Head Start Family Service Worker

Head Start Family Service Worker

The job of Head Start Family Service Worker was established for the purpose of recruiting and enrolling eligible children and families and to serve as a community liaison for high-quality social services. The Head Start Family Service Worker builds supportive, trusting relationships with families, helps them identify strengths and needs, supports family goal setting and achievement, and connects families with appropriate community resources.

Essential functions include:

1. Implementing Head Start Program Performance Standards by identifying, recruiting, and enrolling eligible children and families, including children with disabilities, to ensure program eligibility and regulatory compliance.
2. Participating in recruitment and outreach activities, including attending community events and outreach opportunities, to identify and recruit eligible families and children, including children with disabilities.
3. Maintaining attendance records, communicating absences with teaching staff, and providing appropriate follow-up when absences are frequent.
4. Supporting ERSEA efforts by participating in recruitment and outreach activities, including community events and partnerships, to identify and enroll eligible families and children.
5. Assessing each family's need for community resources, developing a plan that responds to the family's needs and/or coordinating the delivery of necessary resources for each family.
6. Developing Individualized Family Partnership Agreements (IPFAs) that describe the family's goals, strengths, responsibilities, timelines and strategies for achieving these goals. Goals are reviewed and revisited so that IFPAs remain current and relevant.
7. Establishing and maintaining ongoing collaborative relationships with community organizations responsive to the concerns of families and children ages birth to age 5.
8. Implementing parent engagement activities and education and training opportunities in alignment with the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement framework to support family wellbeing and child outcomes.
9. Encouraging parent volunteerism throughout the program; encouraging and assisting parents with participation in Parent Committee and Policy Council.
10. Collaborating with instructional staff, service coordinators, administration, families, and school district partners to support successful transitions from Early Head Start to Head Start, other educational settings, and kindergarten.
11. Providing responsive support to families experiencing crisis by connecting them with appropriate internal and community resources.
12. Maintaining accurate and timely family engagement documentation, including case notes, referrals, followup activities, and outcomes, in accordance with program requirements. Data is to be entered in a timely manner.
13. Collaborating with education, health, and mental health staff to support children's learning, attendance, and overall wellbeing.
14. Responding to inquiries from a variety of internal and external sources (e.g., parents, community agencies, auditors, students, etc.) for the purpose of providing information and/or direction as may be required.
15. Reporting suspected incidents (e.g., physical, sexual and/or substance abuse, contagious diseases, safety concerns, etc.) to appropriate parties for purpose of maintaining student's health and safety and adhering to Federal and State regulations, IU, district and/or school policies.
16. Participating in a variety of meetings, workshops, and committees, as directed, for the purpose of conveying and/or gathering information and remaining knowledgeable of program guidelines.
17. Acting as a classroom substitute when required.
18. Performing other duties as assigned.

Knowledge and skill requirements include:

• Education required: Bachelor's degree in job-related area.
• Experience required: Job-related experience with increasing levels of responsibility is desired.
• Other qualifications: Oral and written communication skills, computer literacy regarding management information systems, strong organizational skills, must use tact and diplomacy, display leadership on Early Childhood and grand funded program issues. Adept at decision making; provide content area support, coaching and guidance; maintain the highest level of confidentiality at all times. Ability to relate to and function effectively with people of varying background and position.