Family Advocate

Compensation: $19.56/hour - $29.49/hour

Position Summary:

Early Childhood (EC) Division at Children's Aid (CA) is founded on the belief that strong communities are built by children and families who have the access, skills, and choice to create pathways to their success. The Early Childhood Department serves over 700 low-income children aged 0-5 and their families in schools and community centers throughout Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx through a combination of Federal, State and City funding. We believe that strong communities are built by children and families who have access, skills, and choice to create pathways to their success.

The Family Advocate is responsible for ensuring positive family and child outcomes through strong family partnerships and community engagement. Family Advocates connect their work to a child and a family getting ready to be successful in kindergarten and in life. They support the center in meeting and exceeding Head Start Program Performance Standards and other relevant regulatory requirements, maintaining detailed records across relevant areas. This position reports directly to the Program Director and is supported by the Central Leadership Team.

Essential Duties:

Family Engagement

• Pursue positive purposeful relationships with families in support of strong family and child outcomes.
• Provide necessary supports to families based on their strengths and needs, including but not limited to appropriate referrals, moral support, and coaching, accompanying to appointments, and other direct assistance.
• Regularly monitor Copa reports to ensure data is accurately captured in timely manner.
• Track and monitor children's medical records and work with parents to ensure continuity of care.
• Support children and families through the special needs process.
• Conduct a minimum of two home visits per year, per child, with additional visits as needed.
• Participate in child case conferences and parent teacher conferences where required.
• Support families during a crisis.
• Facilitate parent workshops.

Community Engagement

• Foster effective and strategic community partnerships to meet the needs of families.
• Identify opportunities for parent workshops and link families to relevant resources.
• Represent Children's Aid at relevant neighborhood events, such as community/resource fairs, etc.
• Seek and maintain current knowledge of services offered in the community that can benefit families.
• Share highlights of families, kids, staff, and community partners; Educate and engage our online social media community with the EC Instagram committee.

Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, Attendance

• Identify eligible families and support them through the application and enrollment process at Children's Aid.
• Familiarize with eligibility and enrollment requirements for program models relevant to funding streams at respective sites.
• Monitor children's attendance and provide support to minimize absences.
• Maintain accurate and complete records in both physical and electronic files. Always ensure confidentiality of client records and information.

Professional Development

• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards (particularly the Parent, Family and Community Engagement Framework and its requirements), DOH regulations, city guidelines, and CA Early Childhood policies and procedures.
• Participate in offered trainings, workshops, in-service days, and/or all-staff conferences.
• Maintain proof of attendance in professional activities.

And other related duties as assigned, at the discretion of the Program Director.

Minimum Qualifications: The Family Advocate must have qualifications that satisfy Federal Head Start requirements, the New York City Department of Health, and Mental Hygiene Article 47 regulations.

Depending on one's education and certification, a Family Advocate may fall into one of the following categories:

Family Advocate I: Must possess a High School Diploma and a Family Development Associate (FDC) credential.

Family Advocate II: Must possess an associate's degree or equivalent credits (in any area). Depending on the nature of the degree and relevant experience, it may be required to have a Family Development Associate (FDC) credential or be enrolled in a FDC credential program that will be completed within 2 years, which is a condition of employment that cannot be extended.

Family Advocate III: Must possess a bachelor's degree (in any area). Depending on the nature of the degree and relevant experience, it may be required to have a Family Development Associate (FDC) credential or be enrolled in a FDC credential program that will be completed within 2 years, which is a condition of employment that cannot be extended.

Family Advocate IV: Must possess a master's degree in social work.

Key Competencies:

• Experience advocating for families and a passion for doing so.
• Excellent written, verbal, and non-verbal communication skills.
• Self-motivated with a professional approach, resourceful and dependable.
• Strong computer skills, data entry, and database experience.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Bilingual preferred

It is the policy of Children's Aid to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and is dedicated to maintaining a work environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. Children's Aid will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or retaliation on any basis, including race, creed, color, national origin, ethnicity, alienage or citizenship status, gender/sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, source of income, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, familial status, caregiver status, military status, marital or partnership status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking, predisposing genetic characteristics, arrest or conviction record, credit history, unemployment status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. Children's Aid is committed to complying with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Children's Aid will conduct a prompt and thorough investigation of all allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or any violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy in a confidential manner and will take appropriate corrective action, if and where warranted. Children's Aid prohibits retaliation against employees who provide information about, complain about, or assist in the investigation of any complaint of discrimination or violation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.

The incumbent is expected to work a schedule, whether in-person or hybrid, as determined by the department's needs to facilitate effective collaboration with the team. This flexibility is essential for maintaining seamless communication, fostering teamwork, and ensuring the smooth operation of the department's processes. The position's requirements are subject to periodic review and adjustment based on organizational needs and changes in work dynamics.