Home Visitor

Home Visitor

GENERAL SUMMARY: 

Under direction of the Director of Project Hope and in accordance with the Daughters of Charity Ministries of Chicago Mission Statement &Core Values, provides  pregnant and parenting teens home-based services to encourage positive attachment and bonding between parent and child, reduction in subsequent rates of births, healthy growth and development of children and enhanced self sufficiency.   

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide case management to an ongoing caseload of 25 teens at any one time. Develop an individualized participant plan looking at goals quarterly.
• Schedule and provide home visits to pregnant and parenting teens, based on the intensity of the need. Combine home visits with Doula in 7th month and postnatal. Continue home visits until the teen reaches 20 or the family leaves the program. Provide extended family visits as needed.
• Utilize the community based Fana and Parents as teachers curriculum in home visits.
• Utilize the Parents as Teachers curriculum
• role models bonding and attachment right from the start
• encourage young parents to bond with their baby
• guide activities in the home and curriculum 
• educate the parents about appropriate developmental stages of children
• work with young parents to encourage them to set goals for themselves and their child
• Maintain documentation of PAT in client folders.
• Participate in weekly client staffing, monthly clinical consultation and group client meetings.
• Participate in presentations in the community.
• Make referrals to appropriate community resource for any needs the children or teens may need. Refer teen parents to return to school or other appropriate education/training programs.
• Participate in weekly staff meetings.
• Responsible for daily required documentation in Ounce Net.
• Attend on going Home Visiting trainings at the Ounce as part of annual professional development plan. And Participate yearly certification workshops for PAT.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Director of Project Hope.

 DEMONSTRATES THE FOLLOWING TEAM BEHAVIORS:

• versatility – understanding and appreciating different and opposing perspectives on an issue; adapting one’s approach as the requirements of the situation change; an eagerness for positive action; self-control; active listening.
• a collaborative work model – cooperatively working and sharing responsibility; contributing to the group effort; realizing a sense of commitment and ownership in the success of the organization’s goals.
• mutual accountability – holds others accountable with their roles; provides and receives feedback and takes constructive action
• client/customer advocate – identifies opportunities to improve quality of services; presents ones' self professionally
• protects confidentiality & privacy –respects and protects information about all staff and client
• Act with integrity and aspire to model the DCMC Core Values in the delivery of all services.

REPORTS TO:   Director of Project Hope

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• BA/BS in Early Childhood Education or a related field such as Social Work or Psychology, OR 
• Associates Degree with at least 3 years of experience. 
• Good communication skills, ability to work as part of a team. 
• Relates well to teens, comfortable doing home visits, respectful of family norms and values, ability to attend trainings and translate it into hands on knowledge, comfortable in dealing with families, professionals and the community. 
• Ability to nurture young parenting and pregnant teens, comfortable in being a friend, mentor,  role model mother and teacher to young parents emotional relationship skills. 
• Computer skills to maintain required documentation. 
• Ability to represent Marillac & Project Hope to external agencies.