Home Visitor - Early Head Start

Description

MISSION:

Gads Hill Center, a social service organization established in 1898, creates opportunities for children and their families to build a better life through education, access to resources and community engagement.

At Gads Hill Center, we envision a community in which all children benefit from healthy, financially stable households that support their early learning and growth. We invest in the potential of children and families through early childhood education, youth programs, and mental health support. Ultimately, Gads Hill Center builds a community where all families can help their children have access to quality education in order to succeed in school and life.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Head Start Home Visitor plans and implements educational activities for families with children ages three to five years old. The home visitor delivers services in the home environment and in a socialization setting, modeling appropriate behaviors and empowering parents as the first teachers of their children. In this role, the home visitor also serves as a bridge to family support services and agency resources.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Develops and implements educational plans and activities to meet each individual family’s needs according to the Creative Curriculum and the Parents as Teachers model.
2. Works with families on a scheduled one-on-one weekly basis in their homes for at least 90 minutes, and during two monthly group socialization activities with all the families assigned.
3. Assists parents in developing parenting skills, helping them become the primary family educators and their children’s first teachers. Reinforces this concept with practical suggestions for its development. 
4. Conducts health checks during each visit, documenting findings and following up as needed.
5. Encourages parent involvement in and supports planning of monthly Parent Committee meetings.
6. Administers and interprets development assessment tools to assigned children within the required time frame, maintaining detailed, written documentation.
7. Documents children’s growth and development using written observations, photography and assessment tools.
8. Utilizes developmental screening tools to determine individual needs of children and assists in individualizing curriculum.
9. Assists parents in identifying and fully utilizing available community resources. Utilizes the assistance of the Family Support Staff, Mental Health Clinicians, and other professionals to refer parents as needed.
10. Assists with the recruitment of children for the program.

In addition to the responsibilities listed above, all Gads Hill Center employees are responsible for the following:

1. Participates in agency outreach and recruitment events, including evenings and weekends.
2. Participates in supervision meetings and workshops within the agency and outside (if applicable).
3. Participates in civic engagement activities that advance the mission of Gads Hill Center.
4. Advances parent leadership development.
5. Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or related field required.
2. Illinois Gateways Family Specialist Credential Level 5 required.
3. Previous early education and/or family support program experience preferred.
4. Bilingual Spanish/English required.
5. Excellent interpersonal communication and organizational skills. 
6. Ability to pass a criminal record and child abuse/neglect registry check. 
7. Valid Driver’s License and access to a dependable insured car required.
8. A passion for the mission of Gads Hill Center.

Qualifications

Salary : $40,000 - $50,000