Valid driver's license, insurance, and a reliable vehicle required.
• Ability to communicate in both English and Spanish required.

(Candidates without the required degree/credentials may be considered with an approved educational plan)

Job Responsibilities:

• Recruits families with children for enrollment in the program, engaging in scheduled recruitment outings on a regular basis, including evening and weekend recruitment events (in-person and/or virtual).
• Completes and obtains all essential documentation to validate the eligibility of all applying families and secures all essential documentation, including the selection criteria form, to ensure that the most eligible families are enrolled in the program.
• Coordinates the placement of eligible children, in the center or home-based program, with the assigned Supervisor, Manager and/or Director.
• Establishes trusting, nurturing relationships with clients/participants.
• Participates with the multidisciplinary team to ensure that all support services are extended to families based on their needs.
• In alignment with the attendance protocol, monitors absenteeism/participation of children, contacts parents and/or conducts team meetings with parents to discern justification for absenteeism/ participation and creates participation plan, as appropriate.
• For Center Based Only: Reports absences of three days or more to Family Support Services Supervisor or assigned Site or Program Supervisor for further follow-up recommendations.

Job details:

• Compensation: Hourly: Range is between $24.04 - $28.40 per hour, offers are commensurate with experience and bilingual candidates may receive additional compensation. The salary range provided represents our current estimate for this role at the time of posting and is subject to change. The final salary will be determined based on a range of factors, including but not limited to, a candidate's relevant experience, education, qualifications, skills, certifications, and alignment with organizational needs. We are dedicated to fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to fostering a diverse workforce while providing equal opportunities for all candidates.
• Benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, 3+ weeks paid time off in the first year including the week between Christmas and New Year's Day (PTO increases with tenure); 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match (more benefits details here).
• Schedule: Full-time, hourly; general business hours with some flexibility required for special projects and evening/weekend recruitment events.
• We don't just hire talent- we grow it: Emerging Leaders will have access to leadership development opportunities and one-on-one mentorship.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.