Position is 232 days and 14 paid Holidays; a typical work week Monday - Friday. Position is exempt. Some evening and occasional Saturday work is required.
POSITION SUMMARY :
Supports ELE in achieving the organizational mission, as well as grant and School Readiness goals / plan through the implementation of organizational policies and procedures, and in accordance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework (PFCE), the National Fatherhood and Male Initiative and the 2007 Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act.
Serves as a Family and Community Services content area expert and is a resource in the Family & Community Services area. Collaborates with the Family & Community services team to achieve the family and parent outcomes outlined in the PFCE Framework. Acts as ELE's community liaison to other service agencies and forms partnerships and collaborations with said community agencies as well as adult education resources. Responsible for coordinating the delivery of comprehensive family & community services and training for family service staff, center staff, parents and volunteers. Has specialized knowledge in working with adults and adult education. Coordinates agency wide parent trainings and support as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards, the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework and the 2007 Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act.
Functionally supervises assigned Family Advocates and monitors services provided. Supports parent engagement activities, including the Parent Committee and Policy Council, male involvement, and transition services.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :
1. Serves as a Family and Community Services content area expert and is a resource in the Family & Community Services area.
- Coordinates with the Family & Community Services Director, the ERSEA Coordinator, and the Parent Engagement and Transitions Coordinator in implementing the goals and objectives of the service area.
- Develops the family and community social services plan and service delivery for children and parents in keeping with the Head Start Performance Standards.
- Provides training and supervision to the Family Advocates regarding social service and parent engagement regulations.
- Demonstrates understanding of the child abuse / neglect laws. Reports suspected child abuse to the Family & Community Services Director.
2. Responsible for coordinating the delivery of comprehensive family & community services and training for family service staff, center staff, parents, and volunteers in accordance with the Head Start Performance Standards and that support the agency's school readiness plan.
Directs the process of forming Family Partnership Agreements with each family and oversees the identification and follow-up of the social service needs of the families in Head Start and participates in data collection and measuring family outcomes through the Family Outcomes Measurement Tool (FOMT).Prepares Orientation and Home visit subjects to be presented and materials needed and trains Family Advocates on the processes so that they are able to perform their responsibility in this area.Assures that Family Advocates are educating families on available resources to meet their human service and health needs and are assisting them in the use of community resources.Ensures that each family's strengths and needs are assessed using the Family Outcomes Measurement Tool.Monitors that each family is offered the opportunity to engage in the goals setting process through the Family Partnership Agreement and are supported in the achievement of their goals.Assures Family Advocates offer all families home visits and follow through with the delivery of needed services or other assistance ensuring that all efforts to assist the family are documented in Child Plus.3. Acts as the community liaison for the agency and actively seeks to learn about all community resources that are available and engages with community agencies to create partnerships to better serve the needs of ELE families.
Participates and represents the agency in community boards, councils, advisory groups, etc.Recruits community members to serve as Policy Council community representatives as needed when directed by the Executive Director.Responsible for maintaining the community resource list up to date in Child Plus.Oversees referral and advocacy system for counseling, substance abuse, maternal and child health care, adult education, literacy, employment, childcare, housing, and other services.Manages system for prioritized crisis intervention (e.g. shelter, food, clothing, transportation, family violence, custody cases).Formalizes Memorandum of Understandings to partner with agencies that can offer specific benefits to the families we serve.Searches for and coordinates with agencies and programs that can provide resources and services to ELE families to present at the Family Services community partner trainings once a month4. Has specialized knowledge in working with adults, and adult education to guide in coordinating agency wide staff and parent trainings and support as outlined in the Head Start Program Performance Standards, the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework and the 2007 Improving Head Start for School Readiness Act.
Trains Family Services staff on the policies and procedures for the Family partnership agreement including Orientation meetings, home visits, goal setting, and referrals and referral follow up.Coordinates the delivery of the Conscious Discipline Parenting Curriculum classes and trains Family Advocates on facilitating the course instruction. Consults with the DMH team about best ways to link the Conscious Discipline curriculum used in the classroom into parent training.Supports strategies developed by the Parent Engagement and Transitions Coordinator to facilitate Parent, Family, Community Engagement (PFCE) activities with the goal that they be carried out throughout the entire organization.Assists in training staff during pre- and in-service training.5. Assists the service area Director and the ERSEA Coordinator with the recruitment and enrollment process to assure the timely enrollment of eligible children.
Coordinates with the management team in implementing the recruitment and enrollment process.Reviews applications for completion and certifies that only children meeting eligibility criteria and income guidelines are enrolled.6. Promotes parent & male engagement according to the Performance Standards and the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework :
Assures that for assigned sites, Family Advocates operate the Parent Committees within the allotted budgets and that expenses are reasonable, allowable and allocable.
Strategizes innovative ways in which parents are encouraged to volunteer in the program and participate in Head Start activities.Assures Family Advocates are having parent committee planning meetings and properly document parent volunteer in-kind hours on a monthly basis and are providing support for documenting other types of parent volunteer time such as at home or the classroom.Supports the Parent Engagement Coordinator's efforts to implement the National Fatherhood and Male Involvement Initiative and transition activities to facilitate parent engagement in transitions and assures assigned Family Advocates do the same.For assigned sites, coordinates with the Family Advocates in providing assistance and support to the Parent Committees.Oversees and monitors Parent Committee meetings and activities on a monthly basis.Ensures that Family Advocates maintains complete written reports of Committee activities.Ensures that Family Advocates attempt to replace PC representatives and alternates when a vacancy occurs and that they are providing support to parents to meet their responsibilities as PC members.7. Supervises assigned Family Advocates and monitors that assignments are completed according to our policies and procedures. Coaches and provides training to staff during one-on-one supervisions or at regularly scheduled team meetings.
