TITLE: HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START FAMILY SERVICES ADVOCATE REPORTS TO: Family Service/Disability Manager
PROGRAM SUPERVISOR: Head Start Director
QUALIFICATIONS:- High school diploma
- Credential or certification in Social Work, Human Services, Family Services, Counseling or a related field
- 12.0 on TABE or standardized achievement test administered by a certified/ agency/ institution
- Possess clerical and records management skills to be demonstrated on a proficiency assessment test;
- Possess a working knowledge of web-based applications and database administration;
- Possess a working knowledge of word processing software (i.e., MSWord, Excel) as demonstrated in a proficiency assessment test;
- Previous experience working with children and families;
- Must be able to communicate with small children and have the patience to work with them;
- Must exhibit pleasing personality to form a good working relationship with co-workers and parents;
- Must be able to compile and write neat and accurate reports;
- Must have reliable transportation to fulfill job responsibilities of home visits
JOB GOAL: The family advocate creates, provides, and coordinates services and activities with families and communities that foster strength, healthy living, and overall well-being. They also provide support in a case management style and act as a liaison between families, staff, the community, and other family-related services. The family advocate encourages all family members to become advocates for their children and family.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: - The greatest number of eligible children participates in the Head Start program as current funded slots allow.
- Identify and recruit Head Start-eligible families and children, including children with disabilities and underserved populations.
- Select participants for the Head Start program based on the established plans and procedures.
- Maintain funded enrollment level in accordance with enrollment requirements.
- Use technology resources to collect and record family information during the application process
- Follow-up and communicate status information to parents on applications and follow-up on incomplete applications
- Provide appropriate follow-up when absences are frequent.
- A trusting, collaborative, partnership building process is implemented with each family.
- Respect the diverse values and cultures of the families served.
- Recognize and identify each family’s risk and protective factors.
- Establish professional roles and boundaries in working with families.
- Recognize and promote family’s readiness and willingness to participate in the program.
- The lives of parents/guardians are enhanced through active participation in the program with staff support.
- Orient families to the program according to the established orientation plan.
- Make home visits and contact the family as needed or required by agency plans and procedures.
- Initiate a Family Partnership Agreement with families to identify their goals and assess their needs.
- Use the family partnership pre-assessment throughout the year as a guide to help families reassess their needs.
- Provide support to families of children with disabilities.
- Facilitate parent/guardian involvement in the program.
- Community resources are maximized through collaborations
- Facilitate the delivery of services to children and families through collaboration with community partners.
- Actively participate in community resource planning and related work to establish and foster strong partnerships.
- Maintain a record keeping system that accurately tracks follow-ups and assures the completeness of services as required by the Performance Standards.
- Documentation and record keeping are completed timely and accurately and maintained as required by all applicable regulations
- Actively participate in and contributes to child staffing on a regular basis
- Exhibit flexibility in day-to-day operations and in providing needed services to families
- Activity participate in two-way communication among co-workers to ensure all staff is enformed of pertinent information as it pertains to the center and classroom activities
- Participates in activities designed to ensure program quality
- Demonstrate knowledge of standards and regulations for the health content area, and family partnerships in the completion of job responsibilities.
- Assist in gathering data for the program community assessment.
- Provide adequate, timely and accurate reports.
- Make necessary referrals to health care and community providers to assist families in accessing services and monitor follow-up.
- Ride bus at the beginning of the year.
- Conduct home visits to reach assigned families for family and health services and maintain documentation on visits.
- Locate and identify local providers of medical and dental services that can be used under the medical card services program.
- Conduct screenings for heights, weights, vision, hearing and all other health assessments.
- Follow-up to assure completion of all health screening within required timeline and on all canceled appointments.
- Assist in arranging transportation for children and parents to agencies and individuals providing services or health care and accompany children to and from the dentist and doctor.
- Assist in outlining exclusion policy and interpret and apply policy accurately.
- Monitor health practices in the classroom and follow-up on students with health problems that are referred by teachers and parents.
- Become informed about local and current health issues and keep staff and parents informed.
- Complete in a timely manner required reports for the referral of children to identify disabilities.
- Knowledge of First Aid and procedures and maintain an accurate inventory of medical supplies.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: 202 days
EVALUATION: Criteria established by School Board Policy
ADOPTED: September 2020
ST. MARTIN PARISH SCHOOLS, LOUISIANA I have read the responsibilities above, I agree that these statements accurately reflect my job duties.
