Many children and parents receive Early Head Start and Head Start services in their own home. Family Enrichment Specialist schedule a weekly visit and work with parents to plan ways to help the child learn using parent-child interactions, daily routines, and household materials. The Family Enrichment Specialists follow a parenting curriculum called Parents As Teachers (PAT) to provide the individualized weekly visits and parent-child activities. They also develop individualized family partnerships that support family’s interests, needs, and goals within the Parent Family and Community Engagement (PFCE) Outcomes Framework. They are accountable for the connections with home-based families and the data collection that informs continuous improvement for the program in the area of PFCE and School Readiness for home-based children. Their work with families helps ensure children are safe, healthy, and engaged in positive relationships.

Build trusting and respectful relationships with families that integrate their values, beliefs, and caregiving practices.

Work with families to complete Family Strength Surveys and develop Family Partnership Agreements to assist families towards meeting their needs, goals, and interests. Work closely with each family to identify their strengths, to educate them about community resources, to provide support and encouragement, and to develop strategies for goal attainment based on each families’ individualized plan. Make appropriate referrals and follow-up in a timely manner on the service delivery.

Work with other departments and agencies to meet the needs of families. Stay informed about community resources available and share that information with families. Advocate for assigned families including making referrals and following up on the results of the referrals to determine if the family’s needs were met.

Assist parents in assuming the role of their child’s first teacher to maximize the potential for optimal growth and development. Assist parents in advocating for their child’s needs with other community agencies/schools/systems and during transition between the infant/toddler, preschool, and public-school programs.

Alert Family Services Manager of extraordinary social services needs of their families.

Have a passion for achieving positive child and family outcomes through high quality family engagement and act in a manner that projects that passion.

Must become/ be knowledgeable of high-risk behavior; domestic violence; depression and mental health disorders; substance abuse; health needs of families and children; and how to appropriately refer/assist /support families in need of assistance in these areas. Assist families in transportation, as needed to obtain services when they have no other options for transportation.

Must plan how to implement weekly home-based learning experiences that ensure effective implementation of the Parents As Teachers curriculum and promote children’s progress across the Head Start Performance Standards described in the Head Start Early Learning Framework: Ages Birth to Five, including for children with disabilities and dual language learners, as appropriate.

Schedule weekly one and one half (1 ½) hour home visits for a total of forty-six (46) weeks per year and attempt weekly “check-ins” with families assigned to their caseload to build strong partnerships with families and to deliver individualized activities for parents and children in accordance with the PAT curriculum and the HSPS. Will utilize items that can be found in the home to deliver these services, educating parents how to teach their children using these items. Shall attempt to re-schedule missed home visits and document such attempts. Additional time for home visits shall be scheduled for families with multiple enrollees.

Develop Parent Visit Plans/Records and review the individually chosen PAT activity sheets with parents, explaining how it relates to their children’s development and milestones.

Maintain file of each child’s educational records.

Develop socialization plans and offer a minimum of twenty-two (22) - twenty-four (24) socializations to families per year.

Maintain knowledge of child development, social-emotional development, and physical health needs for children ages 0-5 including children who have special needs.

Assist the Health Services Manager in scheduling children’s required health and follow-up appointments to ensure that children receive all medical screenings, exams, and follow-up. Educate parents on the importance of well child care, as appropriate. Assist in providing safe transportation to those appointments when other options are not practical or available. Ensure all children who are transported are properly secured in car seat.

Assist family with safe transportation to health and IEP appointments when necessary.

Complete all developmental, hearing, vision, and social-emotional screenings within 45 days of enrollment and maintain additional screenings based on the ages of the child, as they develop.

Complete Health Observations twice a year for children on their caseload.

Request and participate in mini staffing’s as appropriate.

Must be knowledgeable about child development from birth to five in order to work with parents on parenting issues. Shall make referrals as appropriate.

Must become knowledgeable about PAT, Conscious Discipline, and other parenting programs and encourage parents to attend parent meetings or provide information to parents about how Conscious Discipline is used in the classroom and/or can be used at home, based on parents’ interests.

Document the on-going assessment of children in order to provide developmentally appropriate activities. Shall inform coordinators of needs and make referrals as needed.

Schedule weekly visits with prenatal enrollees and whenever possible include fathers as full participants in all activities. Provide prenatal education on fetal development including the risks of smoking and alcohol, importance of nutrition, labor and delivery, postpartum recovery including information on parental depression, infant care, SIDS/Safe Sleep, substance abuse prevention, and the benefits of breast feeding.

