CHILD WELFARE & Attendance LIAISON DEFINITION: Receives general supervision from the C.W.A Administrator or site Administrator to service in a liaison capacity between the school, the home and the community in order to improve school attendance and keep students in school; take part in reducing problems which interfere with a student's school adjustment and progress; and perform related duties as assigned. ESSENTIAL DUTIES: Work with school site staff (including teachers), attendance personnel, counselors and specialists to provide activities which are designed to attract students to and keep students in school. Monitor students' day to day activities as they relate to attendance. Receive and/or collect referrals from assigned schools regarding truancy and behavior problems. Work as a member of the Student Study Team and/or mini SARB. Visit homes to verify/clarify reasons for a student's absence from school. Contact parents and community agency personnel to obtain background information to help understand problems. Gather, collect, and distribute information to staff, parents, and students related to school and community agencies and programs which provide assistance needed by families and students. Assist in providing aid to needy families. Advise students and parents regarding compulsory education laws and subsequent consequences of habitual truancy. Prepare and present cases of habitual truancy to the Student Attendance Review Board. Provide activities designed to improve student/teacher, student/student, student/parent communications. Identify motivational programs to be used in schools, including career opportunity programs. Process applications for hearings with the District Attorney's Office for parents who are negligent in obeying laws regarding school attendance of their children. Help identify alternate educational programs for students who are experiencing attendance problems. Pick up truants when observed from streets, parks, and other places and return them to school. Work with individual students and small groups of students in areas related to attendance problems. Arrange conferences with parents and school administrators and participate in a liaison capacity which includes the transportation of involved parties when necessary. Prepare and issue work permits and assist students in securing career counseling and job placement. Maintain records, histories, logs and files as required. Check and verify legal residences of incoming students. Investigate reasons for request of intra or inter-district agreements; make recommendations for approval or denial of such requests. Work closely with administrators and school staff in planning and implementing the School Based Motivation and Maintenance Program. Maintain regular and prompt attendance in the work place. KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES: KNOWLEDGE OF: •Social welfare and child development •Law and policies regulating school attendance •Techniques and methods of interacting with individuals and groups •Public and private community service agencies •District policies, rules and regulations •Problems in the community affecting a child's performance and/or attendance in school •Special needs and characteristics of high risk students •Methods and procedures used in standard record keeping •Effective communication skills, both oral and written •Local alternative education programs that are available to respond to the differential needs and unique learning styles of pupils •Assessment procedures •Local school programs, options, and opportunities that are available to assist pupils in locating, securing and retaining employment •Techniques that enhance interpersonal communication, self understanding, self disclosure, and depth level sharing •Methods to create circumstances necessary so that change is permitted and encouraged in individuals, programs, and institutions •Oral and written communication skills ABILITY TO: •Establish and maintain cooperative relationships with parents, students, school staff and community organizations •Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action •Read and write English at the level required for successful performance of the job •Prepare and maintain accurate and up to date records, files, histories and other documentation of all services rendered •Understand and follow oral and written instructions •Perform physical job tasks related to positions •Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work •Carry out oral and written directions; write and speak at a level sufficient to fulfill the duties to be performed for the position described EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Any combination of education, training and/or experience equivalent to two years of college with course work in social services or a related field plus at least four years of work experience in the areas of social services or education. LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE Possession of a valid California driver's license is required. ENVIRONMENT: Indoor and outdoor work environment. PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Employee in this position must have/be able to: •Enter data into a computer terminal/typewriter and operate standard office equipment •Sit for extended periods of time •See and read a computer screen and printed matter with or without vision aids •Hear and understand speech at normal levels and on the telephone, with or without hearing aids •Lift and/or carry up to 25 lbs at waist height for short distances •Bend at the waist •Reach overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally, grasp, push/pull. •Walk over uneven ground •Run for short distances HAZARDS: Contact with irate parents/guardians. Contact with non-restrained animals.