The Family Service Coordinator is responsible for support services to Head Start and/or Early Head Start Families and for assisting parents to learn about and use community resources; for working with parents on goal setting; for encouraging parent involvement and participation in their child's education.
The Family Service Coordinator reports directly to the Center Director with indirect supervision from Family and Community Engagement Manager. The position supports and assists families as they identify and meet their own goals through a case management model for developing and carrying out the program’s Family Partnership Agreements. The position also assists with the completion of the child health requirements and other required screenings and assessments. The position may involve reassignment of caseloads and/or center location as deemed necessary for the program operations.
As a front line representative of Save the Children, the Family Service Coordinator is required to ensure the safety and security of Head Start children and families that he/she comes in contact with adhering to the agency’s 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, you are expected to prevent child abuse in every situation by striving, through mental awareness, good practice and training to minimize risk to children. You must take positive steps to protect children who may be a subject of concern and report and respond to any instance of child abuse and promote training and awareness around all child safeguarding obligations.
- Provide support to all families within his/her caseload, including relationship development, developing Family Partnership Agreements, goal-setting process, and assisting to obtain necessary community services and supports
- Works closely with the Center Director, teachers, Family and Community Engagement Manager and all content areas to assure successful collaboration in maintaining children/family files and privacy.
- Works collaboratively with Center Directors and other center staff for child recruitment and maintaining a consistent enrollment for the program.
- Enters and assists in tracking information regarding ERSEA, health, education, mental health/disabilities and family service information. Work with the Information Specialist to enter and track information regarding family services and ERSEA (Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance).
- Ensure regular communication with families regarding screening, assessments, and surveys in order to provide needed information regarding medical, nutritional, educational, and social services as needed to ensure that all requirements are met according to Head Start Performance Standards while maintain strict confidentiality.
- Assist in the monitoring and reporting of family related services to appropriate Head Start superiors.
- Responsible for maintaining full enrollment, with a 72-hour turn around to fill vacancies, program-wide; performing up-to-date recordkeeping and data entry.
- Submit accurate information in a timely manner, including written documentation, scheduled reports, and mandated reports.
- Attend case coordination meetings with appropriate staff, to fully integrate services.
- Participate in an individualized continuing education plan including CPR and First Aid.
- Ability to effectively demonstrate sound judgment, using discretion as it relates to individual cases.
- Maintains open communication with management regarding caseload and progress to build effective working relationships within the organization, works independently and as a team member.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
- or within eighteen months of hire, at a minimum, a credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, counseling or a related field. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- Minimum (1) year work experience in Head Start/Early Head Start setting or an Early Childhood Education setting.
- Three years’ work experience in a position that directly relates to Family services.
- Knowledge of the basics of working with infants, toddlers and/or preschool age children.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, children, families, and outside agencies.
- Effective communication, problem solving, organizational, and time management skills.
- Ability to perform medium to heavy physical work exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently and up to 5-10 pounds constantly, performing such activities as sitting, crawling, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping. This also includes some duties that require repetitive action and motion skills, keyboarding and computer use.