SCF-EHS Program Description:

Our Early Head Start offers comprehensive child development and family support services to low-income and underserved populations including infants and toddlers (ages 2 months to 3 years) and their families. In center-based as well as home-based settings we promote infant and toddler health & development, foster positive family relationships and supports parents as the primary decision makers and nurturers of their children. Tools and learning strategies are employed to enable the children to enter school ready to succeed.

Family Advocate (Bilingual - English/Spanish)

The family advocate is responsible for implementing the core family partnership, parent involvement, and community partnership functions for the center-based option of an Early Head Start program. The family advocate recruits and enrolls children for the program and then uses a family development model to support and assist a caseload of up to 40 families as they identify and meet goals they establish in Family Partnership Agreements. This position also assists with the completion of the child health requirements and other required screenings and assessments. This position supports the larger system of social services coordinated by Early Head Start, thereby supporting the goals of the program. The position may involve reassignment of caseload and/or center location as deemed necessary for program operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES (including but not limited to):
The family advocate’s responsibilities chiefly fall within the following core functions, although s/he may perform other tasks as needed or assigned:

A. Recruitment, Selection, and Enrollment (15%)
B. Family Partnerships (50%)
C. Community Partnerships (15%)
D. Service Coordination and Record Keeping (20%)

• - RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, AND ENROLLMENT (10%): - Ensure the eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance to meet the needs of families in response to community assessment.
  • Recruit those most in need of Early Head Start services, including previously under-served populations from a defined recruitment area.
  • Determine the eligibility of children, ensuring that no more than 10% come from families whose income exceeds the federal poverty guideline.
  • Ensure that at least 10% of children served have an identified disability.
  • Select children and families based on enrollment criteria and maintain a waiting list of eligible children to enroll in the event of attrition.
  • Assign infants and toddlers to program options (center-based or home-based) that best meet the needs of their families.
  • Meet the service requirements for each option.
  • Maintain the funded enrollment level, fill vacancies as they occur, and analyze enrollment data to inform the planning process.
  • Analyze the causes of absenteeism when average daily attendance falls below 85%.
  • Assist with the completion of the child health screening, other required screens and assessments and understand referral requirements.
  • Plan and facilitate parent orientations to the program.

• - FAMILY PARTNERSHIP BUILDING: (50%) - Engage in a process of collaborative partnership building with up to 40 families of children receiving center-based Early Head Start services.
  • Ensure meetings and one-on-one interactions are respectful of each family's diversity and cultural background.
  • Ensure opportunities exist for parents to develop relationships with program staff and to participate in individualized Family Partnership Agreement process.
  • Work with families throughout the year to identify family goals, strengths, and necessary services and supports, and to describe progress in achieving family goals.
  • Work with parents to identify and access services and resources responsive to their interests and goals and follow up with them to ensure the referral met their expectations and circumstances.
  • Provide parent involvement opportunities.
  • Ensure parents are involved in the development of the program services for children, including home visits; parent conferences; the delivery of health care services to children; the development of the curriculum; planning, implementing, and evaluating services for children with disabilities.
  • Ensure parents have opportunities to enhance their skills and knowledge in the following areas:
  • Knowledge of child growth and development, the program’s curriculum, the child assessment process, and parenting skills;
  • Prevention of child abuse and neglect;
  • Family literacy;
  • Medical, dental, nutrition, and mental health (encouraging parents to become partners in their children’s health care process and learn the principle of preventative health and safety);
  • Community advocacy (encouraging parents to influence the character and goals of community services); and
  • Transition activities (assisting parents in becoming their children’s advocate as the child moves to Head Start or another child care setting).
  • Conduct home visits to facilitate family plans, assists families in achieving identified goals and follow-up on referrals.
  • Provide a family needs assessment that includes consultation with parents about the benefits of parent involvement and about the activities in which parents may choose to participate.
  • Coordinate or refer families to opportunities for continuing education, employment training and other employment services through formal or informal networking in the community.
  • Inform custodial parents in single-parent families that participate in programs, activities or services about the availability of child support services for purposes of establishing paternity and acquiring child support and refer eligible parents to child support offices of State and local governments.
  • Arrange for education and other appropriate intervention including opportunities for families to participate in counseling or to receive information on mental health, substance abuse, child abuse and neglect and domestic violence, including crisis intervention, if needed.
  
  

• - COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: (15%) - Take an active role in community planning and advocacy to improve the delivery of services to children and families.
  • Implements community partnerships, supported by the interagency agreements, as appropriate (e.g., with the LEA or Part C agency, child protective services, or local transportation system).
  • Establish collaboration within the grantee agency and across agencies.
  • Promote the access of children, and families, as appropriate, to community services that are responsive to their needs (e.g., child care).
  • Coordinate services for children with disabilities and their families with community agencies.
  • Encourage volunteers to participate in the Early Head Start program.
  • Support the transitions of families in, through, and out of Early Head Start.
  • Act as a family development specialist and work cooperatively with local agencies to assist families to link-up with services in the local community.
  • Develop a working knowledge of community resources; conduct annual visits with major agencies for service delivery updates and Community Resource Guide updates.
  • Participate in tri-annual community assessment and annual updates.
  
