Family Advocate

Benefit Information:

• Automatic pay increase after 1-year and 5-year anniversaries. Automatic pay increase every 5 years after that.
• Annual Cost of Living pay increase as authorized by the Office of Head Start.
• Generous paid leave time including vacation, sick, and personal time.
• Paid Holidays (11 per calendar year).
• Non-profit loan forgiveness (for eligible applicants).
• High quality and affordable healthcare plan including Health, Dental, and Vision insurance, a company paid life insurance benefit, and additional voluntary life, short-term disability, critical illness, and accident plans.
• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Account available.
• 401k retirement plan with employer contribution (employee contribution optional through payroll deduction).
• Career and skill development through extensive professional development opportunities.

Job Summary:

This position is responsible for making home visits and assisting children and families by providing resources and making referrals. Assists or locates assistance in crisis; keeps and maintains confidentiality of records on individual cases; serves as a liaison between family/client and community services; helps implements eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment and attendance. Responsible for the accuracy and maintenance of child files, enrollment applications, etc. This position also assists with the completion of the child health requirements and other required screenings and assessments.

Essential Functions:

• Coordinates with center staff to integrate family partnership goals with classroom efforts and to ensure integrated child and family curriculum.
• Participates in team functions of planning, implementing and evaluating Family and Community Partnership goals and objectives.
• Participates in in-service, workshops, conferences as needed or assigned.
• Recruit, enroll, and obtain appropriate records of children and families to ensure full enrollment and a full wait list for HS and EHS programs. Inputs enrolment data and other required information into Child Plus software accurately and in a timely manner.
• Maintains accurate and substantial case notes for each family on caseload and inputs them into the Child Plus software in a timely manner.
• Conducts home visits to facilitate family plans, assists families in achieving identified goals and follow-up on referrals.
• Acts as a case manager and works cooperatively with local agencies to assist families to linkup with services in the local community.
• Assists with the completion of the child health screening, other required screenings and assessments and is familiar with referral requirements.
• Conducts and documents follow-up on all referrals.
• While respecting family confidentiality, regularly shares information with teachers to ensure coordinated services that meet the needs of individual children and families.
• Coordinates with center staff to promote parent involvement in the program as a classroom visitor, volunteer, employee, and/or participant in family events.
• Develops a working knowledge of community resources. At least annually, visits with major agencies for service delivery updates and Community Resource Guide updates. Promotes effective community support for families by coordination and advocacy for services with community agencies.

Qualifications:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Must maintain a neat and professional appearance at all times.
• Must maintain strict confidentiality and discretion.
• Must be able to relate to individuals of all ethnic and social-economic backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and within a group when necessary.
• Must maintain professional interaction with customers, vendors and all levels of the organization.
• Continuously seeking methods of improvement for efficient operations.
• Must participate in training opportunities as necessary or assigned.
• Attends all workshops and meetings (i.e. staff, parent) as assigned.
• Responsible for personally maintaining current certifications and/or licensures.
• Must be able to pass BCI/FBI background check in accordance with ODJFS Licensing regulations.
• Must be able to pass a medical exam in accordance with ODJFS licensing Regulations.
• Must be able to provide documentation of being free from communicable tuberculosis in accordance with Head Start Standards.
• Must be able to meet qualifications as required for Step Up To Quality (SUTQ).

Required Education:

Minimum of an Associate’s degree in Social Work, Human Services or related field required, Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer

www.altaheadstart.org

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Work Location: In person