Early Head Start Family Advocate - Early Head Start - Juneau - Open Until Filled

Early Head Start Family Advocate

Department: Head Start

Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Pay Grade(s): 8-9 ($27.51+ DOE)

Purpose: The Family Advocate provides family support services to empower families enrolled in the Early Head Start program. Services include transition support for families enrolling and exiting from services, referrals and linkages to other community service agencies, assistance in family goal setting and identification of family strengths, interests and needs. The Family Advocate will conduct family visits, facilitate family nights and parent training and assist the local Parent Committee in fulfilling their responsibilities. The Family Advocate with ensure implementation of the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework (PFCE) and will follow requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards.

Essential Functions. An individual in this role must be able to perform the following functions with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Facilitate the Family Partnership Agreement with individual families. Facilitate family visits, family nights and parent trainings. Provide assistance to the local Parent Committee, as needed.
• Assist the Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (ERSEA) Coordinator with outreach activities to recruitment eligible children and families.
• Develop a component Workplan that specifies goals, objectives and timelines for ensuring the implementation of the PFCE Framework.
• Assist the Head Start Health and Safety Coordinator in following up on any referrals or communication with families around completing the required health and dental screenings and staying up to date on an ongoing continuous source of preventative health care.
• Family Visits and Family Plans
• Establishes partnerships with parents that are respectful, culturally responsive and nonjudgmental.
• Provides a minimum of two family visits, with monthly contacts, for each family throughout the year and provides additional family visits as appropriate.
• Supports families in their leadership and advocacy efforts regarding their child’s education.
• Assists parents in identifying and addressing their family’s goals, strengths, and needs.
• Responsible for entering all family communications in the Child Plus database.
• Must be willing and able to flex schedule for evening and weekend work to accommodate parent schedules for family visits, Parent Committee meetings and Parent Experiences.
• Must be able to provide own personal transportation to meet work schedule requirements including but not limited commuting to and from work, between work locations, attending family visits and delivering supplies as necessary.
• Work to connect families with local resources including making referrals, providing such as bus tokens and may include picking up and dropping off food supplies if no other options are available.
• Meeting with the Early Head Start Manager and the teaching staff to work collaboratively with families and ensure timely communication is shared.
• Assist Teachers in establishing an Parent Information Board in the classroom(s).
• Parent Committee Meetings and Trainings
• Ensure the establishment of a local Parent Committee, election of local Parent Committee officers and a Policy Council representative and alternate.
• Assist and support parents to schedule, attend and participate in monthly Parent Committee meetings and selecting topics, beyond the required topics, for parent experiences.
• Work in collaboration with the Early Head Start Manager to implement the Early Head Start Policies and Procedures.
• Community Partnerships
• Assist in updating the local community resource list for staff and families.
• Develop new and strengthen existing partnerships with local stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain an on-site community resource file.
• Center Support
• Participates in staff meetings.
• Communicates observations, concerns and important information about children and families during EHS team meetings or more urgently if needed.
• Contact families of absent children within the hour of the beginning of class to enquire why the student is absent.
• Conduct a family visit when a child has a series of unexcused absences.
• Participates in Parent/Teacher Conferences twice a year with teaching team if requested.
• Assist teaching teams with coordinating open house events and parent orientation.
• OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
• Develops and maintains constructive and cooperative working relationships with others.