  

• SERVICE COORDINATION AND RECORD KEEPING: (20%)
• Maintain on-going weekly contact with teaching staff in order to integrate family partnership goals with classroom efforts, ensure integrated child and family curriculum and gain information regarding child performance in the classroom.
• Provide support consultation to teachers regarding planning, implementing and evaluating Family and Community Partnership goals and objectives and any other particular concerns with families at weekly staff meetings.
• Maintain regular contact with infants and toddlers in the classroom settings.
• Coordinate with center staff to promote parent involvement in the program as a classroom visitor, volunteer, employee, and participate in family events.
• Document efforts to assist families in identifying their strengths, needs and sufficiency goals through completion of Family Needs Assessment, Family Partnership Agreement, and case notes.
• Perform data entry functions as necessary to keep files up-to-date.
• Track family partnership efforts and outcomes.
• Documents efforts to support parents in establishing strong community ties, such as finding a “medical home.”
• Record, monitor and follow up on referrals for support services for reporting requirements.
• Submit reports as needed and requested, such as monthly summary tracking reports, etc.
• Understand, generate and document in-kind and other allowable costs applied toward the non-federal share requirement.
• Plan and attend parent committee meetings and family activities.
• Work with Health and Education/Disabilities Coordinators to assist families in making the transition out of the Early Head Start Program.
• Participates in required professional development activities to enhance skills.
• Assist with developmental screenings of all Early Head Start children, if needed.
• Work flexible hours to meet the needs of the families.
• Provide crisis intervention for families as needed.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS::

• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds including infant and/or toddlers weighing 6 to 50 pounds multiple times throughout the day
• Must have dexterity of hands and fingers to operate computer keyboard and other stand office equipment
• Hearing and speaking to exchange information
• Must be able to able to walk, stand, sit, kneel, reach, stoop, and crouch to interact successfully with infants and/or toddlers
• Must be able to work for long periods of time while maintaining concentrated attention to detail.
• Must be able to sit a table or desk for long periods of time with occasional standing, walking, squatting or reaching.
• Must be able to see to read a variety of materials, printed or virtual
• Must be able to hear and speak to exchange information in face to face conversation; virtual meeting space or via telephone
• Must be able to drive a vehicle to conduct work off-site as needed
• Must be able to travel by car, bus, airplane or train from site to site as needed
• Tolerate some exposure to communicable diseases when working at a child care center
• Tolerate moderate to loud noise level
• Some travel by car, bus, airplane or train may be required as associated with attendance at conferences, meeting and other duties carried out at distant locations in and out of state and in some cases overnight travel may be required

QUALIFICATIONS::

• Education & Work Experience
• Must have a minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent
• Must have (or be willing to acquire) a minimum of a Family Resources Certification
• Skills & Abilities
• Bilingual (English-Spanish) speaking and writing skills require to support our diverse client population.
• Must have a valid Driver’s License and maintain throughout the duration of employment
• Must have 2 years or more of a clean DMV record.
• Must be at least 21 years old (per insurer’s guidelines).
• Must be approved by SCF insurer to be added to corporate auto insurance policy
• Must have the ability to maintain written documents and records
• Ability to read, analyze, understand, and interpret policies and other necessary materials in required
• Must be able to communicate clearly and using correct grammar both verbally and in writing using English
• Must be organized, display strong time management abilities and demonstrate an attention to detail to effectively meet client and program needs
• Must have the ability to gather and interpret moderately complex information
• Must have the ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide
• Ability to exhibit patience and tact when communicating with children, families, staff, and supervisor is a requirement
• Ability to project professionalism in appearance, interactions and conduct throughout daily activities is a must
• Must understand and use the basic functions of Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, & Excel), internet applications and other software to effectively access resources and complete required tasks.
• Listen intently and ask questions to ensure full understanding
• Must be available to work a flexible schedule in order to fulfill job functions and program responsibilities
• Must interact sensitively, effectively and professionally with persons from diverse cultural, economic, racial, ethnic and professional backgrounds, and persons of all ages and lifestyle preferences especially parents of children in SCF’s programs.
• Must maintain a positive, open an objective attitude towards others
• Must acquire CPR/First Aid Training for Infant/Child/Adult within ninety (90) days of hire date and maintain through duration of employment
• Must obtain a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Work Card (Sheriff’s Card) for Child Care prior to hire date and maintain through duration of employment
• Must submit negative TB results (One-Step Skin Test or Chest X-Ray ) prior to hire date and every two years for the duration of employment
• Must have a physical performed and document submitted prior to hire date and submit every five years for the duration of employment
• Must have obtained the COVID-19 vaccine and be fully vaccinated prior to starting employment with Sunrise Children’s Foundation.
• Preferred
• Bachelor Degree (or Higher) in Social Work, Family Services, Counseling, or other closely related field is preferred
• Prefer 1-2 years case management experience
• Prefer to be at least 25 years old in order to drive with clients w/infants or toddlers