Family Advocate Worker

Family Focus • Chicago, IL

10d • $48,200

About The Position

Family Focus is your partner in building strong families across Chicago and Northeast Illinois! We're here to support families and their children including emergency assistance, immigration programs, child welfare services, family support services, educational programs, and more. Our goal? To help our community thrive and reach its full potential! With 11 centers around Chicagoland, we're eager to expand our reach and make an even bigger impact. That's why we're on the lookout for passionate individuals who share our vision to join our team as we grow and serve more families. Are you ready to make a difference? We want you to be a part of our journey! The Family Advocate Worker provides child development services, social services, health services and parent involvement services to families including home visits, parent/child groups, advocacy, and crisis intervention in accordance with federal, state and program guidelines. The Family Advocate is responsible for delivering prenatal education and home-based services as defined by ISBE: Prevention Initiative program. Services include planning safe, developmentally appropriate experiences for infants and toddlers in home settings that are appropriate to the needs of each family. In addition, assist families to build upon their strengths and develop plans to address areas of concern, including job market assistance and resource identification. T his position will be serving participants in South Suburban Cook.

Requirements

• A minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood, Social Work or related Social Services field.
• A minimum of two-(2) to three-(3) years’ experience in Early Childhood, social services, or a family support program.
• Demonstrated competency to plan and implement a home visiting curriculum and promote children’s progress across the standards described in the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five, including children with disabilities and dual language learners.
• Have experience in collaborating with community partners and establishing working relationships.
• Certified in Parents as Teachers model (within six months of hire).
• Must hold or obtain Gateways to Opportunity Family Specialist Credential (within six months of hire).
• Ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply the appropriate sections of applicable laws, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, and policies.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Must have dependable transportation, valid driver’s license, and proof of auto insurance.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of COPA is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a caseload of twenty-four children/families, plan developmentally appropriate education services that are integrated with health, dental health, nutrition, parent involvement and social services.
• Responsible for the recruitment of children and families into the PI home-base program, with a minimum of 2 children/pregnant mothers per month with successful enrollment.
• Ensure each child enrolled on caseload is seen twice per month for 60 mins per visit, and every family is invited and attends at least one parent/child groups per month.
• Collaborate with team members to ensure developmentally appropriate activities are scheduled and coordinate the parent/child groups to ensure that parent’s interests are being addressed.
• Participate in bi-weekly reflective supervision with Supervisor.
• Attend department staff meetings and all-staff (organizational) meetings, and pre- and in-service training/conference sessions as scheduled as it relates to home visiting, and any additional meetings as determined by ISBE and/or PAT or Visit Tracker.
• Conduct weekly observations in every domain area with a minimum of 2 observations across areas per week, examples of children’s work, and conduct developmental screenings (ASQ 3 & ASQ:SE); assisting the parents in developing observational skills and soliciting parent observations.
• Input (children) documentation into Visit Tracker and Teaching Strategies Gold (when it begins), requirements regarding discussions of the child’s individual development and progress.
• Ensure files and documentation are complete on a weekly basis, accurate, and confidentially maintained.
• Assist with the coordination of and actively support the disability services for children in need.
• Respond to agency needs by performing assigned tasks which do not fall within the above description. If such tasks are not of a temporary nature, they should be added to this list of designated job responsibilities.
• Please note all job-related items are not specified within this job description.

Benefits

• Discover all the benefits we offer to support your well-being and professional growth here: https://www.family-focus.org/about/benefits/
• Family Focus is an Equal Opportunity Employer

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level