Family Engagement Specialist - Head Start/Early Head Start

Family & Children's Place•Louisville, KY

About The Position

The Family Engagement Specialist provides family support services to enrolled Head Start and Early Head Start children and families through regular contact, home visits, family partnership activities, and community referrals. The role supports families in identifying goals, accessing resources, and strengthening their ability to support children’s growth, health, safety, and school readiness. The Specialist serves as an advocate for, with, and on behalf of program participants and their families, and supports the agency’s equity, diversity, inclusion, and trauma-informed service efforts. The position also serves as a daily classroom and playground liaison. It supports implementation of classroom management practices, communicates with parents about children’s individualized educational goals and developmental progress, and helps ensure safety during outdoor and gross motor activities. The work aligns with the Head Start Program Performance Standards, the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework, and Office of Head Start Program Excellence indicators. The role reports to the Center Director and has no supervisory responsibilities. The work takes place across office, classroom, playground, community, and family-home settings, with a schedule that varies according to family needs, caseload, classroom schedules, and program events. A valid driver’s license and reliable transportation are required.

Requirements

Minimum of 1–2 years of experience working with children and families in a human service, education, or health-related setting.
Strong relationship-building and family engagement skills.
Ability to communicate effectively with parents, children, teaching staff, and community partners.
Strong organization, time management, and follow-through skills.
Ability to recognize when classroom management or playground safety practices are not being followed and communicate concerns through the appropriate chain of command.
Ability to work independently, manage a caseload, and maintain a consistent classroom and playground presence.
Ability to respond appropriately to cultural, linguistic, and family differences.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and demonstrate sound judgment.
Clear speaking and effective listening skills; clear writing and accurate recordkeeping skills.
Ability to work as part of a team and support program goals.
Professionalism, flexibility, dependability, initiative, empathy, and a strengths-based approach.
Ability to represent the agency positively and support diversity and inclusion.
Ability to work with families from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds.
Strong written, oral, and computer skills.
Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
Ability to sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, and use hands and arms frequently; occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, climb stairs, run short distances, and lift up to 40 pounds, including assisting a child.
Ability to work in outdoor weather conditions during playground supervision.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree in human services, social work, family studies, early childhood education, public health, or a related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
Experience with case management, family engagement, referrals, and community outreach.
Familiarity with Head Start School Readiness Goals, classroom management practices, and active supervision standards.
Knowledge of maternal and child health, child safety, family systems, and child abuse and neglect risk.
Knowledge of community resources and family support systems.
Working knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards, the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework, and Office of Head Start Program Excellence expectations, or willingness to develop this knowledge through training.
Bilingual skills.

Responsibilities

Conduct regular home visits, family contacts, and follow-up contacts with assigned families.
Recruit and enroll eligible families as assigned and support attendance and engagement efforts.
Provide family support services that strengthen parenting, family stability, and family well-being.
Collaborate with families on family strengths and needs assessments and family partnership agreements.
Support family goal setting and connect families with resources for housing, employment, food security, transportation, education, and other needs.
Promote parent engagement in classroom activities, policy council, family events, and program governance.
Communicate with parents about each child’s individualized educational goals, developmental progress, and alignment with School Readiness Goals across five domains.
Partner with teaching staff to share family insights that inform individualized goal setting, lesson planning, and classroom strategies.
Observe classroom practices for fidelity to approved classroom management strategies and report concerns to the Education Manager and supervisor.
Be present during daily outdoor playground time and ensure safety measures are followed, including active supervision, name-to-face counts, equipment checks, weather-appropriate practices, and emergency readiness.
Monitor children’s health status, including medical and dental homes, physical and mental health, developmental screening follow-up, immunizations, and nutritional needs.
Work with Health Services staff to support completion of health screenings, follow-up appointments, referrals, and documentation.
Reinforce family health education related to nutrition, oral health, safe sleep, injury prevention, medication safety, and disease prevention.
Support health and safety practices at home and in program settings, including emergency preparedness, safe supervision, reporting concerns, and required procedures.
Liaise between families and community resources, including medical, mental health, dental, social service, and other providers.
Assist with crisis intervention, problem solving, and referrals as needed.
Maintain accurate and timely records of family contacts, referrals, follow-up, attendance concerns, observations, and other required information.
Maintain confidentiality of family and child information.
Participate in supervision, team meetings, case conferences, training, and professional development, including activities supporting Program Excellence indicators and continuous quality improvement.
Perform other duties as assigned and delegated by the supervisor.