Position Overview
Leads agency efforts, particularly at the site level, in Family and Community Engagement Program Services in accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards. A significant part of this work is empowering staff, families and community partners in building positive goal-orientated relationships that support families in a partnership geared towards kindergarten readiness and other family/child outcomes outlined in the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities may include but not limited to the following:
- Integrates the Head Start for Kent County vision, mission, and core values into their work.
- Vision: To strive to provide comprehensive services through highly trained staff, current technology, innovative programming, and diverse community partnerships that will create a strong foundation for each child's future success.
- Mission: To deliver comprehensive services to low income children five and under and their families promoting their well-being and development.
- Core Values: Professionalism, Respectfulness, Integrity, Competence, Commitment, and Humanitarianism.
- Utilizes and is familiar with the PFCE Framework regarding Positive & Goal Oriented Relationships and Equity, Inclusiveness, Cultural and Linguistic Responsiveness.
- Promotes and supports partnership and positive goal oriented relationships with families, as well as overall family engagement.
- Coaches staff in PFCE efforts, especially implementing the Relationship-Based Competencies.
- Supports families and staff in helping identify family goals, strengths, necessary services and other needed resources.
- Leads the Tiered Team Approach through conducting Tiered Team meetings and working collaboratively with multi-disciplinary tiered team supports (Teachers, Nurses, Special Needs staff, etc.).
- Empowers parents by supporting the enhancement of parenting skills and parent/child relationships (i.e facilitating/promoting Strengthening Families, Parent Cafes, and engagement events).
- Helps lead planning efforts and attends family engagement events to actively support and encourage parent participation.
- Helps coordinate efforts with Adopt-A-Family program.
- Monitors children's attendance on a regular basis and follows up accordingly.
- Utilizes and is familiar with ChildPlus including pulling reports, entering information, uploading attachments, etc.
- Leads and supports emergency and routine follow-ups, including but not limited to physical, dental, immunizations, vision and hearing, etc.
- Supports ERSEA team in recruit efforts to ensure full enrollment of assigned sites by implementing procedures in accordance with Performance Standards.
- Assists with recruitment responsibilities in collaboration with the ERSEA team.
- May be required to work 1-2 evenings per month.
- Provide interpretation/translation services when needed if applicable.
- Assist teachers with other tasks assigned. (e.g. home visits, classroom support, etc.)
- Maintain and update their sites Parent Board in accordance with Performance Standards.
- Develop and maintain professional relationships with community resources throughout Kent County.
Supervisory Responsibilities
No supervisory responsibilities
Required Educational and Experience
- Associate Degree in Social Work or Associate Degree with a minimum of five (5) courses of 3-4 credits each in related field required. Bachelor or Advanced Degree in Social work or related degree preferred.
*Related fields include the following: Social Work, Human Services, Social Services, Family Services, Family Studies, Behavioral Science, Sociology, Anthropology, Human Development, Psychology, and Education including Special Education, Early Childhood or Child Development (subject to change per Federal and State requirements).
- Bilingual preferred.
- Past experience in Social Services field is preferred.
Competencies
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
- Teamwork
- Stress Management
- Customer Oriented
- Empathy
- Advocacy
Physical Requirement
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. This is largely a sedentary role; however, some filing is required; it would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.
Work Environment
This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the agency. Employees in this position must be able to perform the essential job functions of this position, with or without reasonable accommodation. If you require a reasonable accommodation to perform these job functions, please contact the Benefits Specialist.