Family Advocate, Head Start

Family Advocate

Establishes and maintains a positive interactive relationship that provides support and understanding to and between families and classroom teams. Encourages and strengthens Parent, Family and Community Engagement for enrolled families. Supports and promotes School Readiness for children, families and communities.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Maintain working knowledge of SMOC Childcare and Head Start philosophy and all regulations and Head Start Performance Standards.
• Maintains working knowledge of program philosophy and federal performance standards.
• Maintains a scheduled office day every week with the sharing of the Office Expectations. No appointments can be made on office days without prior approval from the supervisor.
• Assists in making copies of all program packets, including but not limited to Applications, ASQ-SE, First FPA visit packets, Classroom Orientation Packets, and Classroom Initial Home Visit packets.
• Completes applications for families as assigned within the three-week deadline. Completes the application checklist and all supporting documentation, birth certificates, income, etc. Gives fully completed applications to the ERSEA Manager on time.
• Communicates with the ERSEA Manager on the status of applications.
• Contacts families within 24 hours of receiving an Application Request from the ERSEA Manager. After three days of no contact will send the Application Request with notes back to the ERSEA Manager.
• Attends and participates in all required training, staff meetings, and committee meetings.
• Maintains a weekly schedule and turns in the schedule every Friday by 5 PM for the following week to the Supervisor. Changes in the schedule need to be approved by the Supervisor 24 hours before.
• Communicate needs and/or concerns regarding children, families, and/or staff with supervisor and Center Directors.
• Communicates program and family information effectively, both verbally and in written documentation.
• Provides accurate and timely reports, record-keeping, and other required paperwork.
• Maintains accurate record for each child and family within assigned classrooms.
• Maintains professional work habits, including attendance and punctuality.
• Participates in the implementation of the recruitment plan, including applications and recertification paperwork.
• Participates in assigned classroom orientation.
• Assists Classroom Teachers in Home Visits, Conferences, and ESI's for translating when necessary.
• Shares Intake Phone Line coverage with other Advocates on a rotating basis.
• Initiates matters that benefit agency operations (additional projects, committees).
• Meets regularly with the classroom team to address child and family issues.
• Attends all Center Staff meetings and assumes an active role in the classroom's Center Staff Meetings, including documentation and family goals.
• Coordinates, facilitates, and participates in all Parent Center Meetings and actively recruits parents to attend. Completes agenda, Parent Volunteer sheet, and collects handouts and places in Parent Center Meeting Book. Signs and Scans all Parent Volunteer sheets to the ERSEA Manager and Compliance Manager after each meeting.
• Recruit parent volunteers as classroom representatives on the Policy Council.
• Attends and translates for Policy Council, shared with other advocates on a rotating schedule.
• Visits and participates each assigned classroom for a minimum of one hour on a weekly basis to share information with education staff. Sign in and document the classroom visit on the Visitor Sign In and Out sheet.
• Cover in classrooms for feedback meetings and when necessary to keep the classroom open to children and families.
• Maintains consistent contact with families to create positive, supportive relationships between family and program.
• Offers crisis intervention, including referrals, to all assigned families as needed.
• Visits each assigned caseload family a minimum of three (3) times during the school year to complete and update individualized Family Partnership Agreements (FPA) and create goals with the families. Families and Advocates will sign confirmation of visit for all FPA's that will include date, time, location, and whom was…