Early Childhood Education

Position/Title: Family Advocate

Location: 504 Central Avenue, Newark, NJ
Hours: Monday - Friday; 7 hours workday
Salary: $24,500-$38,000 (commensurate with experience)
Reports To: Director of Early Childhood Education
Position Posted: as of 5/24/23 until filled

BASIC FUNCTIONS:
The Family Advocate is responsible for coordinating services for children and families in compliance with standards set by the school district. A primary responsibility of the Family Advocate is to connect the parents and the community with the Child Development Center. The Family Advocate is to ensure the confidentiality of all the children and families is respected and upheld.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Establish healthy positive relationships with parents and children and serve as liaison between the Early Childhood Program and the home:

  • Schedule initial home visits with parents to begin the process of establishing positive working relationships.
  • Conduct a minimum of 3 home visits annually (1 of which must be in the home).
  • Provide monthly parent support groups.
  • Maintain regular contact with parents, teachers, and Supervisor about child’s behavior and discuss pertinent information while ensuring confidentiality rights are respected.

Provide Social Services and referrals to families served by the program which include:

  • Help families identify strengths and needs, set their own goals, and make appropriate referrals complete necessary paperwork and follow-up for the assurance of services.
  • Be knowledgeable of community resources and help families make connections to needed social services (e.g., health services, NJ Kid Care, NJ Family Care, health education, social services, educational, legal, emergency assistance, crisis intervention, housing, and counseling services.
  • Follow-up with parents including on all service referrals and conduct post-referral evaluation.

Work cooperatively with current community-based social service agencies to assist families in their own efforts to improve the conditions and quality of family life:

  • Assist all families in the enrollment in NJ Kids Care/Family Care and utilizing existing coordinated services such as the Children’s System of Care.
  • Coordinate and integrate support services for children and their parents.
  • Prepare and distribute community resource list.
  • Maintain organized records and complete paperwork in a timely manner.

School Recruitment and Enrollment:

  • Fully participate in all outreach, recruitment processes, and appropriate documentation which systematically ensures enrollment of all eligible children.
  • Set up a registration week to make the process easier for parents to gather the needed information in a timely manner.

Parent Involvement: Work with the program staff on developing programs that promote healthy child development and increase parental involvement:

  • Maintain contact with parents to ensure student attendance is regular.
  • Establish, coordinate, and support parent participation in Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) by involvement.
  • Help provide information and training to parent volunteers.

Required Trainings:

  • Attend all scheduled and supplemental training required for position when offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of education, or it’s designated bodies (i.e., school district, managing agencies, etc.) as well as the Family Development Credential Training State Coordinator.
  • Attend regularly scheduled meetings with the Social Worker Coordinator from the designated managing agency. Each Family worker will meet individually at least twice per month (1.5 hours per session) and receive group supervision once per month (2.5 hours).

QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Must be bilingual in English/Spanish
  • Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education, psychology, sociology, or any other related field with experience in childcare or social service setting – or -
  • Associate degree in early childhood education, psychology, sociology, or related field with at least one year of experience in childcare or social service settings – or -
  • High School diploma or General Equivalence diploma with at least three years of experience in childcare or social service setting.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

HOW TO APPLY:

E-mail resume/CV and cover letter to Careers and Julie Santos.  Write "Family Advocate" in the subject line.

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