Family Advocate (Early Childhood) (Head Start)
Guadalupe Centers Inc., Kansas City, MO, United States
Summary
The Family Advocate serves as a liaison between the classroom and home environments to support family engagement, child development, and overall family well‑being. Maintains a caseload of 40‑45 families and provides direct services through recruitment, enrollment, family partnership development, and advocacy to support positive outcomes for children and families.
Essential duties and responsibilities
Family Engagement, Advocacy & Case Management
Establish relationships with program families.
Support families by identifying their needs, strengths and goals.
Monitor progress toward families goals jointly.
Greet families at drop‑off and pick‑up times to establish solid relationships.
Develop Family Partnership Goals with families within 90 days of enrollment.
Conduct Family Needs Assessments biannually and connect families to appropriate community resources and support services.
Collaborate with Guadalupe Centers, Inc. programs and external community agencies to support family economic self‑sufficiency, education and health.
Maintain consistent, ongoing communication with families.
Conduct a minimum of two home visits per case load annually.
Promote and facilitate monthly family engagement opportunities, including one father‑specific activity, based upon the interests and needs of fathers.
Maintain professional, supportive relationships with families and staff at all times.
Plan and implement recruitment, orientation, and enrollment activities for eligible children and families.
Collaborate with teaching staff to share relevant family information and support alignment between home and classroom environments.
Support families in understanding program expectations, including the Dual Language Curriculum and other program components.
Participate in referral processes and support families through Special Education services as needed.
Engage in recruitment efforts to increase interest in the program and maintain full enrollment.
Documentation, Compliance & Professional Responsibilities
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of family interactions, services, and follow‑up needs, including attendance, health, dental, nutrition, hearing, vision, and family goals.
Complete a Family Cultural Profile, gathering information about the family’s unique culture, ethnicity and linguistic background. This will identify any specific family need to share with the teacher and other staff.
Complete a Family Needs Assessment biannually to identify community resources that support parent‑specific needs and interests.
Spend no less than 75% of the time (30 hours per week) in activities directly related to working with, or in support of families.
Ensure compliance with confidentiality requirements and all applicable program standards.
Attend and complete required professional development, training, meetings, and workshops.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Qualification Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or certification in Social Work required.
Minimum of one (1) to three (3) years of experience in early childhood, family services, social services, or a related field required.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) verbal and written communication skills required.
Strong communication, interpersonal, and active listening skills, with the ability to build relationships with diverse populations in a respectful and professional manner.
Demonstrated organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple responsibilities, prioritize tasks, and maintain accurate documentation.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when working with sensitive information.
Strong cultural awareness, empathy, and ability to work effectively in a non‑judgmental, inclusive environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace applications.
Knowledge of community resources and family support systems preferred.
Ability to successfully pass a background check, drug screening, TB test, and required state and federal fingerprint clearances.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, talk, or hear. The employee is also frequently required to walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 45 pounds. The employee must occasionally push items of 45 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception. The employee is directly responsible for safety, well‑being, and work output.
Equal Opportunity Employer
GCI is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, creed, ancestry, age, sex, gender, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, genetic information, veteran status, service member status or any other category protected by federal, state or local law. Preventing discrimination is the responsibility of every employee in the way employees treat and interact with one another. Therefore, GCI expects all work relations to be business‑like and professional, free of bias, prejudice, harassment and/or discrimination.
GCI's policy of Equal Opportunity extends to all conditions of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placement, training, compensation, discipline, transfers, separation, layoff, recall, leave of absence and promotion. GCI will not tolerate any discrimination in the workplace, and it is expected that any employee who believes they have been subjected to any practice that appears to be inconsistent with this policy will contact Human Resources. Improper interference with the ability of GCI's employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.
GCI encourages reporting of incidents or concerns regarding discrimination to the Director of Human Resources, so that prompt and constructive action can be taken. There will be no retaliation or adverse action against an employee for raising an issue or complaint pursuant to this policy. The report will be investigated to determine what, if any, responsive action is necessary and appropriate. Any employee found responsible for an inappropriate or discriminatory act will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including separation.
