Caldwell County Home Visitor

North Central Missouri College; North Carolina; On-site; USD 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

North Central Missouri College seeks a Home Visitor to plan and implement home-based learning experiences for prenatal to age 5 children in Early Head Start/Head Start contexts. You will build respectful, culturally responsive relationships with families and pregnant women, guiding families toward school readiness with a strengths-based approach.

Responsibilities include regular home visits, enrollment outreach, and collaboration with program staff to deliver a quality home-based curriculum and

Qualifications

• High school diploma required; CDA credential or equivalent coursework preferred; may require certification.
• Experience teaching preschool and working with families preferred.
• Ability to lift 40-50 pounds and meet health requirements including TB test and exam.
• Pass criminal background screening and work independently with diversity sensitivity.
• Strong communication, time management, organization, recordkeeping, and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide one home visit per week per family for at least 1 ½ hours; ensure visits per year as required by program.
• Maintain weekly visit schedules and schedule make-up visits when needed.
• Recruit and enroll eligible children and pregnant women in assigned area.
• Assess educational needs of children birth through five, including those with disabilities.
• Plan home visits with parents using ongoing assessments to tailor learning experiences.
• Deliver developmentally appropriate, research-based curriculum promoting home as learning environment.
• Support parent involvement and strengthen parent-child relationships and family routines.
• Coordinate with families to monitor progress toward school readiness and family goals.

Skills

Verbal / written communication

Computer applications

Time management

Organization

Recordkeeping

Teamwork

Education

High school diploma

CDA Credential or related coursework

Equivalent coursework toward associate or bachelor's degree

Tools

None specified

Job description

Description

This is a professional non-exempt position responsible for planning home-based learning experiences that focus on promoting high-quality early learning in the home and growth toward goals described in the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework. Ages served include Prenatal through age 5. It is the responsibility of the home visitor to implement an effective home-based curriculum which builds respectful, culturally responsive and trusting relationships with children and families, including pregnant women, children with disabilities and dual language learners. This position is directly responsible to the Education Specialist of the program.

Job Type

Full-time

EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED AND CONDITIONS

• Provide one home visit per week per family for at least 1 ½ hours. Early Head Start requires 46 visits per year and Pre-K Head Start requires 32 visits per year.


• Maintain a schedule of weekly home visits including make-up visits created by staff or family.


• Maintain an outreach and recruitment process in assigned area which systematically ensures enrollment of eligible children and pregnant women, regardless of race, sex, creed, color, national origin or disabling condition.


• Assess the educational needs of children ages birth through five years, including children with disabilities.


• Plan home visit jointly with the parent using information from ongoing assessments that individualize learning experiences.


• Provide research-based strategies and activities for children who are dual language learners that recognize bilingualism and biliteracy as strengths. Early Head Start will focus on home language and Pre-K will include both languages.


• Facilitate a developmentally appropriate research-based curriculum which promotes the home as a learning environment that is safe, nurturing, responsive, and language/communication rich.


• Promote the parent’s role as the principal influence in their child’s education and development through a planned program of experiences and activities which support and focus on the parent-child relationship as well as family traditions, culture, values, and beliefs.


• Help parents relate to their children and reinforce their positive behavior.


• Help enhance parents’ knowledge and understanding of early childhood development by providing information and materials that promote the parent as the primary educator of their children.


• Follow up with families to discuss learning experiences provided in the home between each visit, address concerns and inform strategies to promote progress toward school readiness and family engagement goals.


• Provide opportunities for parent participation in home visits, group socializations, Policy Council, parent-developed activities, etc.


• Insure children have the benefit of regular comprehensive health examinations including physical, mental, dental, and health screenings.


• Provide families, including pregnant women, with information and access to comprehensive services including nutrition counseling, food assistance, oral health care, mental health services, substance abuse prevention and treatment, and emergency shelter or transitional housing.


• Provide pregnant women with prenatal and postpartum information, education, and services.


• Identify special health problems of children and their families and help them obtain needed services.


• Provide families with health information and access to community health resources and services including public health services and health insurance.


• Assist in establishing and maintaining health records.


• Collaborate with families in a partnership process that identifies needs, interests, strengths, goals, services, and resources that support family well-being including family safety, health, and economic stability.


• Partner with the Family Engagement Specialist and assist the family in its own efforts to establish and accomplish family goals.


• Engage in pre-service and in-service training as directed by the Education Specialist, Professional Development Specialist or Program Director.


• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the Education Specialist or the Program Director.

Requirements

• High school diploma required at time of hire. A home-based Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential, a comparable credential, or equivalent coursework as part of an associate or bachelor's degree is preferred. If there is no prior certification or degree in early childhood, the home visitor will need to obtain certification.


• Experience teaching preschool children and working with families preferred.


• Able to lift 40 - 50 pounds.


• Required to maintain current health requirements of an annual T.B. Tine and physical exam.


• Must be able to successfully pass criminal background screening.


• Ability to be sensitive and responsive to diversity.


• Conviction about the capacity of people to grow and change.


• Ability to work independently.


• Ability to set limits and boundaries that maintain the helping role of a practitioner and assist others with setting healthy boundaries.


• Seek to improve knowledge, skills, and abilities in related service areas.


• Must have necessary skills to communicate with children and families with kindness and respect, as well as practice positive behavior support techniques effectively.


• Must have necessary skills to manage time appropriately.


• Must have strong skills in the following: verbal/written communication, computer applications, time management, organization, recordkeeping, and teamwork. Must demonstrate competency to plan and implement home-based learning experiences that ensure effective implementation of the home visiting curriculum. Must be willing to further formal education, as necessary.