EHS Family Engagement Advocate

Maternity Care Coalition•Pottstown, PA

9d•$43,000 - $53,000

About The Position

The Family Engagement Advocate (FEA) leads and assists with outreach events and activities to recruit and enroll pregnant women and families with very young children in the Early Head Start (EHS) program. The FEA provides curriculum-based, early-learning-focused home visits to parents of infants and toddlers, helping families support their health, social empowerment, and children’s development toward school readiness. Working collaboratively with Coordinators and Site Supervisors, the FEA encourages children’s attendance and parent involvement, monitors participation, and supports families in completing EHS health and education requirements. The role also connects families with community resources and social services, maintains accurate client records, and supports program events, meetings, and ongoing monitoring efforts.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Valid driver's license.

Nice To Haves

BA/BS degree from an accredited college or university in a related field of study.
Two or more years of experience providing direct services in a community outreach setting.
Experience with maternal, child, and community health issues.
Knowledge and experience in child development, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and early childhood education.
Experience with positive parent-child interactions or Early Head Start programs.
Bilingual language skills in Spanish, Burmese, or Arabic.

Responsibilities

Assist the FCE Coordinator with administration of services and initiatives and development and maintenance of enrollment and service-delivery tracking systems.
Maintain required credentials, certifications, and training, and attend orientation and ongoing training sessions.
Provide encouragement, guidance, direct services, and support to families in identifying needs and goals related to health, education, child development, and social services.
Participate in monitoring efforts and review service-area policies and procedures to support compliance with Head Start Program Performance Standards.
Prepare parent newsletters and reports monthly and as assigned.
Review, monitor, and analyze Child Plus data to support family participation and timely completion of EHS requirements.
Communicate with community resources and assist with developing partnerships and MOUs under the direction of the FCE Coordinator.
Assist with and attend Parent, Parent Committee, and Policy Council meetings and other activities representing MCC as needed.
Plan weekly home visits with learning and development activities; promptly reschedule missed visits to meet the minimum of four visits per month and 46 visits per client during the program year for home-based children.
Participate in outreach to raise awareness of issues affecting EHS families, identify prospective enrollees, and direct families to EHS and other needed services.
Communicate with clients and families in a professional, culturally sensitive, and respectful manner.
Provide curriculum-based education sessions and resources to families with infants and toddlers to address developmental, health, social, mental health, and educational needs.
Connect families with resources and social service networks in and around the Pottstown area; help clients identify goals, make appointments, and, when applicable, arrange transportation to service providers.
Contact participants before and after home visits by email or telephone and maintain complete, accurate records of client communications in Child Plus while protecting confidentiality.
Conduct timely client assessments, identify strengths and needs, and set goals in collaboration with families.
Participate in collecting and distributing supplements, diapers, formula, clothing, and donations for EHS clients.
Refer participants who need more intensive follow-up to appropriate MCC and community resources; learn about and contact resources needed by clients.
Encourage parent participation in EHS events and help organize client meetings and special events.
Attend, help plan, and participate in Site Meetings and Socializations; attend community meetings and health fairs and represent MCC as requested.
Respond promptly to inter-agency communications using Child Plus and other computer systems, including email, the Internet, and word-processing tools.
Meet regularly with the supervisor, including monthly meetings to discuss client progress.
Maintain punctuality, responsibility, and accountability for the daily schedule, and discuss time-off requests with the FCE Coordinator in advance.
Assist the FCE Coordinator with developing and implementing the EHS Male Involvement program initiative and provide staff support for ongoing activities.
Maintain records and submit regular reports on Parent Engagement activities and committee meetings.