Family Community Specialist
Reports to: Temporary Early Childhood Program Manager
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
SUMMARY:
To develop and coordinate the family services program which complies with the Federal Performance Standards. To implement the recruitment and enrollment process for the Head Start & Early Head Start Programs. Ensure that there is an effective parent involvement/engagement program that maximizes parent participation.
ESSEENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Coordinates assigned content areas, including ERSEA, family services, family engagement, parent activities, community partnerships, father/male engagement, attendance support, and related reporting.
- Conducts periodic monitoring visits to centers to review implementation, documentation, staff practice, family services follow-up, recruitment activity, attendance practices, parent engagement, and compliance with applicable standards.
- Provides technical assistance, training, coaching, and follow-up support to Family and Community Advocates and other assigned staff to promote consistent, accurate, and family-centered service delivery.
- Contributes relevant family services, ERSEA, parent engagement, and community partnership information at management and staff meetings.
- Maintains confidentiality of child, family, staff, and Agency information at all times.
- Participates in staff meetings, management meetings, conferences, training sessions, monitoring activities, and professional development as assigned.
- Maintains current knowledge of Head Start Program Performance Standards, Alabama DHR licensing requirements, Agency policies, content-area work plans, and program objectives.
- Keeps current, accurate, and complete records and ensures required documentation is maintained in Agency-designated systems and files.
- Maintains professional, respectful, and cooperative working relationships with staff, children, families, Policy Council representatives, community partners, and the public.
ERSEA, Recruitment, Enrollment, and Attendance Responsibilities:
- Coordinates and monitors the recruitment, eligibility, selection, enrollment, and attendance processes for Head Start and Early Head Start children and families.
- Ensures the written recruitment plan and recruitment materials are reviewed, updated, and implemented annually or as directed by management.
- Coordinates public relations and outreach strategies to support recruitment, full enrollment, and an active wait list in all service areas.
- Supports the selection committee and verifies that selection criteria are applied consistently and appropriately documented.
- Tracks applications, eligibility documentation, selection points, wait list status, vacancies, and follow-up needs in Agency-designated systems.
- Reviews application files for completeness, eligibility documentation, income verification, age verification, categorical eligibility, and required signatures before enrollment recommendations are finalized.
- Notifies or assist centers with follow-up needed for incomplete applications, missing documents, pending eligibility questions, and families selected for enrollment.
- Monitors enrollment, wait list, and attendance data; coordinates attendance analysis and corrective strategies when attendance falls below established expectations.
- Works with Family and Community Advocates, classroom staff, and supervisors to identify and address barriers to regular attendance.
Family Services and Family Partnership Responsibilities:
- Coordinates the family partnership process, including strengths and needs assessment, goal setting, follow-up, referrals, documentation, and progress updates.
- Works with Family and Community Advocates to ensure families receive timely follow-up on identified goals, needs, referrals, and service plans.
- Maintains or oversees the referral system and serves as a liaison between Head Start/Early Head Start, families, and community agencies.
- Works with staff and community partners to ensure families identified as high risk or in crisis are connected with needed services and support systems.
- Assists staff with identifying family needs related to housing, employment, education, transportation, health, food, child care, income stability, and other family well-being factors.
- Prepares family services summaries, service trend information, and follow-up reports for management review, planning, PIR, self-assessment, and monitoring preparation.
- Reviews family services documentation for accuracy, timeliness, completeness, and compliance with Agency recordkeeping expectations.
Parent, Family, and Community Engagement Responsibilities:
- Plans, coordinates, monitors, and supports the Parent Involvement/Parent Engagement Program for Head Start and Early Head Start.
- Develops, implements, and tracks strategies to increase parent and family engagement, including outreach to fathers, male role models, working parents, and less-engaged families.
- Coordinates parent education planning and activities based on parent interests, family needs, child outcomes, school readiness goals, and other program data.
- Works with Family and Community Advocates and classroom staff to identify parent education topics and activities that support child development, school readiness, family well-being, and parent-child relationships.
- Serves as a resource to staff in identifying parent education opportunities, curriculum materials, community presenters, and family engagement resources.
- Reviews and updates community resource directories at least annually or more often as needed.
Governance, Policy Council, and Community Partnership Responsibilities:
- Attends Policy Council meetings, parent committee meetings, advisory committee meetings, and other meetings as requested.
