Family Advocate I - (TPT)

Summary of Job Description: The Family Advocate reports directly to the Social Services Director, and is responsible for monitoring the ERSEA (eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance) and the Family, Community, and Parent Engagement Framework as outlined in the Head Start Performance Standards. These activities will include but are not limited to developing plans, recordkeeping, and support to families.

Summary of Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in social work, human development, or related field and at least 2 years’ experience in case management and maintaining accurate and current records. Good math skills, analytical skills, and skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, or other software applications to retrieve data, and create spreadsheets, and reports. Must always maintain confidentiality. Communication Skills: Communicates effectively, appropriately, and professionally in written and verbal form with coworkers, supervisors, customers, and vendors.

Responsibilities and Duties:

Assist with the development and annual revision of the family and community partnerships policies and procedures, including ERSEA.

- Thoroughly review the Head Start Performance Standards to ensure policies and procedures are updated.

- Assist with developing goals, objectives, and strategies to ensure that these standards are implemented.

Manage and monitor ERSEA.

- Assist with developing a yearly recruitment plan for the Tri-County area served by SMTCCAC.

- Assist in training courses and appropriate staff on the intake process.

- Review intake applications for accuracy and completeness.

- Determine eligibility and certify families.

- Input and monitor the data in CAP 60.

- Monitor the enrollment process to ensure 100% of funded enrollment.

-Assist with providing leadership for the family partnership process.

- Assist with developing and training staff on the empowerment approach with families.

- Ensure that families' needs are assessed, and family partnership agreements developed within 45 days of entry.

- Review FPA plans and progress.

- Coordinate services as needed with other agencies/organizations

- Coordinate the development of a Community Resource Booklet for distribution to parents.

Assist with providing leadership for parent involvement.

- Assist with developing a philosophy for and training all staff on involving parents in the program.

- Train staff on organizing parent committees at their center.

- Monitor center parent committee and Policy Council funds.

- Receive and review monthly center parent committee minutes.

Recruit, train, and provide guidance for volunteers from the community.

Assist with monitoring student Attendance – assist with developing a plan to maintain the required Performance Standards (85%).

Coordinate with the Social Services Director to ensure that services are implemented at each center.

- Review policies and processes at staff meetings.

- Participate in the program self-assessment.

- Participate in developing strategic plan goals, objectives, and strategies.

- Submit requested monthly data and reports.

Monitor the effectiveness of parent involvement throughout the program.

- Develop tracking systems for monitoring parent involvement services.

- Review family files for completeness and content.

- Submit monitoring reports to the Social Services Director.

- Evaluate and relate training needs for staff.

- Report deficiencies and concerns to Social Services Director.

- Participate in the monthly administrative staff meetings.

- Assist in the development of the family and community engagement plan.

Assess all families for needs using the assessment tool.

-Assist families in determining goals, objectives, and strategies.

-Conduct a minimum of two (2) home visits during the program year for re-enrolling

families and 3 for new families (the first being within 45 days of entry).

Provide case management services for all families at the center by

-Contacting each family monthly

-Providing all parents with needed community resource information.

-Supporting family referral and goal strategies.

-Provide parent training which includes preventing Child Abuse and Neglect and

other relevant topics.

-Provide transition services for families exiting the program.

-Serving as a parent advocate.

Develop a child and family health plan.

-Obtain required health information on each child:

-Immunization record.

-Health history.

-Physical/dental exams.

-Heights/weights.

-Work with the Health & Safety Coordinator to ensure the completion of vision and hearing screenings within 45 days of entry for each child.

-Review all health information and determine the need for:

-Specific health action plans.

-Follow-up on medical and dental concerns.

-Assist families with needed follow-up.

-Track health information and report as requested.

Organize, maintain, and update child and family information.

-Place the required information in each child and family file.

-Maintain client confidentiality.

-Provide the Family Partnership coordinator with the necessary documentation and information needed to complete the monthly report.

-Other duties as assigned.

Licenses or Certificates:

CPR, and First Aid.

Special Requirements:

State and Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Background Check, National Sex Offender Public Registry Check, Physical, Tuberculin PPD Tine Test at the time of employment, and annually, or by physician requirement, thereafter, and Pre-Employment, Random, Post-Accident Drug and Alcohol testing.

Physical Demands:

Work requires moderate physical effort and the ability to lift preschool children and or up to 50 lbs. Unassisted. Persons who work with children are expected to participate fully in a program for active youngsters. This includes lifting young children, getting up and down from the floor, lively outdoor activities, and moving furniture.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer