Family Advocate

POSITION SUMMARY: Providing quality, comprehensive child/family support services to Head Start preschool children and their families. They partner with families to meet the needs and goals families identify. Family Advocates build on families’ strengths to enhance parents’ role as the primary influence on their child’s education and development. They connect families to the various opportunities for engagement in their child’s learning, in the Head Start program, and throughout the community. Family Advocates recruit and enroll families in the Head Start program; coordinate opportunities for family engagement (including father engagement); provide family support in a case-management style and act as a liaison between families, staff, and the community; create, support, and promote positive family-child relationships with classroom and program staff and community partners; and facilitate the family’s transition from Head Start to Kindergarten. The Family Advocate establishes positive relationships of ongoing trust with Head Start children and families and works closely with teaching staff to coordinate family visits, share pertinent information, collaborate on family needs and concerns, and provide united support to families. This includes any other duties to help drive our vision, fulfill our mission, or support our organizational values.

EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONAL UPON RESULTS OF THE FOLLOWING:

• Successful Drug Screening.

• Successful Physical Capacities Examination and TB screen results.
• Criminal History Background Clearance.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Case Management, Family Engagement, Partnerships, Health, and Parent leadership

1. Set measurable goals with families and support/document progress
2. Meet with families at the center, in families’ homes, or in third party locations
3. Follow-up with families monthly and submit monthly reports to PFCE manager
4. Ensure parents to participate in Parent Committee and Policy Council.
5. Use interpreter services when needed so all families can engage in program service
6. Maintain knowledge of resources in the community, to support families with their individual needs (education, mental health, crisis intervention, economic stability etc.)
7. Keep necessary reports and documentation, including but not limited to, family assessment partnership agreements, surveys and concise notes of communication with families.
8. Plan, collaborate, and facilitate family events, parent trainings, and parent committee meetings
9. Collaborate/assist Health manager maintain health documents and perform screenings
10. Assist ERSEA with enrollment, attendance, and recruitment
11. Build respectful, culturally responsive, and trusting relationships with families.
12. Appropriately implements CACFP procedures and complies with all USDA laws.
13. Report child abuse and neglect issuses to fullfill mandated reporter duties per state of Indian laws.

Professionalism

1. Engage in effective collegial relationships
2. Interact with other staff using the highest standards of professionalism.
3. Supports team by providing coverage for breaks, lunches, and illnesses as needed
4. Follow all agency policies and procedures
5. Organize time to allow for planning, preparation, family visits, parent committee and family events.
6. Responsive to management feedback. Demonstrate a willingness to implement new strategies.
7. Provide customer service in reception, greet, and direct visitors at the site. 
8. Perform other relevant responsibilities as required by the program or assigned by supervisor.
9. Maintains a clean, sanitary, safe and welcoming office space.
10. Model the respectful workplace policy when interacting with Paladin clients, community members, and colleagues.
11. Must be responsible, able to handle confidential material, able to organize effectively and able to work independently.
12. Assure that a positive image of the Paladin is always portrayed.

Training responsibilities

1. Maintain current, valid driver’s license and liability insurance at all times on any personal vehicle used to conduct Paladin business.
2. Obtain and keep current Adult and Pediatric CPR and First Aid certifications.
3. Complete 15 hours annually of professional development training to ensure staff maintain the skills to support and engage families in Head Start program.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL ABILITIES AND PROCESSES:

1. Ability to create a positive working environment for families, children, and colleagues.
2. Ability to sit for long periods of time while typing writing, input data into computer, making telephone calls, and keep his/hers working office clean and orderly. 
3. Physical capability, strength and coordination adequate to work with preschool children including, kneeling, stooping, bending, and sitting on the floor.
4. Required computer literacy: Word processing Internet, spreadsheets, and e-mail.
5. Ability to communicate effectively with the general public, agency clients and families, community partners and staff.
6. Ability to utilize preparation time effectively, refrain from engaging in personal business.
7. Ability to exercise professional conduct in the workplace and conduct oneself with decorum while representing Paladin.
8. Ability to respond appropriately (both mentally and physically) to an emergency or a crisis situation.
9. Uphold all responsibilities for mandated reporting as legally required by the State of Indiana.
10. Assure that a positive image of Paladin is portrayed at all times.
11. Occasional driving for training requirements.
12. Occasional lifting in excess of 50 lbs., occasionally placing children into seats and ability to carry or drag a child in an emergency situation to a safe area.
13. Occasional climbing steps to enter and exit the bus.

QUALIFICATIONS: 

1. Family services staff who work directly with families on the family partnership process must have, within 18 months of hire, at a minimum, a credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, counseling or a related field.
2. Valid Driver’s License and access to a privately-owned vehicle with liability insurance for use in completing work responsibilities as required.
3. Good verbal and written communications skills.
4. Must have Adult and Pediatric CPR and First Aid Certifications within 30 days from the date of hire.

Bilingual in English and Spanish desirable, but not required. The primary language in the workplace is English.