Purpose of Position:
The Parent Child Educator provides early, continuous, intensive, and comprehensive child development and family support services to eligible pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and their families through a series of weekly home visits (90 minutes) and scheduled socializations activities as defined by Head Start Performance Standards. The Parent Child Educator provides child development services, social services, health services, parent involvement including advocacy and crisis intervention in accordance with federal, state, and program guidelines.
Essential Functions:
- Use the home environment to assist parents in creating rich learning opportunities that build on everyday routines and support their child’s development. Provide child development, parent education and family support on home visits to families of infants and toddlers and expectant mothers. Provide support in parent and child activities that encourages developmentally appropriate activities for the changing needs of infants and toddlers.
- Provide a developmentally appropriate curriculum and a caring, nurturing, and soothing environment for infants and toddlers. In partnership with the parents, create an individual development plan for each child. Create weekly lesson plans which reflect both mandated elements and parental and cultural influences which promote the social emotional, physical, and cognitive development of Head Start children. Help ensure parents can recreate the child development experiences during the week.
- Provide family support services by partnering with assigned families, monitoring child health requirements, and maternal prenatal and postnatal health. Provide community resource referrals and document all family services (including health & transitions), events and activities. Partner with families in developing a Family Partnership Agreement including family goal plans. Communicate regularly with assigned families documenting all communications in Child Plus Family Services/case notes. Assist and advocate for families seeking assistance from local social service agencies.
- Assist and support families in locating resources and scheduling appointments with community resources that best meets their needs. Coordinate and develop relationships between other family support service agencies to provide better service delivery to EHS families. Serve as an advocate for Head Start families within the community. Train and support EHS parents to advocate for themselves and their families.
- Conduct regular case reviews of all Early Head Start files and cases assigned. Complete home visits, case recording and other responsibilities in case management. Establish and maintain accurate written/electronic records including health information, assessments, IFSP documentation, screening instruments, anecdotal observations, and other required forms with provisions for confidentiality. Ensure all child/family files are up to date and accurate.
- Notify ERSEA when openings occur in caseload. Collaborate with ERSEA to maintain full enrollment. Assist ERSEA in coordinating successful completion of recruitment of eligible children and their families.
- Work with Special Services Manager and staff to provide developmentally appropriate Early Intervention services. Participate in IFSP as required.
- Recruit eligible children according to the Head Start Performance Standards, DCFS Licensing regulations, and Heartland Head Start service and recruitment plans. Coordinate and implement recruitment outreach events and activities within the communities and social service agencies in the assigned area. Participate in summer recruitment events and activities for center and home-based programs.
- Model appropriate discipline techniques and positive self-esteem building behaviors when working with the family.
- Complete weekly reports that identify progress in meeting program goals and service delivery data.
- Foster positive relationships between Heartland Head Start and Early Head Start infants/toddlers, their families, staff, and outside agencies, civic groups, and the public.
- In collaboration with parents, organize and implement socializations twice a month in both Livingston and Mclean counties for enrolled children.
- Maintain all health requirements including well-baby checks, physicals, hemoglobin testing, immunizations, dental records and hearing and vision checks.
- Meet and maintain 97% recruitment goal annually, including full caseloads, waitlist, new applications, and filling vacancies within 30 days upon an opening in caseload.
Qualifications and Job Requirements:
- Associate degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, or a related degree with a minimum of 18 college credit hours of documented Early Childhood Education or Child Development coursework. (Coursework must follow DCFS Licensing Standard 407.130(e). Employees hired after July 1, 2017, must have 21 credit hours of educational coursework related directly to childcare and/or child development from birth to age 6,
- Attain within 18 months of hire, the Gateways Family Service Credential.
- Must successfully complete CPR and First Aid certifications within 11 months of employment.
- Must successfully complete Illinois Food Handler’s card within 30 days of hire and maintain every 3 years.
- Valid Illinois driver’s license, automobile insurance, and reliable vehicle transportation.
- Fully Vaccinated
Other Functions:
· Attend family events (PCC, Fun Club, etc.), especially those planned for EHS families. Events may occur during the workday, during the evenings, or weekends.
· Assist with all parts of developing child and family outcomes as assigned.
· Participate in special projects as assigned.
· Provide registration/orientation information to families that enroll during the year.
· Attend staff meetings and trainings. Seek out training opportunities.
Environment:
This position requires the employee to handle a fast-paced, changing environment. Employee is
regularly required to respond quickly, lift children, walk, and stand, have the use of arms and hands, sit on the floor, reach, and climb stairs, crouch, crawl, stoop, bend, and squat. Employee will be regularly required to enter and exit a vehicle and transfer objects to/from vehicles. Employee must be able to lift a minimum of 50 pounds regularly and carry 30 pounds occasionally. Employee must be able to safely operate a vehicle and drive long distances during the workday.
Performance Standards:
Success in this position will include:
- Regular positive attendance, including promptness to all meetings, events, appointments, etc.
- Uphold a professional appearance at all times.
- Maintain a positive attitude, both in person and on the telephone.
- Cooperate with all supervisors, colleagues, and staff.
- Communicate precisely, objectively, positively, and appropriately.
- Participate in community and program events to promote and provide information about the program and recruitment options.
- Be conscientious in looking for non-federal match (NFM) opportunities. Extend request for NFM in-kind donations, including goods, services and/or cash, to enhance our organization’s fiscal opportunities.
- Preserve confidentiality of all programs, staff, and client information.
- Complete all tasks in a timely manner.
- Avoid derogatory comments about all program, staff, and client families.
- Resolve program concerns and conflicts within program guidelines.
- Routinely participate in approved program-related training.
- Perform any other duties necessary to the smooth operation of the agency and its programs.
Disclaimer:
This document only summarizes the typical functions of the job and is not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all the possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. The actual responsibilities, tasks, and duties of the jobholder might differ from those outlined in this description and all other duties, as assigned, are part of the job. It is not an employment contract. Heartland Head Start reserves the right to modify job duties or job descriptions at any time.
Sensitivity Statement:
Head Start has long recognized the strengths and richness of diversity and the importance of intentional, individualized support for children and families. In this tradition, the mission of Heartland Head Start is to improve the lives of children, families, and communities that we serve. We believe that the diversity of our community is a fundamental strength of our region. Our mission is best fulfilled when we embrace diversity as a value and a practice. We maintain that achieving diversity requires an enduring commitment to inclusion that must find full expression in our organizational culture, values, norms, and behaviors. Throughout our work, we support diversity in all its forms, encompassing but not limited to age, ability, status, economic circumstance, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. Leading by example we aspire to make diversity a core and abiding strength of our organization.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $19.10 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Schedule:
Language:
License/Certification:
- Driver's License (Required)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: In person