- Supports communication between Policy Council representatives and Center Parent Committees to promote informed parent leadership and program participation.
- Assists with Policy Council and parent committee orientation, training, communication, documentation, and follow-up as assigned.
- Develops and maintains community partnerships to support family services, parent education, family literacy, father/male engagement, advisory committees, referrals, transitions, and other family-strengthening activities.
- Schedules and coordinates Health Services Advisory Committee meetings, including maintaining the member contact list, preparing agendas and materials, sending meeting notices, tracking attendance, documenting minutes or notes, and following up on recommendations or action items.
- Maintains a cooperative agreement tracking system for Local Education Agencies (LEAs), Early Intervention/ Part C providers, and other required partners, including renewal dates, approval routing, and signed agreement files.
- Represents the Agency professionally in assigned community meetings and document relevant contacts, referrals, resources, and partnership opportunities.
Data, Reporting, Budget, and Continuous Improvement Responsibilities:
- Prepares and reviews information for PIR, enrollment, attendance, family services, parent engagement, and other required reports.
- Uses data to identify trends, service gaps, recruitment needs, attendance barriers, family service needs, and opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Assists the Temporary Deputy Director and Temporary Early Childhood Program Manager with program planning, grant development, community assessment activities, self-assessment, corrective action planning, and content-area improvement activities.
- Supports preparation for federal, state, licensing, fiscal, and Agency monitoring reviews by ensuring assigned content-area documentation is organized, current, and monitoring-ready.
- Maintains tracking tools for Health Services Advisory Committee recommendations, cooperative agreements, LEA/Early Intervention agreements, renewal dates, and assigned follow-up items.
- Identifies recurring documentation problems, service gaps, attendance barriers, recruitment needs, or family service trends and recommend practical corrective steps to management.
- Follows-up on assigned monitoring findings, corrective action items, or quality improvement tasks until completion is documented.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Minimum Qualifications:
- High school diploma or GED required.
- Knowledge of or ability to learn Head Start Program Performance Standards, Alabama DHR Child Care Licensing Requirements, ERSEA requirements, family services practices, and parent/family engagement expectations.
- Must have a valid Alabama driver’s license and reliable transportation.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to learn and use Agency-required systems, including child/family data systems and reporting platforms.
- Ability to collect, analyze, maintain, and report data required for performance measurement, compliance monitoring, PIR reporting, and continuous improvement.
- Ability to interpret written and verbal instructions, applicable standards, policies, and procedures and complete assigned tasks accurately and timely.
- Ability to communicate effectively, conduct training, provide technical assistance, and work cooperatively with individuals from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and experiential backgrounds.
- Demonstrated professionalism, maturity, sound judgment, confidentiality, and sensitivity to the needs of children and families experiencing poverty or other barriers.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, Family Studies, or a related field.
- Prior Head Start/Early Head Start experience in ERSEA, family services, parent/family engagement, community partnerships, or program compliance.
- Experience using Head Start data systems, maintaining eligibility/enrollment documentation, preparing reports, and supporting monitoring reviews.
- Experience analyzing compliance documentation, program data, attendance trends, family needs, or service delivery outcomes.
PREFERRED SKILLS:
· Previous or current experience with ChildPlus software systems.
· Previous experience working in a Social Services role.
· Must have the ability to work with people of varying degrees of experience and background.
· Must have the ability to use office equipment that is required of this position.
· Have an interest in continuing education, such as workshops, etc.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.
The employee must be able to sit, stand, walk, talk, hear, type, operate office equipment, reach, stoop, bend, climb stairs, walk on uneven surfaces, and briefly run short distances during program or field activities. The position may involve moderate physical activity for two (2) to four (4) hours per workday, including lifting, carrying, or moving objects weighing up to thirty (30) pounds multiple times during an eight-hour workday.
Tasks that involve possible exposure to blood, bodily fluids, or tissues (generally, only observing in the classroom). Risk involve with travel on main highway, side streets, and rural roads during business travel, including evening meetings. Tasks that involve handling implements or utensils, use of public or shared bathroom facilities or telephones and personal contacts are Category III tasks. Possible exposure to communicable diseases. This job is a mixture of desk works, standing for long periods of time, and visits in the community. Ability to successfully perform the job in this manner is required.
No calls, please.
Job Type: Full-time
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
Education:
Experience:
- Childcare: 1 year (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- Driver's License (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
