Family Partnership Specialist - Early Childhood Education

Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde • Grand Ronde, OR

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Supports families enrolled in Grand Ronde Head Start Preschool by conducting quality home visits, needs assessments and family partnerships services and building respectful, positive, goal-oriented relationships with families. Guided by the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework, this role focuses on key areas, such as family wellbeing, parent-child relationships, lifelong learning, community connection, and developing family engagement and parent leadership skills. Builds and sustains community partnerships. Assists or leads in coordination of parent, family, and community activities or events, as assigned. Maintains child, family, and program records. Provides support in all areas of the Head Start Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework.

Requirements

• Must have, within 18 months of hire, at a minimum, a credential or certification in Social Work, Human Services, Family services, Counseling or related field.
• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development/Family Sciences, Social Work, Human Services or related field; OR Associate’s degree in one of the fields above and two (2) years’ work experience building relationships with families enrolled in Head Start, home visiting or related programs. OR equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Must maintain a valid Oregon driver’s license or obtain one upon hire, qualify for the Tribe’s vehicle insurance, and provide proof of personal vehicle insurance.
• Requires Food handler’s certifications or ability to obtain certification within 3 months of hire.
• Requires First Aid and CPR or ability to obtain certification within 3 months of hire.
• Maintains continuing education, completes at least 20 hours skills training every two years and maintains Oregon Registry certification.
• Requires ongoing participation in Oregon Registry Online for tracking of professional development, credentials and/or licensing requirements.
• Ability to build appropriate, helping relationships with adult learners, preschool-aged children, and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Knowledge of basic office software programs such as Microsoft products, etc. required.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and other equipment as needed.
• Requires TB and Hep B vaccinations and a physical every three years.
• Adheres to the NAEYC Code of Ethics.
• Knowledge of and adherence to Head Start Performance Standards; Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Framework; and Relationships-Based Competencies to Support Professional Development for Family Services Professionals.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of clients, families or employees of the organization.
• Requires a physical examination upon hire and once every three years.
• Must have the ability to respond courteously and tactfully to complaints and client requests, and to maintain confidentiality.
• Must have the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to Native American culture required.
• Candidates for this position will be subject to criminal and character background checks and may be subject to fingerprinting.

Nice To Haves

• ChildPlus proficiency and training preferred.
• Native American employees preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serves a maximum caseload of 40 families per Head Start Performance Standards, except to provide occasional short-term flexibilities in periods of staff absence or emergency.
• Determines and manages caseload using program information and communication to schedule home visits for center-based families who require family partnership services and are not dually enrolled in home-based programming.
• Conducts at least two 90-minute home visits and one mid-year check in per program year for each assigned family, except that such visits may take place at a program site or another safe location that affords privacy at the parent’s request, or if a visit to the home presents significant safety hazards for staff.
• Guides parents in accessing their family strengths, needs, and goals to establish Family Partnership Agreements; monitors and follows up to support goal achievement.
• Implements intake and family assessment procedures to identify family strengths and needs related to the family engagement outcomes as described in the Head Start Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework.
• Implements a family partnership process that includes a family partnership agreement to support family well-being, including family safety, health, and economic stability, to support child learning and development, to provide, if applicable, services and supports for children with disabilities, and to foster parental confidence and skills that promote the early learning and development of their children.
• Offers individualized family partnership services that: Collaborate with families to identify interests, needs, and aspirations related to the family engagement outcomes; Help families achieve identified individualized family engagement outcomes; Establish and implement a family partnership agreement process that is jointly developed with parents and review individual progress, revise goals, evaluate and track whether identified needs and goals are met, and adjust strategies on an ongoing basis, as necessary.
• Considers existing family plans with community agencies and available resources to address family needs, strengths, and goals- avoiding duplication and promoting effective coordination and utilization of resources.
• Engages effectively with parents, staff, and community members who are educationally, economically, culturally, and racially diverse.
• Maintains up-to-date community resource knowledge and information.
• Develops a personal knowledge of topics related to parent requests through use of literature, personal contacts, electronic resources, and professional development.
• Encourages and facilitates parents' involvement in program volunteer opportunities and decision making and promotes their participation in other community organizations.
• Completes service delivery and documentation requirements, including providing application assistance to families and completing data entry.
• Leads in coordination, promotion and facilitation of parent, family, and community engagement events (e.g. parent committee, Policy Council, family fun activities, trainings, and literacy events) as directed.
• Identifies presenters and event vendors.
• Determines venues and facility needs for events, and coordinates with Facilities staff or Site Manager of event layout, set-up/take down, and audio/visual/technology needs.
• Participates in the administration of family support fund and acquiring needed materials
• Identifies, collects, and disseminates information and resources to support child and family well-being and development.
• Develops culturally appropriate outreach materials, forms, and surveys.
• Establishes and maintains electronic child and family records to monitor and track communication, services, progress, and workshop/event attendance.
• Meets federal, Tribal, and program documentation requirements with accurate, objective, complete, timely, and well-organized child and family records.
• Obtains consent forms from parents; scans documents as needed.
• Works collaboratively with other Tribal departments and builds collaborative community partnerships to further joint initiatives and the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PCFE) Framework.
• Assists in completion of the Program Information Report.
• Reports suspected child abuse/neglect to proper authorities as required.
• Performs a variety of other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Benefits

• A flexible schedule is essential for this role, as it may involve occasional evening and weekend hours to accommodate home visits and program-related activities.

What This Job Offers

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