Dedicated and hard working parent educator with a strong background in the foster care system and social work field. Highly experienced, with over 14 years of hands on experience in determining client's requirements for social, community, and health services, while providing families with correlating support and empathy. In addition, a strong ability to manage and maintain an assigned case load in an effective manner by using exceptional time management skills. I have strong communication skills and the ability to develop excellent rapport with families that are in need of assistance. Strong attention to detailed case notes and reports needed for court. Along with, effective crisis management knowledge to work with a family in a respectful and purposeful manner.
Home visiting professional renowned for delivering meaningful support and resources to families. Adept in fostering strong relationships and contributing to improved family outcomes. Highly reliable team player with focus on collaboration and adaptability, skilled in effective communication and empathetic care.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Home Visitor, Parent educator
Springfield School Districts Parents as Teachers
09.2017 - Current
Company Overview: Springfield School District 186
Provided support and increased parent knowledge of early childhood development to improve parent practices through a home visiting framework
Develop, monitor, and review goals with each family
Complete and maintain health and developmental screenings to provide early detection of developmental delays and health issues
Promote and increase school readiness for children.
Complete an initial and annual family centered assessment with each family
Connect families to resources, in order to help them address the family's basic needs and achieve goals
Prepare and maintain all documentation for the program, within a deadline. Provide documented case notes
Strong experience working with ethnically diverse families
Highly organized, self-motivated, and flexible team player
Strong familiarity with community services, resources, and supports
Strong ability to partner and connect with families to de-escalate stressful situations
Collaborate with families to maintain ensure a safe home environment
Recruited families and built positive relationships with parents in order to support parenting roles.
Partner with families and local agencies to provide services within the community to help reach goals.
Established trust with families by maintaining confidentiality and demonstrating cultural sensitivity during home visits.
Helped to educate parents and assisted with educational planning and decision making for children.
Improved child development outcomes by implementing research-based early intervention strategies.
Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities to stay current on best practices in early childhood education and family support.
Increased parental engagement in children''s education by facilitating group meetings focused on sharing experiences and learning from one another.
Maintained a caseload of up to 20 families while adhering to strict visitation schedules set forth by funders or regulatory agencies.
Documented all interactions accurately in case files following agency protocols, ensuring data integrity for reporting purposes.
Prepared monthly calendars with educational needs and activities.
Conducted ongoing evaluations of program effectiveness using results-based accountability measures, refining interventions as needed to maximize impact on participating families.
Assisted with crisis intervention services by performing emergency assessments.
Enhanced family well-being by conducting regular home visits and providing personalized support.
Mentored new Home Visitors to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality services across the program.
Promoted school readiness by addressing the individual needs of each child in the areas of cognition, language, social-emotional, and physical development.
Advocated for family needs within the community, fostering a support network of resources and services tailored to individual circumstances.
Empowered parents as their child''s first teacher through coaching on age-appropriate activities that foster cognitive growth.
Connected families with community resources, increasing access to essential services such as healthcare, housing assistance, and educational opportunities.
Family Service Specialist - Case Aid to DCFS
Addus Home Health
08.2011 - 08.2019
Company Overview: DCFS
Developed strong partnerships with families, caseworkers, and supervisors to facilitate service plan and reunification.
Provided ongoing case monitoring and evaluation to formulate and update care plans.
Facilitated evidence-based parenting workshops, equipping parents with the tools to foster healthy child development.
Made recommendations and referrals to aid clients in locating proper therapeutic services.
Assessed child progress using standardized tools, identifying areas of concern and adjusting interventions accordingly.
Provided crisis intervention when necessary, connecting families with appropriate supports and resources to address immediate needs.
Provided leadership by organizing and maintaining the Addus team, while working under the DCFS contract
Implemented strong case management skills to ensure all policies and procedures were completed
Responsible for facilitating case-related activities on behalf of the Department of Children and Family Services
Prepare documented case notes, which are used in court hearings
Provide support and resources to families
Assist with obtaining resources for housing, food, employment, and basic living necessities
Attend client assessments, such as Child and Family team meetings and ACR's
Participated in forming individualized goals and tracking progress
Collaborate with caseworkers and other service providers to create and maintain service plans
Participated in court hearings on behalf of the Department of Children and Family Services
Provided documented case notes and eye witness testimony for court on behalf of the agency
Implemented effective parenting techniques and educational guidelines
Maintained safe and effective guidelines
DCFS
Cultivated strong relationships with clients through excellent communication skills and genuine concern for their needs, leading to increased client retention rates over time.
Followed instructions from supervisor regarding daily job tasks and duties.
Intern
West Lake Clinic
06.2004 - 08.2004
Completed his 90 hour internship with this social service agency
Maintained records of individuals based on his or her progress
Guided therapy sessions within a group atmosphere
Supported staff members in their daily tasks, reducing workload burden and allowing for increased focus on higher-priority assignments.
Gained valuable experience working within a specific industry, applying learned concepts directly into relevant work situations.
Sorted and organized files, spreadsheets, and reports.
Analyzed problems and worked with teams to develop solutions.
Education
Bachelor's - Psychology
Illinois College
Jacksonville, Il
06.2005
Skills
Effective Multitasking
Adaptable Learner
Attention to detail
Collaborative Team Member
Effective Leadership
Effective Communication with Families
Resource provision
Safety Management
Report management
Case management
Organizational skills
Detailed case notes
Database management
Trauma informed care
Advanced ACES Knowledge
Certification
First Aid Certification - American Heart Association.
Licensed foster parent
Trained in Aces
Timeline
Home Visitor, Parent educator
Springfield School Districts Parents as Teachers
09.2017 - Current
Family Service Specialist - Case Aid to DCFS
Addus Home Health
08.2011 - 08.2019
Intern
West Lake Clinic
06.2004 - 08.2004
Bachelor's - Psychology
Illinois College
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