Home Visitor-EHS/Family Partner

North East Kingdom Community Action • Lyndon, VT

74d • $18 - $23

About The Position

Home Visitor/Family Partner at NEKCA supports families in goal setting, child development, and holistic family well-being. Recognizing that families are their child’s first teacher, NEKCA utilizes a strengths-based approach to help families thrive. Home Visitor utilize a variety of strategies, including home visiting and offering enrichment activities like community playgroups. Home Visitor/Family Partners are part of a larger Early Childhood Team at NEKCA that collaborates to provide seamless services that put families at the center.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Services or related field.
• 2 years relevant experience.
• Valid driver's license and access to dependable transportation.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with adults.
• CPR and First Aid Certification.

Responsibilities

• Carry out duties in compliance with HS Performance Standards, Content Area Plans, Vermont Child Care Licensing Regulations for Center-Based Child Care and Preschool Programs, NAEYC, Vermont Parent Child Center Quality Standards, and NEKCA Standard of Conduct.
• Complete NEKCA Performance Evaluations, Professional Development Self-Assessment, and in partnership with supervisor, Individualized Professional Development Plan.
• Be aware of indicators of child abuse and neglect and comply with Vermont Mandated Reporter Law and program Child Protection Protocol.
• Participate in center staff meetings, monthly content area meetings, pre-service, and in-services and incorporate relevant knowledge and skills into practice.
• Identify and recruit Head Start-eligible families and children, including children with disabilities and underserved populations.
• Complete the Family Assessment based on the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework, develop a plan that responds to the family’s needs; deliver and/or coordinate the delivery of needed social services for each family.
• Develop individualized Family Partnership Agreements (FPA) that describe the family’s goals, strengths, responsibilities and timetables, and strategies for achieving these goals; review and revisit with families so the FPA remains current and useful.
• Provide comprehensive community resource information to families, individualizing to respond to the family’s needs and concerns to the maximum extent possible.
• Establish and maintain ongoing collaborative relationships with community organizations responsive to the concerns of the families of children birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families; participate in community awareness events.
• Identify crisis situations, such as child abuse and lack of basic needs, making referrals and follow-up.
• Implement the parent engagement and education program, supporting the parents in their role as the primary influence in their children’s lives.
• Encourage parent volunteerism throughout the program; plan and implement parent meetings; encourage and assist parents with Policy Council involvement; document in-kind contributions.
• Assist parents with the process of transition into Head Start/Early Head Start Program and from Head Start to other educational settings.
• Encourage, aid in monitoring and recording the timely delivery of medical, dental, mental health and nutrition services to children; seek assistance on assisting families as needed.
• Promote child and family wellness and support the establishment of a medical and dental 'home' for each enrolled child.
• Collect child and family data and accurately enter into program software in a timely manner.
• Cooperate with other staff and classroom groups to maintain the smooth functioning of the center, which at times may require changes to meet the needs of the children.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date files on all enrolled children.
• Offer weekly home visits to enrolled families that last at least 1.5 hrs. and provide a minimum of 46 visits per year (make-up visits are an hour).
• Plan 22 playgroup opportunities in partnership with parents/guardians enrolled in EHS and offer over the course of the year.
• Provide services to expectant families according to the program performance standards and curriculum.
• Provide orientation to the program with review of the Family Partnership Handbook, the Guide to Community Resources, and with the completion of the Parent Engagement Survey and Family Interest Checklist.
• Provide a monthly newsletter to all enrolled families.
• Assist parents/guardians in co-planning for home visits, child development activities and playgroups per parent/guardian and child interests and goals.
• Promote regular attendance in EHS activities and document.
• Follow program protocol in documenting home visits, missed home visits, offer make-up visits, playgroup and parent attendance for all program offerings and all family contacts.
• Write a minimum of one observation in each developmental domain per child per month for home visits and playgroups.
• Put no less than 9 observations per child per assessment period in TS GOLD.
• Conduct annual developmental and behavioral screenings in partnership with parent/guardian within 45 days of enrollment and review results with parent/guardian according to program protocol.
• Contact Early Head Start Children's Services Manager if screening score shows a concern.
• Implement the EHS Curriculum to fidelity.
• Complete DRDP Assessment 4 times a year according to the timeline.
• In partnership with parents/guardians develop child goals using multiple sources of data, including but not limited to screening/assessment results, parent/ guardian home visitor observations and One Plan/IEP Goals.
• Complete Family Conference Form within 3 working weeks after the assessment is completed and put in the child’s file.
• Offer copies of screenings, family conference forms, home visit plans, child observations, child health data, health service summaries and referrals after reviewing with parent/guardian and documenting on home visit plan.
• In partnership with parents/guardians, based on developmental concerns, initiate and document referral process to appropriate agencies/providers.
• Assist in implementing One Plan or Individual Education Plan (IEP), for children with special needs.
• In partnership with families and appropriate community agencies/providers, participate in and ensure documentation of team meetings, evaluation process, and development of individual plans.
• Staff will document all child development, health, and disability delivery of services and follow-up.
• Complete all registration paperwork with enrolled families within program timeline.
• Complete a strength-based family assessment twice a year with all enrolled families according to timeline; update as needed.
• Identify and describe family goals; document follow-up and progress.
• Assess family resources, provide and record all referrals given to families.
• Initiate and complete, in partnership with parent/guardian, child transition activities according to program policies.
• Actively participate in program and family/child staffing.
• Participate in development and implementation of community partnership activities.

Benefits

• Hiring Range: $18.43 - $23.22
• Full Year, Full Time position.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree