Parent Family Community Engagement Specialist

Job Title/Job Code: Parent Family Community Engagement Specialist

Branch: YMCA Chattahoochee Early Learning Center

Supervisor: Director of Parent Family Community Engagement/ Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (Director of PFCE/ERSEA)

Nature and Scope:

Under the supervision of the Director of the Parent Family Community Engagement/Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (Director of PFCE/ERSEA) and in accordance with the Head Start Performance Standards, Local, State, and Federal regulations, the Parent Family/Community Engagement (PFCE) Specialist plans and coordinates the implementation of the Family and Community Engagement service area.

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for insuring that program meets requirements of Head Start Performance Standards and understands the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework
• Develops policies and procedures in coordination with other Service Areas to ensure compliance with Federal, State and local guidelines in all components of Family Services.
• Advocates and collaborates with families and social service agencies such as mental health, law enforcement, and domestic violence intervention agencies to provide advocacy related to community issues that affect the families' well-being.
• Ensures that PFCE activities are coordinated with other Area Specialists, Center Managers, Family Services Staff and Partners.
• Monitors the implementation of PFCE activities for insuring program compliance inclusive of:
• The identification of family needs
• The establishment of Family Partnership Agreements
• Goal-Setting
• Resource Development
• Referrals, follow-up and counseling
• Emergency assistance and crisis intervention
• Home visits
• The establishment of Community Partnership Agreements
• The establishment of the Policy Council, Parent and Advisory Committees
• Hiring of Family Services Staff
• Budgets and documentation
• Professional Development
• Parent Curriculum
• Parent Training Calendar
• Volunteers
• Data Integrity
• In collaboration with Center Leadership, coordinates the implementation and monitoring of Parent Engagement events, resources and information.
• Participates in the implementation of agency-wide projects/systems for ensuring program compliance inclusive of:
• Review and update of the Community Assessment
• Recruitment
• Self-Assessment
• Professional Development
• Strategic Planning
• Develop and maintain ongoing professional relationships with community providers and partners to facilitate parent and/or staff trainings around PRCE topics.

• Actively seeks new opportunities for collaboration, donations and community-based resources and information.
• Develop and maintain planning and communication systems which assure that information is processed in a timely manner to parties needing information.
• Prepare and disseminate required reports, including outcome measures showing measure of effort and measure of effect on parents, families and the community.
• Develop and oversee processes that ensure follow-up of parent engagement and education issues
• Provides written Site Visit reports to Center Managers/Leaders and Supervisors.
• Identifies and provides technical assistance needed to Center Staff/Partners in the correction of problems identified through the monitoring process. Establishes time frames for correction with appropriate staff and conducts follow up to insure problems are corrected.
• Provides guidance and training for the Family Services Staff/Partners in carrying out PFCE related activities.
• Develops, maintains and monitors a comprehensive record-keeping system that ensures proper documentation of service delivery to children and families to be included in ChildPlus and the PIR .
• Monitor record keeping system to include reviewing program Family files for accuracy, generating and reviewing ChildPlus data, including PIR and ensuring confidentiality.
• Organize and maintain an active and involved Policy Council/ Parent Committees
• Develops service area Work Plans in conjunction with the Early Childhood Development service areas.
• Monitors program Work plans and develops monthly activities scheduled to insure timely completion of service area tasks.
• Assesses and develops training plan for parent and staff
• Develops and monitors the PFCE budget, with input from appropriate services area and committees.
• Supports agency-wide recruitment efforts.
• Review and implement service area policies and procedures based on information from the Community and Self-Assessments, current trends and best practices for working with families and children.
• Coordinates recruitment activities for children with disabilities in conjunction with the Disabilities/Mental Health Services Specialist.
• Develops and facilitates the development of Community Partnership Agreements to reach more families and respond to the unmet needs of our families and reduce unnecessary duplication of services.
• Develops tools and techniques for reaching out to eligible children and families.
• Maintains documentation of written partnership agreements between ECDC and other community and childcare partners.
• Recruit, monitor and track volunteers and in-kind contributions.
• Participates in the agency’s Self - Assessment process.
• Provides ongoing professional development/technical assistance to Family Services Staff and PFCE team in carrying out Family Services activities.
• Conduct announced and unannounced monitoring site visits.
• Establish a monitoring system including (but not limited to):
  • Conducting announced and unannounced file reviews
  • Supporting and monitoring data entry procedures
  • Identifying areas of improvement and developing recommendations
  • Identifying, providing and supporting trainings and technical assistance for Family Service Assistants
  • Providing written monitoring reports to the Family Service Assistant and Center Administrators
  • Developing monitoring reports

SUPERVISORY CONTROL:

The Parent Family/Community Engagement Manager (PFCE) Specialist is directly responsible to the Director of PFCE/ERSEA who is responsible to the Head Start & Early Head Start Director. The Director of Family/Community Engagement will monitor (monthly) and evaluate (annually) activities of the PFCE (PFCE) Specialist.

MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work or higher, a minimum of 3 years’ experience working in a social, human or family services environment. Must have strong conflict resolution, listening, communication and group facilitation skills. Proficient in knowledge of social work principles, referral systems, family support and community advocacy.

OTHER SIGNIFICANT FACTS:

• Must possess good interpersonal skills.

• Must possess good verbal and written communication skills.

• Must be able to attend evening meetings.

• Must be proficient in ChildPlus and Microsoft Word.

• Must have critical thinking skills

• Must possess planning and organizational skills.

• Must possess supervision skills

• Must be able to manage multiple priorities.

Ergonomics: Sitting, bending, stooping, standing, 15% repetitive keyboard work, seeing, verbal communications, lift up to 25 pounds.