Job Announcement : Family Services Specialist I

Are you interested in working in an environment that can make a positive impact in your community by building relationships with families? This might be the position you’ve been waiting for.

WHO WE ARE:
Solano Family & Children’s Services creates connections for families and child care providers to support the healthy development of children for a thriving community. We hire individuals who have a strong work ethic and are looking for a career that supports our mission and impact in Solano County.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:
The Family Services Specialist will determine initial and continuing parent eligibility for subsidized child care services. This person will maintain a client caseload at full capacity of a specific program or at 80 percent capacity when managing multiple programs. This person will also be responsible for providing supportive services to families in Solano County who are participating on the child care subsidy program.

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The ideal candidate has strong communication, organization, customer service, and critical thinking skills. This person must have knowledge and the ability to use computers for client data, word processing and a calendar of events. This person must be able to work as part of a team and be available to travel throughout California to attend conferences, workshops, trainings, and community meetings.
• Two years’ experience in a position involving community or social service
work
• One year interviewing and caseload management experience
• Experience determining eligibility for a public assistance program preferred
• Or equivalent combination of education/experience

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW:
A drug screening and background check is required after an offer of the position. A full job description is available on our website at www.solanofamily.org or you can request one via email at JYarrow@solanofamily.org. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

Gratitude

Easy strategies that help children focus on reasons to be grateful can really help them get through challenging times.

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

Happy Thanksgiving

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

Job Announcement : Facilities Assistant

Are you an independent individual who can carry out day-to-day general office maintenance? Would you enjoy assisting the Facilities Coordinator in maintaining the facility, office equipment, ordering supplies and equipment, as well as assisting staff with safety needs? This may be the position you have been waiting for.

WHO WE ARE:
Solano Family & Children’s Services creates connections for families and child care providers to support the healthy development of children for a thriving community. We hire individuals who have a strong work ethic and are looking for a career that supports our mission and impact in Solano County.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:
The Facilities Assistant will assist the Facilities Coordinator with the maintenance of the facility and trouble shoot general office equipment.

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The ideal candidate should be proficient in a variety of disciplines including mechanical knowledge, office equipment uses and troubleshooting, safety knowledge, and the ability to work on numerous projects simultaneously.

• Ability to multitask and to complete assigned projects timely & efficiently.
• Assist with assembling and moving office furniture.
• Assist with ordering, tracking and inventory of fixed assets, equipment, and
supplies.
• Must have strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Familiarity with and ability to use computers.
• Exhibit polite and professional communication via phone, e-mail, and mail.
• Ability to prioritize assigned tasks, manage time, meet deadlines, work well under
pressure, and work well with other agencies and community partners.
• Ability to lift 50 pounds, climb ladders, bend, and kneel while performing job
duties.
• Must be proactive, self-motivated, and have the ability to follow directions.

WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW:
Drug screen and background check required after offer of position. Full job description is available on our website at www.solanofamily.org or request via email at JYarrow@solanofamily.org. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) Informational Video 2023

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

Jesse Expresses Grief Through Play | Grief

Children often express their big feelings as they play. When Elmo’s cousin, Jesse, has some big feelings during play, Jesse’s Mommy and Elmo’s Daddy notice and help her feel more calm and confident. 

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

Meal Pattern Minute: Minimum Serving of Dried Fruits

In the Child and Adult Care Food Program, did you know that a provider may serve fresh, canned, frozen,
juiced, and dried fruit which can then be credited towards the fruit component of the meal pattern? Did you know that dried fruits have a different crediting by volume than other fruits in the Child and Adult Care Food Program meal pattern? Can you serve 1/16th cup, also measured as 1 tablespoon, and credit it towards the meal pattern? Because dry fruit doubles, it would actually be 1/8th cup, right?

· Whole dried fruit and whole dried fruit pieces credit at twice the volume served in School Meal Programs
and CACFP.
· Example: 1/8 cup of dried cranberries credits as 1/4 cup fruit. 1/8 cup of any fruit is the minimum serving
size that may be creditable. For example, although dried fruit credits as twice the volume served, 1/16
cup (1 Tbsp) of dried fruit cannot be offered to count as 1/8 cup, because 1/16 cup is less than the
minimum serving size that may be creditable.
· Dried fruits are one of five ways that fruit can be served in the CACFP. They can also be fresh, frozen,
canned or in the form of full-strength fruit juice. Fruit juice may only be served once per day.
Commercial fried fruit chips and home-canned fruit products are not allowed in the CACFP, but homefrozen fruit products are creditable.
· Most people think of raisins, apricots, prunes or cranberries when it comes to dried fruits, but dried
coconut also falls under the category of dried fruits and credits as twice the volume served.
· Fruit leather does not credit as dried fruit and is not allowable in the CACFP.

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

Preventing Peanut Allergies

Did you know that peanuts are one of the nine major food allergens listed by the US Food and Drug

Administration? The good news is most babies are not at risk of developing a peanut allergy. Those that are at high risk of developing an allergy can reduce the risk by up to 86 percent by being introduced to peanut containing foods early.

All babies can benefit from eating peanut foods during their first year, however the prevention window for
introduction is small. That’s why it’s important to know which path is right for your child or those in your care.

If you’re a CACFP provider serving infants, it's important that you know when and how to introduce this major food allergen to those in your care. The National Peanut Board has a great nutrition education resource on preventing peanut allergies that
outlines:

· The recommended timeline for peanut introduction: High risk Infants - Introduce peanut containing
foods at age 4 to 6 months. Babies with severe eczema, egg allergy or both are at highest risk for
developing peanut allergy. Discuss with your infant's healthcare provider before starting peanut foods
(ideally before baby is 4 months old). Begin peanut foods as directed by baby's healthcare provider
starting around 4-6 months of age and feed 2 teaspoons, 3 times per week.
· Two ways to introduce peanut foods: Most Babies - Introduce peanut containing foods within the first
year. Start feeding the baby peanut-containing foods in the first year and feed often as part of the usual
diet. It is not necessary to discuss introducing peanut foods with a healthcare provider first for babies not
at high risk. Most children fall into this category.
· Two recipes for introducing peanut butter: Introducing peanut foods to babies is as easy as thinning 2
teaspoons of creamy peanut butter with 2 tablespoons of breastmilk, formula or water, or stirring 2
teaspoons of creamy peanut butter into 2 tablespoons of infant cereal or pureed baby food. Peanut
containing infant snack puffs are another easy option for feeding baby peanut foods easily and often.
Whole nuts or undiluted nut butters are choking hazards and should not be fed to infants.

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

How to overcome your mistakes

Explore what prevents us from learning from our failures, and how to become more resilient through cultivating a growth mindset.

--

People often describe failure as a teachable moment— a necessary stumble on our way to improvement. But learning from our mistakes isn’t always easy, especially when those failures are demoralizing, overwhelming, or just downright confusing. So what  prevents us from turning our mistakes into mastery? Explore the biggest obstacles of learning from failure, and how to cultivate a growth mindset.

Directed by Luiz Stockler.

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website

What is the Child and Adult Care Food Program?

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federally funded program operated through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services Program. The primary purpose of the program is to provide nutritious meals and snacks to children who are in a child care home setting. Solano Family & Children’s Services (SFCS) sponsors the Food Program in Solano and Napa counties.

LOCATION

421 Executive Court North

Fairfield, CA 94534-4019

(707) 863-3950

Website