GUIDE-BY-YOUR-SIDE PROGRAM

JOB DESCRIPTION: REGIONAL PARENT GUIDE
The Parent Guide will work with parents of newly diagnosed children with hearing loss. When a child is identified with a hearing loss, a Parent Guide in that region will be contacted by the WESPDHH Outreach Program Birth to Six Coordinator. The Parent Guide will provide up to 3 home visits. The goals of these home visits will be to:

• provide parents with the opportunity to establish a supportive relationship with another parent of a child who is deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind;
• provide parents with unbiased information regarding communication options for their child;
• provide parents with an understanding of the unique needs of infants who are deaf/hard of hearing;
• link parents to resources available locally, regionally and statewide;
• link families to their county Birth to Three Program and/or the local school district;

PAY
Parent Guides will be paid $13.00 per hour, for up to 6 hours per family. Mileage will be reimbursed.

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS

• Newly hired Parent Guides must be the parent of a child who is deaf, hard of hearing or deafblind.
• Parent Guides must be able to describe options for families in an unbiased manner.
• Parent Guides must be able to support families regardless of the educational and/or communication mode they select.
• Parent Guide must have knowledge of local and regional resources.
• Parent Guides must have an understanding of the unique needs of infants who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Parent Guides must have an understanding of the Birth to 3 and early childhood system for Wisconsin and work collaboratively with the Birth to 3 service coordinators and school personnel.
• Parent Guides must be willing to continue training through attendance at case conferences and ongoing training.
• Parent Guides will be able to demonstrate comfort in supporting parents through the emotions associated with learning of their child's diagnosis.

EXPECTATIONS

• Once contacted by the Outreach Birth to Six Services Coordinator, the Parent Guide will meet with a new family within 2 weeks.
• Parent Guides will provide their own transportation and must be willing to travel up to one hour, each way. Mileage will be reimbursed.
• Parent Guides will complete all necessary paperwork, including home visit logs and documentation of their work.
• Parent Guides will have access to the internet and/or a fax machine.
• Parent Guides will attend the mandatory Parent Guide Training on February 13th and 14th, 2004.
• Parent Guides will attend 3 out of 4 case conference meetings per year in their region, through distance learning technology.
• Connect the family with the Birth to 3 service coordinator or public school by the third home visit.