Family Advocate Head Start

Responsible for engaging and involving families of children enrolled in Head Start, Early Head Start, and/or Child Care Partnership through activities, practices, and services that support parents as the primary nurturers, experts and teachers of their child in order to promote and sustain their child’s development and life success.  Ensures compliance with the Family/Community Partnership and Program Governance Performance Standards. To act as an Ambassador to the Agency and to reflect all Agency matters in a positive way.

REPORTS TO:  ERSEA/Family Service Coordinator

FLSA STATUS:  Full Time, Non-Exempt

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

   1. Promoting and Enhancing the Parent-Child Relationship

  • Collaborate with classroom and administrative staff to promote families’ understanding and management of their child’s behaviors, including positive approaches to discipline, as well as management of their own emotional responses.
  • Participate in all child/family staffing’s.
  • Promote Family Literacy.Actively participate in staff meetings, trainings, and other collaborative planning meetings.
  • Assist in follow-up of health screenings, immunization verifications, and outside agency referrals for the purpose of promoting needed treatment and compliance with licensing and program requirements.

2.  Family Partnership Development and Goal Setting

  • Develop and sustain collaborative relationships with an assigned caseload of families and serve as their primary point of contact on behalf of their child’s and their own involvement in ICAA Head Start/Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership.  Utilize all formal and informal opportunities to build and maintain relationships.
  • Lead work with families to identify family strengths, areas of need, and to develop goals through Family Assessments including the Family Development Tool and Family Partnership Agreements and conduct follow-up on family goals and objectives.
  • Support and assist families in crisis.
  • Conduct regular home visits and face-to-face interactions with families.
  • Make referrals and link children and families to needed community services; follow-up on referrals made and outcomes to help ensure family’s needs are met.

3. Parent Involvement & Community Partnerships

  • Coordinate the planning and facilitation of family meetings, family activities, and parent education trainings.
  • Attend parent meetings and functions.
  • Conduct follow-up on absenteeism (including excessive tardiness) in order to identify and address barriers to children’s regular attendance.
  • Develop strategies with families that help them appreciate and contribute to the educational activities of the agency and successfully use their own voices to advocate on behalf of their children and themselves. 
  • Promote parent’s participation in program governance including Policy Council and their local parent committee.
  • Provide opportunities for children and families to participate in fatherhood activities.
  • Collaborate with the Head Start teacher/Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership staff to plan involvement of parents in all of their child’s transitions, i.e., into the program, from EHS to HS, and from HS to Kindergarten.
  • Develop working relationships with the local schools and Birth to Three Programs to help coordinate the successful transition of children and families from Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership to Head Start and then to their school of choice.
  • Participate in the recruitment, enrollment, and orientation of families entering Head Start/Early Head Start/Child Care Partnerships including completing paperwork with families.
  • Provide content for parent newsletter as needed.
  • Cultivate relationships with appropriate and effective referral agencies and individuals to enable referrals for families to receive needed services not provided by the program.

  4. Utilize Information Systems to Support Child / Family and Agency Outcomes.

  • Maintain up to date records in COPA, track monthly statistics and generate reports as needed for enrollment, attendance, meal service, class lists, transportation needs, and parent volunteer hours.
  • Document all significant classroom issues, parent contacts and home visits in COPA.
  • Monitor and report child abuse and neglect.Participate in self-assessment and program monitoring and continuous improvement of Head Start/Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership services and ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards.
  • Maintain appropriate documentation on each child’s progress according to program policies.
  • Keep and submit records and reports as required.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:    

  • None

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:  A.A. Degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology or related field preferred. Minimum of a credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, counseling, or a related field.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: Valid driver’s license. Documentation of degree.

THIS ORGANIZATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REVISE OR CHANGE THE JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE NEED ARISES. THIS JOB DESCRIPTION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A WRITTEN OR IMPLIED CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION.

STARTING WAGE: $15-18/hour, based on experience.

BENEFITS:

  • Dental insurance
  • Employee assistance program
  • Health insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Paid time off
  • Retirement plan

SCHEDULE:

  • Monday to Friday

Positions available serving the following counties:

Spooner/Siren

Rusk/Sawyer

Burnett/Washburn

To be considered for an interview, applicants must submit:

  • ICAA application
  • Resume with cover letter
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • References
  • Proof of degree/licenses (if applicable)

Apply by sending the above documentation to: 

Email: 

recruiter@indianheadcaa.org

Mail:

ICAA, Attn: Recruiter

1000 College Ave. W

Ladysmith, WI 54848

Fax: 715-532-1503

For more information, please call 715-532-4222 and ask for HR.

ICAA is an equal opportunity employer and provider operating under an approved Affirmative Action Plan.  As an equal opportunity employer, we encourage women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply.