JOB SUMMARY: $1000 Sign On Bonus Available !!!!!

The family advocate creates, provides, and coordinates services and activities with families and communities that foster strength, healthy living, and overall well-being. Staff are responsible for service planning, delivery and system coordination to Early Head Start children and families ranging from birth to 36 months, adhering to federal Head Start Performance Standards, state licensing regulations, local agencies policies and core values.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Establishes an outreach and recruitment process, ensuring enrollment of eligible children using ERSEA (Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment & Attendance) standards and complying with mandated funded enrollment levels.
• Coordinates registration and orientation processes.
• Assesses family strengths, preferences and needs to develop coordinating action plans as a part of the Family Partnership Agreement, tracking and documenting all updates.
• Provides linkages to community resources, including medical, dental, social, educational, occupational and employment, maintaining a comprehensive list of servicing agencies and assisting with crisis intervention as needed.
• Provides families with developmentally appropriate activities and information to address child's needs, guidance on home safety, nutrition, effective discipline and constructive play activities.
• Collaborates with families to schedule and maintain required screenings, exams and immunizations in accordance to timelines.
• Organizes and attends monthly center meeting, Policy Council/Parent Committee meeting, and other family engaging activities.
• Works with classroom staff to promote family outcomes and school readiness, providing classroom coverage when needed.
• Monitors attendance of enrolled children and conduct follow-up regarding absenteeism.
• Coordinates social, educational, community and volunteer activities with parents and children.
• Conducts home visits and follow-up with families, communicating updates with Head Start team.
• Provides transitional services to families exiting the program.
• Maintains client record management ensuring child/family files have required and updated documentation.

• Completes daily anecdotal notes and observations, inputting information into MyHeadStart and Teaching Strategies GOLD database systems.
• Compiles weekly and monthly statistical and narrative reports regarding enrollment, dismissals, home visits and service delivery.
• Participates in ongoing training and development, case review, staff and individual supervision meetings.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Associate's degree in Human Services, Human Development, Social Work or Child, Early Childhood & Family Studies required
• Minimum of one year of experience in home visiting, counseling, working with families with young children and/or advocacy required

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• CPR/First Aid/Universal Precaution
• Parents As Teachers (PAT) Certification
• Must possess a current valid and unrestricted driver's license and be fully insured according to Maryland law.
• Must be fully vaccinated for COVID 19

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Pre-employment Early Head Start CJIS criminal background investigation clearance required
• Pre-employment physical and tuberculosis screen clearance per Early Head Start guidelines required

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to communicate effectively, oral and written
• Ability to maintain confidential requirements
• Knowledge of counseling procedures and practices
• Excellent organizational skills to meet demanding timelines
• Effective problem solving and decision making skills
• Ability to use problem solving skills
• Proficiency with standard computer applications
• Compassion and respect for diverse populations and persons with special needs

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Light

Lifting up to 20 pounds maximum with frequent lifting and/or carrying objects weighing up to 10 pounds. May be required to regularly stand for extended periods of time, walk, reach with hands/arms with full range of motion, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, push or pull. Regularly required to talk and hear. Frequently required to use hands and fingers to hold, handle and feel objects, knobs, keys and/or buttons.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

Travel is defined as travel to all areas within Goodwill's territory (Cecil, Harford, Baltimore, Howard, and Anne Arundel Counties, Baltimore City and the entire Eastern Shore of Maryland). In some cases, long-distance travel, including overnights may be required but is typically planned in advance. In some cases, travel may be unplanned. Home visits will be conducted weekly and on as needed bases. Personal vehicles are used and mileage reimbursement is available.

Up to 75% of working time

Must have access to own transportation

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Limited

General office environment where the employee is infrequently exposed to moving mechanical parts, wet and/or humid conditions, fumes, airborne particles or outside weather conditions. The noise level is usually quite.