The Specialist of Parent, Family and Community Engagement (PFCE) is responsible for supporting the following components of Head Start and Early Head Start programs: Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance (ERSEA), family engagement, family development and community partnerships.
This position works closely with staff on all areas of ERSEA. This positions reports to the Manager of PFCE and works with Teachers, Assistant Teachers, Manager of Education & Inclusion, and/or Center Directors to maintain full enrollment in funded classroom slots. By supporting the development and oversight of family service systems, the PFCE Specialist supports the teaching staff in identifying opportunities for families to realize their own strengths, needs and interests.
Duties also extend to supporting a parent and community volunteer program, and developing relationships with community partners to whom families can be referred for services. The PFCE Specialist makes certain that family and community partnerships are supported by staff and/or consultants who have experience in fields related to human services. At the core of the PFCE Specialist’s role is working with teaching staff to deepen understanding of parent, family and community engagement, and implementing such knowledge through high quality collaborations that promote family sustainability.
Lastly, the PFCE Specialist serves as the Corporate Secretary of the Head Start Policy Council and assists the Program Director with meeting logistics, materials, etc. in line with the Head Start Program Performance Standards.
As a frontline representative of Save the Children, the position holder is required to ensure the safety and security of children and families and represent the agency values of Accountability, Ambition, Collaboration, Creativity and Integrity.
As a Save the Children employee who will come into contact with children on a routine basis, the position is expected to prevent child abuse in every situation by striving, through mental awareness, good practice and training to minimize risk to children. The position must take positive steps to protect children who may be a subject of concern and report, respond to any instance of child abuse, and promote training and awareness around all child-safeguarding obligations.
- Ensure complete and accurate collection, entry, reporting and maintenance of data related to family development services.
- If in a non-supervisory role: provision of technical support to teaching staff and their supervisors as needed
- Responsible for the collection, entry, reporting and maintenance of ERSEA records related to program operations including Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
- In coordination with the Manager of Education & Inclusion, ensure that vacancies are filled within 30 days, eligibility is properly determined, enrollment includes 10% children with special needs, recruitment is active/ongoing and that funded enrollment is achieved and maintained.
- Track daily attendance data and the program staff’s timely follow-up with families on tardiness and absenteeism.
- Visit all classrooms on a regular basis (4-6 hours per month per site) to conduct observations and support teaching staff in promoting parent involvement, provide training and technical assistance and coach teachers as they support parents in understanding their role in their child’s educational success.
- Prepare and distribute monthly reports, such as attendance, enrollment, etc.
- Ensure that electronic data collected can be reported accurately to grant officers.
- Provide training and technical assistance and build capacity by working directly with staff, parents and community partners to ensure high-quality programs.
- Responsible for tracking that all parents have been offered the opportunity to establish a Family Partnership Agreement and the tracking of strengths, needs, goals, referrals, individual contacts, home visits and follow-ups.
- Provide or arrange for training and technical assistance to staff and parents based upon pertinent issues/interests expressed in the Family Outcomes Assessment. This may include: advocacy, family literacy, sustainability, child development, health, parenting skills and other topics as identified.
- Provide support to staff in developing parent training opportunities. Track and maintain documentation of parent meetings and training.
- Ensure the PFCE Framework is a systematic component of programming, services and management systems.
- Assist in the monitoring and reporting of services to ensure high quality support, positive child outcomes and achievement of school readiness goals.
- Attend case coordination meetings with other staff in order to fully integrate services.
- Design, implement and monitor the volunteer program to include the recruitment and training of parent and community volunteers for the program.
- Work collaboratively to train on and distribute the Volunteer Handbook.
- Ensure that all regular volunteers have completed the appropriate paperwork and that records are maintained in a locked file cabinet.
- Serve as Secretary of the Policy Council as needed.
- Assist in arranging Policy Council meetings, preparing and posting agendas, reserving facilities and arrangement of food.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Director.
- Experience of at least 3 years in a position that directly relates to the provision and management of family services for young children and their families, as well as supervisory experience.
- Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with other staff and community partners in the provision of high-quality services and resources to families.