Ensures all ERSEA, parent engagement, family, and transition services Performance Standards are being met and reports all service area activities, accomplishments, problems, etc. on a regular basis to the Family and Community Services Director.Provides training to the Family Advocates on a variety of subjects during pre- and in-service training including the ERSEA performance standards.Coordinates with the Family & Community Services Director and other Coordinators in providing technical assistance and an organized training program for parents and staff.Ensures that all Family Services Policies and Procedures are being implemented.For assigned sites, monitors the formation of the Family Partnership Agreements with each family.Assures that Family Advocates obtain and record a complete assessment of strengths and needs of each Head Start family and monitors the identification and follow-up of the social service needs of the families.Supports and coaches Family Advocates with their efforts to provide professional case management. Assures that staff offer home visits to all families and follow through with the delivery of needed services while ensuring that all efforts to assist the family are documented in Child Plus.Monitors Orientation meetings, home visits numbers, and goals set through the Family Partnership Agreement process on a frequent basis.Ensures that Parent committee Officers, Policy Council representatives and alternates are replaced when a vacancy occurs and that they receive training to meet their responsibilities as officers.Monitors the Family Advocates' efforts in planning and preparation of Parent Committee meetings on a monthly basis and ensures that Family Advocates maintain complete written reports of Committee activities.Oversees and approves the purchase of Parent Committee supplies and food to ensure that expenses are staying within the allotted budget and that they are reasonable, allowable and allocable.For assigned sites, oversees the completion of monthly attendance follow up by Family AdvocatesAssures FAs are properly documenting parent volunteer in-kind hours on a monthly basis and are providing support for documenting other types of parent volunteer time such as at home or the classroom.Assures that staff are implementing DLL services to children and families and helps verify that all policies and procedures are culturally effective and responsive.8. Collaborates with other service areas to ensure seamless services to children and families and ensures we are staying true to our mission and vision and meeting our grant and school readiness goals.
Ensures family and child identifiable information is treated according to our policies and procedures to protect the confidentiality of such records.Participates in data collection and measuring family outcomes through the Family Outcomes Measurement Tool, and annual self-assessment.Assures that Family Advocates function as integral and supportive team members of the center Head Start staff and work closely with teaching staff to accomplish all tasks.Supports the achievement of in-kind goals by actively participating in the solicitation ofin-kind services and donations to the Head Start program including, but not limited to, encouraging community members and organizational contacts to volunteer, provide donations of professional services, supplies, and anything else needed to support the Head Start program.
Collaborate with Teachers in forwarding each child's records to the parent or elementary school when the child leaves the Head Start program to assist with transitions.Participate in data collection activities to facilitate PIR reporting and measuring family outcomes.Supports Family Advocates in their collaborative efforts with Health Specialists to help families establish and maintain medical and dental homes and remind families to obtain all required medical assessment, treatment, immunizations and follow-up.Attends and participates in staff and parent training sessions, as directed, i.e. pre-service, orientations, in-service training meetings and other agency activities as required.Expected to provide temporary assistance in the classrooms to meet minimum child to staff ratios, or to ensure the safety of children, in the absence of sufficient Education and Child Development Service Area staff. Staff from any service area working or present at a center when the need arises will be called upon first, with Administrative Office staff being utilized if insufficient staff is present on site.Expected to assist the agency in maintaining safe and healthy environments for children and staff by immediately reporting health and safety risks / concerns or potential concerns to a leadership staff member and / or via our internal work order system and follow up with appropriate staff in a timely or appropriate manner.Must be able to travel to and from classrooms in private vehicle; should follow HR Policy 26 regarding agency owned vehicles and the priority of usage for checking out vehicles when determining the need for conducting on-site visits; must provide a copy of state-required proof of insurance every six months.Other job-related duties as assigned may be necessary to carry out the responsibilities ofthis position.
QUALIFICATIONS :
Must have a BA degree in Social Services, Psychology, Family Studies, Human Services or related field. SSW or CSW is desirable.Must have a minimum of two years' experience providing social services for low-income clientele or a combination of education and experience.Three years relevant supervisory experience or an equivalent combination of experience and education with demonstrated ability to organize, direct and coordinate operations in personnel supervision, communications, and budget management.Ability to speak Spanish is preferred.KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES :
Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.Ability to manage and prioritize multiple tasks and meet strict deadlines.Ability to develop solutions to problems with limited supervision.Ability to use a computer to collect, record and retrieve data and prepare reports.Plan, organize, coordinate, and administer activities.Ability to plan, formulate and execute record keeping procedures in accordance with assigned duties.Knowledge of community resources and how to access services for children and families.Well versed in family dynamics.Ability to work independently and as part of a team to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, subordinates, parents, Policy Council members, community groups, and other related agencies and people.EARLY LEARNING ESSENTIALS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REVISE THIS JOB DESCRIPTION AT OUR DISCRETION WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE AT ANYTIME.
