Head Start Family Advocate at WECC​/Preschool

Family Advocate

The Family Advocate is responsible for supporting and empowering families through individualized family partnerships, referrals, parent engagement, and advocacy. This position serves as a liaison between families, classrooms, and community agencies, promoting family well-being, children's school readiness, and equitable access to resources. The Family Advocate maintains a family caseload and provides direct support to ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and WECC program goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Family Partnership & Case Management
• Develop Family Partnership Agreements (FPAs) within 45 days of enrollment and update them regularly to reflect the family's progress and evolving needs.
• Conduct a minimum of three purposeful home visits per family per year.
• Provide families with referrals to community services and ensure appropriate follow-up to confirm successful connections; document outcomes and ongoing needs.
• Support families in developing relevant, measurable, and meaningful goals that promote stability, growth, and school readiness.
• Conduct accurate, strengths-based assessments of children and families to inform service planning.
• Assist families with transitions into and out of the program, including registration, scheduling visits, and coordinating services as needed.
• Act as a liaison between home and school; collaborate with teaching staff to address attendance and support family engagement.
• Participate in Child and Family Reviews (CFR), IEP/PPT meetings, and case discussions as needed.
• Identify and report child safety or well-being concerns in accordance with mandated reporting procedures.
• Parent Engagement & Advocacy
• Coordinate monthly parent workshops and activities focused on topics such as literacy, nutrition, financial literacy, and parenting skills.
• Administer, collect, and analyze parent interest surveys to inform planning of events, activities, parent educational opportunities, and family supports.
• Promote parent leadership and engagement through participation in committees, events, and volunteer opportunities.
• Encourage and support families in advocating for themselves and their children, respecting each family's culture, values, language, and structure.
• Recruitment & Enrollment Support
• Facilitate and support ongoing program recruitment through community outreach, networking, and relationship-building with local organizations.
• Organize and participate in recruitment events such as community fairs, open houses, and targeted outreach activities.
• Assist families with the application and enrollment process, including gathering documentation.
• Collaborate with the program team to meet enrollment goals, manage waitlists effectively, and ensure timely follow-up with interested families.
• Community Collaboration
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with community service providers.
• Represent WECC at community events and advisory boards.
• Advocate for family needs and promote program visibility in the broader community.
• Data Management & Documentation
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date electronic and physical records in compliance with Head Start and program standards.
• Enter and track required information in Child Plus and review caseload reports to identify areas for follow-up.
• Collect and report data for program monitoring (e.g, PIR), and submit documentation to the Family Services Manager as scheduled.

This description outlines the general nature and key responsibilities of the position. It is not an exhaustive list. At any time, the Director may assign other duties and responsibilities to align with evolving program needs.

Qualifications:

• Experience in early childhood or community-based programs, including staff supervision, family engagement, and service coordination.
• Bachelor's Degree in family studies, social work, human services, or a related field preferred.
• Experience working with families of young children, particularly in diverse and under-resourced communities.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and data systems (e.g., Child Plus) required or willingness to learn.
• Ability to travel locally for home visits, meetings, and training.
• Knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards and family services regulations.
• Preferred: multilingual, Spanish.

Physical & Health Requirements:

• Ability to lift to 30 lbs.
• Ability to walk, squat, kneel, and sit on the floor as needed.
• Ability to move objects between locations and adjust from lower to higher, or higher to lower positions.
• Ability to sit for extended periods while working at a computer.
• Statement of good health with a negative tuberculosis (T.B.) test upon hire and updated every two years.

Position Details:

• Reports to:
  
  Family Services Manager and WECC Director.
• Work Schedule & Flexibility:
  Hourly 205 Days/year- calendar of work days approved by WECC Director.
• Typical work day (7:45 am - 3:15 pm) As needed and under the direction of the Director, this position may require…