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The Family Advocate serves as a liaison between the classroom and home environments to support family engagement, child development, and overall family well‑being. Maintains a caseload of 40‑45 families and provides direct services through recruitment, enrollment, family partnership development, and advocacy to support positive outcomes for children and families.
Essential duties and responsibilities
Family Engagement, Advocacy & Case Management
Establish relationships with program families.
Support families by identifying their needs, strengths and goals.
Monitor progress toward families goals jointly.
Greet families at drop‑off and pick‑up times to establish solid relationships.
Develop Family Partnership Goals with families within 90 days of enrollment.
Conduct Family Needs Assessments biannually and connect families to appropriate community resources and support services.
Collaborate with Guadalupe Centers, Inc. programs and external community agencies to support family economic self‑sufficiency, education and health.
Maintain consistent, ongoing communication with families.
Conduct a minimum of two home visits per case load annually.
Promote and facilitate monthly family engagement opportunities, including one father‑specific activity, based upon the interests and needs of fathers.
Maintain professional, supportive relationships with families and staff at all times.
Plan and implement recruitment, orientation, and enrollment activities for eligible children and families.
Collaborate with teaching staff to share relevant family information and support alignment between home and classroom environments.
Support families in understanding program expectations, including the Dual Language Curriculum and other program components.
Participate in referral processes and support families through Special Education services as needed.
Engage in recruitment efforts to increase interest in the program and maintain full enrollment.
Documentation, Compliance & Professional Responsibilities
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of family interactions, services, and follow‑up needs, including attendance, health, dental, nutrition, hearing, vision, and family goals.
Complete a Family Cultural Profile, gathering information about the family’s unique culture, ethnicity and linguistic background. This will identify any specific family need to share with the teacher and other staff.
Complete a Family Needs Assessment biannually to identify community resources that support parent‑specific needs and interests.
Spend no less than 75% of the time (30 hours per week) in activities directly related to working with, or in support of families.
Ensure compliance with confidentiality requirements and all applicable program standards.
Attend and complete required professional development, training, meetings, and workshops.
Perform other related duties as assigned.
Qualification Requirements
To perform this job successfully, an individual must perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree or certification in Social Work required.
Minimum of one (1) to three (3) years of experience in early childhood, family services, social services, or a related field required.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) verbal and written communication skills required.
Strong communication, interpersonal, and active listening skills, with the ability to build relationships with diverse populations in a respectful and professional manner.
Demonstrated organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple responsibilities, prioritize tasks, and maintain accurate documentation.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when working with sensitive information.
Strong cultural awareness, empathy, and ability to work effectively in a non‑judgmental, inclusive environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace applications.
Knowledge of community resources and family support systems preferred.
Ability to successfully pass a background check, drug screening, TB test, and required state and federal fingerprint clearances.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, talk, or hear. The employee is also frequently required to walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 45 pounds. The employee must occasionally push items of 45 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and depth perception. The employee is directly responsible for safety, well‑being, and work output.
Equal Opportunity Employer
GCI is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, creed, ancestry, age, sex, gender, national origin, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, genetic information, veteran status, service member status or any other category protected by federal, state or local law. Preventing discrimination is the responsibility of every employee in the way employees treat and interact with one another. Therefore, GCI expects all work relations to be business‑like and professional, free of bias, prejudice, harassment and/or discrimination.
GCI's policy of Equal Opportunity extends to all conditions of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, placement, training, compensation, discipline, transfers, separation, layoff, recall, leave of absence and promotion. GCI will not tolerate any discrimination in the workplace, and it is expected that any employee who believes they have been subjected to any practice that appears to be inconsistent with this policy will contact Human Resources. Improper interference with the ability of GCI's employees to perform their expected job duties is not tolerated.
GCI encourages reporting of incidents or concerns regarding discrimination to the Director of Human Resources, so that prompt and constructive action can be taken. There will be no retaliation or adverse action against an employee for raising an issue or complaint pursuant to this policy. The report will be investigated to determine what, if any, responsive action is necessary and appropriate. Any employee found responsible for an inappropriate or discriminatory act will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including separation.
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