Family Resource Specialist

At Landmarks for Families (formerly CYDC), we are dedicated to our mission to cultivate thriving youth and families. We do that by working with a purpose, producing outcomes with intention, and being committed to always doing the right thing at the time for the right reasons.

LANDMARKS FOR FAMILIES is a 501(c)(3) organization that serves families seeking support, families in crisis, and children experiencing homelessness or who are victims of physical and sexual abuse, neglect, and abandonment. We strive to deliver family education, preservation, residential, and reunification services that teach, heal, strengthen, and empower more than 900 children and families annually.

With national accreditations from the Council on Accreditation (COA) since 1980 and the Teaching-Family Association, LANDMARKS FOR FAMILIES is a proud member of the Child Welfare League of America, the Palmetto Association for Children and Families and is committed to this promise for the families we serve, "Prevention if we can, safety when we must, and support, always."

OVERALL JOB PURPOSE: The primary responsibility of a Family Resource Specialist (FRS) is to provide home and community based services designed to promote safe and stable families, support family strength and stability, enhance parental functioning, and protect children. The FRS will provide services for up to 6 months to include assessment, service planning, parental education and skill building, assistance with concrete needs, behavioral management and intervention and development of a family's resources. The position operates under the supervision of the Family Resource and Connection Supervisor.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Family Engagement & Visitation - The Families Resource Specialist will establish a professional relationship with families by building rapport, engaging families in the program and being a consistent role model. Engagement expectations include:

2. Program Operations & Documentation - The Families Resource Specialist will meet program requirements and expectations in accordance with the Family Resource Connection and Preservation Services contract expectations, South Carolina Department of Social Services (SC DSS) audit requirements, LANDMARKS FOR FAMILIES Quality Improvement requirements, and the Teaching Family Model. This includes:

3. Service Provision - The Families Resource Specialist will deliver services in accordance with the Family Resource Connection and Preservation Services contract expectations, SC DSS audit requirements, the Teaching Family Model, and LANDMARKS FOR FAMILIES standards. Service needs must be assessed and adapted for each family. Services to be provided include but are not limited to:

4. Training: Staff will participate in all required trainings relevant to their role and position such as New Hire Orientation, Motivational Interviewing, Teaching Family Model, annual agency trainings, and other mandatory training as directed by HR and the FRCPS contract. When attending trainings staff will present professionally to include showing up timely, dressing appropriately, and actively participating.

5. Teamwork, Quality Improvement, and Cultural Sensitivity: Staff will promote the spirit of teamwork, demonstrate the ability to be a good colleague and will strive to continuously improve the quality of the agency and self. The FRS accepts cultural and individual differences, upholds the vision and mission of the agency.

Other Requirements:

Schedule: The FRS will work a non-structured work week with most of the time being spent with families in the afternoon and evenings and may include weekend hours based on a family's needs. The FRS will accept phone calls and texts from each family on the FRS's cell phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week while working with each family. This requirement does not require that the FRS restrict their personal activities or stay within a certain distance from the family. This requirement anticipates that there will be times when a FRS cannot accept a call and will return the call as soon as is practical. FRSs are expected to attend weekly staff meetings and consultation meetings, as well as complete any other work-related duties as assigned.

Knowledge & Reasoning Ability: The FRS should have the ability to solve practical problems, address emotional issues, and deal with a variety of human variables. The FRS should have the ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form. The FRS should have the ability to understand step-based social skills and then teach them to children and adults through role playing, visual prompts, verbal instruction, and various reinforcing activities. The FRS must possess the ability to make sound decisions, weighing all of the factors for good judgment based on LANDMARKS FOR FAMILIES policies and procedures. Decisions must reflect good clinical skills as well as the best interests of the clients and families.

Transportation: The FRS must possess adequate transportation with appropriate licensing and insurance coverage for transporting parents and children.

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the FRS is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; and use hands to handle objects and reach with hands and arms. The FRS must own or have regular access to a car and be able to drive himself/herself and navigate throughout the city and rural areas to visit families in their homes daily. The FRS must be willing to transport families in their personal vehicles when necessary. The FRS must be physically able to access apartments/homes using stairs and able to be able to walk distances over a variety of terrain to access a client's home.

Education, Specific Training and Experience: Minimum qualifications include a bachelor's degree in the field of Psychology, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Behavioral Science, or a related field. Two years of social work experience.

1. Candidates are required to complete a criminal background check through the State of South Carolina and Federal Bureau of Investigation; and
2. Pass scheduled and/or random drug tests.