Early Head Start – Parent Child Educator

40 hours

Start Date: Immediately

Under the direction of the Early Head Start (EHS) Home-Based Supervisor, the Parent/Child Educator (PCE) is responsible for providing home visiting services that assist in optimizing the home environment for the physical, mental and educational well being of pregnant women and/or children up to the age of 36 months and their families.  The PCE assists in strengthening the parent-child relationship through improving parenting skills; promoting parents as first teachers; and supporting parents in strengthening family functioning.  The PCE works with individual parents in the home setting and also in regularly scheduled group socialization activities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Establishes a trusting relationship with enrolled families by initiating and maintaining regular participant contact, as follows:
   1. Provide one home visit per week per family lasting for a minimum of one and one half hours each
   2. Provide, at a minimum, two group socialization activities per month for each child.
   3. Responsible for making up any home visits or scheduled group socialization activities that were cancelled by the program, to ensure minimum requirements are met.

2. Establishes a Family Partnership Agreement (FPA) with goals, objectives and activities with parents. The FPA is reviewed by the Supervisor and may be amended (together with the family) as needed, throughout the program year.

3. Is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the FPA and is skilled in:
   1. Establishing relationships with individuals and families that maintain and promote their self respect and encourage their independence; and
   2. Assessing the progress of individuals and families regarding the service agreement.

4. Has working knowledge of parent-child interaction; developmentally appropriate practices for working with infants and toddlers, including those with special needs; adult learning principles and the dynamics of child abuse and neglect. Applies this information in working with parents.

5. Knows community resources and can direct parents in crisis to the appropriate community resource.

6. Assists parents in making and attending appointments for medical, dental, mental health and social services needs. Acts as a liaison between families and other community agencies.

7. Maintains confidentiality of family records and all related information.

8. Meets with the EHS Home-Based Supervisor on a weekly basis to ensure that the families, including pregnant women are meeting the goals and objectives of their FPA and Individualized Family Support Plan (IFSP), if applicable.

9. Participates in the development of the IFSP for applicable children.

10. Records (or participates in telephone supervision) pertinent information related to home visit observations, activities and worker intervention in a complete and concise manner according to expected visit outcomes of the EHS curriculum.

11. Attends regular staff meetings, case conferences, in-service training and other meetings as required to discuss more complex cases, discuss follow-up on individuals who have refused services, strategies for better engagement of families and suggested improvements for support and training.

12. Participates in quarterly peer review of cases and develops improvement plans as needed.

13. Demonstrates ability to work with other in-house personnel and/or service providers as part of a team, and with maturity in interpersonal staff relationships.

14. Demonstrates organizational skills in independently managing workload and related responsibilities, including planning and evaluating with parents, the activities for group socializations and Parent Committees.

15. Recognizes need for professional intervention and makes appropriate and effective referrals in conjunction with input from EHS Home-Based Supervisor.

16. Works effectively with employees from other agencies and members of community groups.

17. Recruits pregnant women and/or families with children age birth to age 36 months.

18. Participates in program planning and yearly EHS program self-assessment.

19. Parent/Child Educator must maintain a flexible work schedule of work hours, as necessary, in order to provide needed and timely service during evenings, weekends, and holidays. This may be at the request of the participant or the Agency.

20. Participates as an Agency representative in the community through speaking engagements and as assigned.

21. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Other qualifications listed below are needed to adequately fulfill essential job duties.  Position requires ability to transport participants on an as needed basis.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Current and valid driver’s license.
• Current and clean driver’s abstract.
• Current automobile insurance and safety inspection.
• Current CPR/First Aid certification.
• Current TB clearance.

Other Skills:

Parent/Child Educator should also exhibit the following:

1. experience with children and family services;
2. respect and acceptance of diverse health and parenting beliefs;
3. ability to observe and report accurately on the functioning of individuals and families;
4. maturity in exercising judgment; and
5. ability to handle stressful situations.

 Education and/or Experience:

High school diploma or GED equivalent, Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential or comparable credential preferred or willingness to acquire a CDA by August of 2018.

A minimum of three years experience working in early childhood education or with human services programs and/or equivalent experience through related position required.

Language Skills: 

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret technical procedures or governmental regulations.  Ability to write reports.  Ability to effectively present and respond to questions from the management staff, governing body, Policy Council, and/or the federal oversight agency.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a number of variables that may arise.  Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, and listen.  Mostly sedentary work, occasional reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, or crouching. The employee should have manual dexterity to accomplish all aspects of clerical functions of job, as well as educating parents in baby care.  The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

 Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.   There is little to moderate exposure to temperature, noise or environmental extremes. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.