Bilingual Family Advocate — Head Start Impact

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet; Joliet (IL); On-site; USD 36,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holidays

Vacation days

Sick days

Medical/Dental/Vision

Flexible Spending Account

Short-term Disability

Long-Term Disability

Life and AD&D Insurance

403B Retirement Plan

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet Head Start is seeking a dedicated Family Advocate to support families and deliver comprehensive early childhood services in Joliet, IL. This role focuses on health, nutrition, family partnerships, and program design within Head Start standards.

You will conduct home visits, enroll eligible families, connect them with community resources, and coordinate transportation as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Social Work, Sociology, Human Services, Applied Behavioral Science, or related field.
• Minimum of 1 year of experience in a related field and 3 years of experience in Social Work preferred.
• Knowledge of local community resources, child development, and Head Start experience preferred.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse cultures, family systems, and social backgrounds.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Teams).
• Fluent oral and written bilingual Spanish skills; must pass a bilingual assessment.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Pass background clearance, physical, and TB test.
• Support the Codes of Ethics established by Catholic Charities USA, NASW, and APA.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and proof of liability insurance.
• Demonstrated ability to work constructively with persons from all racial and diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Assist in planning, developing, implementing, and coordinating Head Start Performance Standards related to Health and Nutrition Services, Family and Community Partnerships, Program Design, and Management.
• Conduct home visits and periodic weekend recruitment activities; attend parent meetings and family activity events.
• Work with families to determine family action plans, assess needs, and educate families about available community resources.
• Conduct intake process to enroll eligible families and obtain necessary information.
• Monitor families’ progress towards established Family Action plans and follow up on referrals.
• Participate in center meetings, agency meetings, parent committee meetings, and case coordination.
• Advocate for clients in problem situations, including appeals and reconsiderations.
• Maintain accurate family tracking system and documentation; comply with confidentiality procedures.
• Input and maintain data in Go Engage and Ready Rosie databases.
• Coordinate transportation information and transport families to appointments as needed.
• Other duties as assigned within the guidelines of this position.

Skills

Bilingual Spanish

Microsoft Office

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Social Work or related field

Tools

Go Engage

Ready Rosie

Job description

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet Head Start is seeking a dedicated Family Advocate to support families and deliver comprehensive early childhood services in Joliet, IL. This role focuses on health, nutrition, family partnerships, and program design within Head Start standards.

You will conduct home visits, enroll eligible families, connect them with community resources, and coordinate transportation as needed.