JOB SUMMARY: Under the supervision of the Family Services Coordinator, collects data, provides direct services, assists families in accessing resources and ensures that children receive appropriate early education experiences. Provides a problem solving service to children and their families. Reports to the Family Services Coordinator and receives additional technical assistance and support from the Child Development Specialist and other support specialists as needed.

THE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

I. Demonstrate principles of family support*

• Develop a trusting relationship with families of enrolled children and make them the senior partner in helping them to improve the quality of life for the entire family.

• Understand and be committed to the overall philosophy of the Caroline County Early Head Start and/or Parents As Teachers Home Visiting program.

• In partnership with families, CCEHS/PAT staff, and involved agencies, make and follow up on referrals and coordinate logistics to insure good communication between family and all involved partners.

• Plan and implement outreach to ensure full enrollment, strong community support and successful transitions for children and families.

• Take a lead role in helping parents to: understand the development of their children; grow their parenting skills; ensure their child’s safety; and become more involved in their child’s education. Facilitate parents’ interactions with their children while in the center

• Assist participants to gain increasing empowerment in utilizing resources and activities to address family service goals with emphasis on self-sufficiency.

• Function as the liaison between the program and families, particularly those who do not participate in center-based activities on a regular basis.

• Make home visits for the purpose of gathering helpful information on participant's background and to perform casework services with families as an integral part of the task of helping participants and to facilitate their knowledge and use of appropriate resources available.

• Provide informal and formal parenting education to participants in their home, addressing specific developmental needs of the child, parent-child and interpersonal relationships difficulties.

• Utilize all CCEHS/PAT required screening and assessment tools and performance standard guidance to address child health, nutrition, and development and provide effective follow-up on information gathered.

• Design and implement with parents an individualized curriculum for all home-based enrolled children based on ongoing observations, screenings, assessments, and parents’ desires. Write and implement integrated home visit plans based on an individualized approach to each child.

• Implement instructional activities that promote language, literacy, mathematics, science, creative arts, social emotional and physical development, and positive approaches to learning.

• Create a home visiting environment that fosters independence, effortful self-control, and trust through the use of familiar routines, transitions, and predictable responses to children’s needs.

• Provide positive child guidance and appropriate limits and effectively respond to challenging behaviors of children utilizing SEFEL Strategies and the principals embedded within the Teaching Pyramid and Positive Solutions framework. Develop in each child an awareness of his or her role in his/her family and community.

• Organize family conferences; participate in child study teams, case conferences, inter-agency conferences, and IEP/IFSP’s.

• Arrange transportation or transport participants on an as needed basis to medical appointments, to the Center and to various social service agencies.

• Works with approximately 20 families a year on service coordination and home visiting basis (FTE).

III. Effective management of service delivery

• Provide effective home visiting services through clear and direct communication that ensures optimal safety and effective learning for children by predicting unsafe situations and taking precautions; providing education and implementing procedures that prevent the spread of infectious diseases; promoting oral and physical health; appropriately responding to emergencies/crises and identifying symptoms of childhood diseases and recognizing unusual behavior of children.

• Maintain contact with key persons in community agencies to assist with referrals and makes referral to appropriate agencies. • Maintain accurate and skillful record keeping and in write clear, concise, and objective case notes and maintain confidentiality of family records and information. Track home visit completion and submit timely, complete and readable documentation and required reports including required PROMIS/PAT data.

• Promote effective teamwork by supporting all members of the team and model a positive non- judgmental attitude in working with staff, volunteers and families. Appropriately address conflicts and differences between staff, parents, and children. Effectively supervise, coach, support and train parents.

• Assist in the inventory, organization, and sanitation, of home visiting supplies and resources and report to the FSC any unsafe materials or supply replacement needs.

• Demonstrate knowledge of the Maryland Child Abuse Laws and report suspected Child Abuse and Neglect concerns accordingly.

IV. Manage professional growth and development

• Promote high quality interpersonal communication between children, families, peers, support/ management staff, and community services/schools and community helpers.

