Watson's Children Shelter Family Support Specialist Missoula, MT · Full time

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Watson Children’s Shelter is a nonprofit organization in Missoula, Montana, providing safety, support, and stability for children and youth experiencing abuse, neglect, family crisis, homelessness, and other traumatic circumstances. Since 1977, Watson has served children and families across Western Montana through emergency shelter care, crisis intervention, case management, family support services, and mental health programming. Our team is committed to creating a safe, nurturing, and trauma-informed environment where children can begin to heal, build resilience, and regain a sense of security. We work closely with families, child welfare agencies, schools, healthcare providers, and community partners to support positive outcomes for every child we serve. At Watson, relationships are at the heart of our work. We believe every child deserves safety, compassion, and the opportunity to thrive. Our staff bring dedication, empathy, and a shared commitment to making a lasting difference in the lives of vulnerable children and families throughout our community.

Family Support and Resource Specialist

Organization: Watson Children’s Shelter

Location: Missoula, Montana

Reports to: Healthy Foundations Program Director

Classification: Full-time, Non-Exempt

 

Position Summary

The Family Support Specialist and Resource Specialist (FSS/FRS) is responsible for initiating and maintaining regular and long-term (up to three or five years) contact and support with families. This activity will occur primarily within the family’s home; each visit should last for at least one hour. Virtual visits may take place as needed. The interventions should be family-centered, strength-based, and directed at establishing a trusting relationship; strengthening the parent-child relationship; promoting healthy childhood growth and development; and enhancing family well-being by reducing risk and building protective factors. The FSS partners with families and honors diverse family structures and parenting practices. Activities may also include but are not limited to: administering the validated Family Resilience and Opportunities for Growth (FROG) Scale at the beginning of services, administering screening tools such as the ASQ, ASQ-SE, Depression Screens, etc.; identifying and referring families for other supportive services, including health care services. The FSS will also be responsible for assisting the family in establishing and supporting goals and is responsible for implementing activities outlined on the Family Service Plan to address risk and protective factors. The FSS/FRS must have good communication and writing skills and knowledgeable of community resources to offer referrals to the appropriate community-based agencies, depending on the family’s needs.

 

Key Responsibilities

• Through your home visiting with each family, focus on the three Home Visiting goals during each visit:
• Goal 1: Cultivate and strengthen nurturing parent-child relationships.
• Goal 2: Promote healthy childhood growth and development.
• Goal 3: Enhance family functioning by reducing risk and building protective factors.
• During each home visit, engage with the family by maintaining a strength-based and family-centered perspective. Use reflective strategies to build rapport and build on the strengths that each family possess.
• Complete required documentation (home visit records, service plans, progress reports, case notes, Release of Information, family data).
• Create a Family Goal Plan with each family and always maintain an active family goal. The goal should be led by the family and include their own goals.
• Talk with each family about possible community-based resources that may be a good fit for the family and make referrals.
• Receive weekly reflective supervision from Program Director.
• Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal (Healthy Foundations and Shelter Teams and leadership) and external customers (community partners, families).
• Seeks out relevant training, and is willing to participate in suggested training
• Maintains a professional work environment through attendance, attire, performance of assigned duties, and respectful and open communication
• Strictly protects the confidentiality of information concerning families and children according to WCS agency policy and all applicable state and federal confidentiality laws
• Attends networking or key social events as a representative of the organization as needed or assigned
• Position may require in-state travel as necessary or as deemed appropriate by the Program Director, or Executive Director
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Director, or Executive Director

Qualifications

·        Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent

·        Experience in working with or providing services to children and families

·        An ability to establish trusting relationships

·        Acceptance of individual differences

·        Experience and humility to work with culturally diverse families

·        Knowledge of infant and child development

·        Willing to engage in building reflective capacity (e.g. capacity for introspection, communicating awareness of self in relation to others, recognizing value of supervision, etc.)

·        Infant mental health endorsement preferred

 

Compensation & Benefits

Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications. Watson Children’s Shelter offers a comprehensive benefits package and the opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven organization serving children and families in Western Montana.