Children’s Home & Aid invites 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 leading child and family service agency with more than 20 locations across Illinois, our mission is to advance the well-being of children by investing in families to disrupt the systemic and multi-generational cycle of racial, social and economic inequality.

Our full-time staff receive competitive salaries and a generous benefits package, including a paid leave accrual rate that starts at two weeks annually and grows to more than five weeks of paid time off each year, as well as a paid winter break that occurs the week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. We strive to hold ourselves and each other accountable for fostering an inclusive work culture where we can be our authentic selves, where we create and have equitable opportunities, and where our voices are supported and encouraged.

The Family Support Specialist is a critical member of the Jerri Hoffmann Child & Family Center team, serving as the first point of contact for Carpentersville-area families seeking center-based Early Childhood services at Children’s Home & Aid. As a Family Support Specialist, you will recruit for and enroll eligible families into Children’s Home & Aid’s Early Head Start programs, support and track program participation, and provide ongoing support to families to maximize the success of their children in our programs.

What you’ll do:

• Recruit eligible families for enrollment in Children’s Home & Aid’s Early Head Start programs, including engaging in regular community engagement events to increase program visibility and participant access.
• Complete and retain eligibility documentation and coordinate the placement of eligible children into appropriate program(s).
• Track program attendance, and support families in overcoming barriers to participation.
• Work closely with other Early Head Start program staff to link families with appropriate referrals and community supports.

Who you are:

• 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.
• You are comfortable with attending community engagements and on-site meetings, and have a valid driver's license, insurance, and a reliable vehicle.
• Ability to communicate in both English and Spanish required.
• You are an enthusiastic and persuasive communicator, effectively building relationships in one-on-one settings as well as engaging larger audiences.
• You enjoy working autonomously but also value working with a team to reach shared goals.
• You are a natural collaborator, skilled at bringing partners and stakeholders together across departments and functions.
• You value data and rely on it to drive meaningful change and improved outcomes.

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

The details:

• Location: Classroom setting (229 Lake Marian Rd.)
• Schedule: Full-time, hourly; general business hours with some flexibility required for special projects and evening/weekend recruitment events.
• Staff are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to submit proof of their vaccination status before their start date unless they have an agency approved medical or religious exemption.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Salary: Range starts at $19.00/hr for qualified bilingual candidates.
• Noncash benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, paid time off plus 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match (more benefits details here)
• Winter Break: The agency is closed between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. This paid break allows staff to spend time with their families around the holidays without using their accrued time off balances.
• Student Loan Forgiveness: Children's Home & Aid is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

Where you work matters.

You’re considering a new position, so no one knows better than you that where you work matters. We believe that by building diverse teams of passionate advocates for youth and families, we can continue to show up for Illinois families, putting those families at the center of every decision, and strengthening the communities where we all work, play, and live together. (More about who we are here.)

We invite you to become an active member of a team that supports, inspires, and challenges each other, and grow your career in an organization that celebrates emerging leaders and provides development and training opportunities aligned with your individual goals and aspirations. If you are looking for an opportunity to do meaningful work, including raising your voice to disrupt the status quo, we encourage you to apply today.

Review our agency’s blueprint for impact:

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)