• Demonstrate self-awareness, self-regulation and motivation to assess own skills. Utilize these skills and CCEHS/PAT performance reviews and ongoing feedback to make and follow up on plans for professional development.

• Demonstrate appropriate professional role including: a) an understanding of boundaries and dualrelationship conflicts b) maintenance of confidentiality, c) timely notification to supervisor of absence from any work activity, d) presenting acceptable behavior at all times, and e) work independently and as a member of the team.

• Follow Caroline County Early Head Start, Parents as Teachers, Maryland Family Network, Caroline County Public Schools, Office of Child Care and State and Federal regulations and standards. Adhere to Caroline County Early Head Start (and PAT’s) mission, goals and objectives, and program implementation plans.

• Be self-motivated, open, flexible, and willing to work cooperatively with staff to ensure positive outcomes. Demonstrate the ability to adapt to situational or programmatic changes.

• Possess the ability to accept, reflect and act upon feedback. Facilitate and model respectful, professional communication and teamwork. Demonstrate a positive attitude and project energy and enthusiasm.

• Provide documentation of a minimum of 15 hours of training as prescribed by Early Head Start/PAT. Actively participate in additional training as directed. Applicants without a relevant AA/BA/BS degree must actively and continuously work toward completing the relevant degree and maintain the Child Development Associate Home Visiting Credential until the degree is obtained.

• Apply knowledge of current research and theory to work performance.

• Complete other related duties as assigned including promoting Early Head Start to children, families, coworkers and the community and assisting in the recruitment and enrollment of families and children.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Twelve months

• Salary based upon local schedule for Support Services

• Benefits in accordance with current Memorandum of Understanding and designation of part-time or full-time status.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: Family Advocate positions require a degree in Human Services, Social Work or Human Development with experience in counseling, crisis intervention, and advocacy. Such a degree is preferred for PAT Home Visitors. A non-degree person with extensive experiences in working in a problem solving capacity with low-income families and posses superb instincts may be hired in an exceptional situation. Knowledge of child development is important.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Possess the ability to relate to people of diverse educational, cultural and economic backgrounds.

• Model appropriate interactions with young children and parents.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret professional journals, technical procedures or governmental regulations. Ability to write observations, case management notes, correspondence, and procedures. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from participants and the general public. Ability to speak clearly and concisely in written or oral communication.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inferences.

Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios and proportions to practical situations. Able to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, and interest.

REASONING ABILITY: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete and abstract variables. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in writing, orally in diagrams or in schedule form.

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• Successfully complete required trainings such as ASQ3, ASQ-SE, Teaching Gold, PAT Foundational Training, Life Skills Progression Tool, etc. upon hire.

• Successfully complete and maintain First Aid and CPR training.

• Must complete and pass a Criminal Record Clearance as part of hiring process.

• Must successfully complete a physical and tuberculosis exam as part of hiring process and intermittently thereafter.

• Model appropriate interactions with young children and parents.

• Must provide evidence of a valid driver’s license and good driving record and driver must provide evidence of current automobile liability insurance.

• Have a through knowledge of the community, its resources and how to access resources and supports.

• Be willing to learn basic counseling skill and child development information.

• Possess maturity and wisdom to make independent, responsible decisions without supervision.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: 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. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will regularly sit, walk and stand, talk or hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perceptions, and use of computer monitors. The employee will be required to conduct home visits and provide their own transportation to participants' homes. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. The employee must occasionally push items of 50 pounds such as pushing children on a tricycle or moving rearranging furniture.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in this work environment is usually quiet but can be loud and is a standard acceptable level for this environment. The employee must be able to supervise and interact with children both indoors and outdoors on an ongoing basis. The employee is directly responsible for the safety and well being of participants. The employee must be able to accept and tolerate completing home visits in less than an optimum home environment. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the American Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. The individuals currently holding this position perform additional duties and additional duties may be assigned.