Educate parents on the importance of prevention, early intervention, and well child care. Encourage parents to provide documentation of all health-related appointments. Notify the Health Services Manager when an infant is born to a prenatal enrollee. Please emphasis on ensuring that all required immunizations are up to date, required physical exams are completed, and follow-up is obtained. Responsible for communicating health related information to Health/Nutrition Coordinator for tracking and follow-up purposes.

Provide support and assistance to families during the referral for evaluation process, which may include safe transportation to and from IEP and IFSP and transition meetings.

Develop transition plans with families for their children when they are leaving the home-based program to enroll in center or in the public-school system.

Communicate regularly with parents regarding each child’s progress.

Complete re-enrollment packets and collect documentation for returning children on caseload and keep coordinator informed about their intentions for returning to the program.

Recruit siblings from enrolled families and assist coordinator as needed in recruitment of children for the program and the advertisement of services.

Attend annual training and stay apprised of eligibility requirements for program.

Complete absentee reports to notify Enrollment Coordinator and Family Services Manager of potential concerns.

Complete enrollment packets for children and collect initial documentation as assigned by enrollment staff.

Complete changes of status in a timely manner to keep enrollment and health staff informed of each child/family’s status.

Shall encourage family participation and educate them on the benefits of attendance of attendance for socialization and home visits.

Complete data entry in a timely and comprehensive manner in ChildPlus of contacts, absentee reports/follow-up, Family Strength Surveys, Family Partnership Agreements, family strengths, family goals, referrals, family outcomes, family PIR data, and forward ChildPlus monitoring forms to Family Services Manager when a family’s data is initially entered and at the end of the year when final updates are completed. Complete education and screening requirements in ChildPlus.

Complete social services, education, individualization monthly reports, and other reports as assigned.

Complete prenatal flow charts and forward to Health Manager as assigned and at the end of the enrollment of the pregnant woman.

Ensure general maintenance and security of facility by notifying supervisor of issues. Maintain office work space, supply, and kitchen areas by keeping them clean and orderly.

Request supplies as needed to ensure the provision of services.

Participate in program planning and on-going monitoring including Self-Assessment, Strategic planning, etc.

Conduct/enter Parent Gauge Interviews with assigned caseload two times per year to assess how the program is performing in relationship to the Parent, Family, Community Engagement (PFCE) Outcomes and the overall satisfaction of families with the program services to inform continuous program improvement.

Assist with other duties as defined by assigned supervisor when other work is necessary to fulfill the obligations of the Early Childhood Program and /or CAC.

Accountable to the assigned supervisor for completion of assignments and to the high standards of accuracy, attention to detail, and timely completion of work.

Expectations include: a pleasant demeanor, a positive attitude, a willing spirit, and team commitment. Must act and behave in ways between and among co-workers that is conducive to team work, cooperation, and an overall effort to ensure a pleasant and positive work atmosphere. Must maintain a courteous, professional demeanor with children and families, and maintain a positive reflection of CAC and the Early Childhood Program.

Must handle confidential information in accordance with agency policy.

Must adhere to all agency policies and procedures, including safety procedures.

Attend and participate in relevant training, professional development meetings, and staff meetings.

Must immediately divulge information to supervisor if convicted of a criminal offense and/or traffic offense that could affect agency insurance coverage.

Must avoid the use of social networking sites during work time, unless they are program specific.

Minimum Requirements…

Education:

Minimum of a home-based CDA credential or other comparable credential, or equivalent coursework as a part of an Associate or Bachelor Degree.

Job-Related Experience:

Working with vulnerable families in a home setting or in a social service agency while assisting them with referrals and goal setting. Head Start experience is beneficial but not required.

People Management Experience:

Ability to work with co-workers in a close office setting and work with management staff to accomplish program goals.

Licenses, Certifications, and Accreditations:

• Complete and maintain Family Development Certification or Credential for degrees that are not related to Human Services, Family Services, Counseling, Social Work or Psychology

• Complete PAT Certification/ 35-hour training and recertification annually

• Complete and maintain Van Certification/ ability to pass annual T-8 V physical

Other requirements:

• Complete an updated physical exam and/or T 8V exam- updated immunizations

• Provide three references

• Permission to obtain a copy of BCI and FBI background check

• A signed Standards of Conduct form

• Receive 15 hours of related training per year

• Complete Communicable Disease training

• Complete CPR training

• Complete First Aid training

• Complete Child Abuse Prevention training

• Valid Ohio Driver’s License, reliable transportation, and up-to-date proof of vehicle insurance

• Be insurable under the agency’s insurance policy

• Must possess audio and visual skills to care for young children

Preferred Qualifications…

• Length of experience working with low income families in home setting.

• Length of experience working with low-income families with children are age 0-5 and/or pregnant women.

• Length of experience working in a social service, prenatal, or early childhood field.

• Length of experience working with principles of adult learning instruction.