Family Advocate

Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois; Havana (IL); On-site; USD 33,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Major Medical Plan

Life Insurance

Dental & Vision Insurance

403(b) Retirement plan

Paid Time Off / PTO

Sick Leave

18 Paid Holidays

Job summary

Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois is seeking a Family Advocate to promote family well-being, school readiness, and parent engagement within Head Start. You will manage a caseload, connect families with resources, and lead recruitment to sustain full enrollment and active participation.

You will coordinate parenting activities, document outcomes, and ensure compliance with program standards while maintaining confidentiality and teamwork.

Qualifications

• CPR, First Aid and any required trainings for the Head Start program.
• Fingerprint and background check as per 89 Ill. Adm. Code 385 and CAPCIL procedures.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Capacity to maintain professional attitude.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain positive relationships with enrolled families to promote well-being and readiness.
• Maintain an assigned caseload and provide ongoing family partnership services.
• Establish and update Family Partnership Agreements per standards.
• Document and report family services and referrals in the data system.
• Assist families in obtaining community resources and services.

Skills

Oral & written communication

Professional demeanor

Microsoft SharePoint

Relational databases

Education

Associates degree in Sociology, Psychology, Family Service, or related field

4+ years of commensurate experience or FCD Certificate

Tools

Microsoft SharePoint

Relational databases

Job description

Description

Position: Family Advocate

Supervisor: Family Services Manager

Classification: Level II, Non-Exempt

+ Overview

The Family Advocate is responsible for promoting family well-being, school readiness, and parent engagement for enrolled Head Start families. The Family Advocate maintains an assigned caseload, supports families in accessing resources, coordinates parent engagement and leadership opportunities, implements parenting education activities, and leads recruitment efforts to support full enrollment and active family participation in the Head Start program.

+ Essential Job Functions

• Develop and maintain positive relationships with enrolled families to promote family well-being, school readiness, and successful participation in the Head Start program.
• Maintain an assigned caseload of families and provide ongoing family partnership services, assessing strengths, needs, goals, and progress throughout the program year.
• Establish, monitor, and update Family Partnership Agreements in accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards and agency procedures.
• Maintain accurate documentation, monitoring, follow-up, and reporting of family services, health services and referral activities in the agency data management system and other required tracking systems.
• Assist families in obtaining community resources and services through referrals, advocacy, and follow-up activities that support family well-being and self-sufficiency.
• Coordinate family engagement and parent leadership activities that strengthen parent-child relationships, promote school readiness, and encourage participation in Policy Council, Parent Committees, and other leadership opportunities.
• Schedule and implement the program's approved parenting curriculum, including participant recruitment and documentation of attendance and outcomes.
• Ensure families receive information regarding community resources, health services, disability services, mental health services, nutrition services, and educational opportunities as appropriate.
• Support family engagement and school readiness activities in accordance with Head Start Performance Standards.
• Lead and participate in recruitment, outreach, and enrollment activities to support full enrollment and maintenance of an adequate waitlist across assigned classrooms and service areas.
• Assist with annual program self-assessment, community assessment, ERSEA activities, and PIR reporting as assigned.
• Maintain confidentiality of all information regarding children, families, and staff.
• Attend all required staff meetings, trainings, workshops, and conferences according to Head Start Performance Standards and agency requirements.
• Perform job duties as per timeline.
• Perform any other duties needed to help drive our vision, fulfill our mission, and abide by our organization's values.

+ Education and Experience

• Associates- degree in Sociology, Psychology, Family Service, or related field preferred. Alternatively, 4+ years commensurate experience or an FCD Certificate.
• Must successfully complete CPR, First Aid, and any other training necessary for the operation of the program.
• Proficiency in Microsoft products to include SharePoint and experience with relational databases.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Capacity to always maintain professional attitude.
• Successfully complete fingerprint and background check as required by 89 Ill. Adm. Code 385, Background Checks (Section 407.110) and CAPCIL procedure.

Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois Job Description

• Possess a valid Driver’s License, functional vehicle, and proof of vehicle insurance.
• This position requires you to drive an agency vehicle, you will be subject to CAPCIL insurance reviews. If for some reason, you are unable to be insured by the agency's insurance, you will be unable to drive CAPCIL vehicles, which could result in termination.

+ Benefits

• Major Medical Plan. Community Action will pay a percentage of a monthly medical premium.
• Employee Term Life Insurance up to $30,000 depending on age, spousal coverage (up to age 70) for $10,000 and/or child coverage (up to age 26) for $10,000 per child.
• Dental and Vision Insurance Plan (Employer paid for the employee; employees can choose to add dependents at their own expense.)
• 403-b Retirement plan (CAPCIL will match up to 3%)
• Paid Time Off/PTO (6.5 days at time of hire, an additional 6.5 days after the 90-day probationary period, prorated based on hire date and increases with continued employment)
• Sick Leave (accrues at the rate of 4 hours per pay period for Full-Time and 2 hours per pay period for Part Time)
• 18 Paid Holidays (Including your birthday)

+ Key Performance Indicators

Outcome

Performance Indicator

Measure and Tool

What does Good Look Like?

Maintain a sufficient enrollment pipeline for assigned classrooms.

Recruit and maintain enough eligible applicants to support enrollment and waitlist goals.

Application Summary Report and Waitlist and Accepted Report reviewed at First Selection (April 1), Second Selection (May 1), and Third Selection (June 15).

-Income eligible applications = 120% of funded enrollment for assigned classrooms (by Aug 1st)

-No assigned classroom lacks eligible applicants during a selection period. (45, 75, & 95%)

- Maintain at least one income-eligible applicant per assigned classroom on the waitlist throughout the program year.

Head Start families achieve goals that improve family well-being and self-sufficiency.

Family Partnership Agreements are established, updated, and actively worked on with families.

Family Services Report reviewed October 15, January 15, and April 15.

-90% of Family Partnership Agreements are established and updated monthly.

-90% contain measurable goals.

Families actively participate in parent leadership and program governance activities.

Recruitment and engagement of parents in Policy Council and Parent Committee activities.

Policy Council Attendance Records and Family Engagement Reports.

-2/3 of assigned classrooms represented at Policy Council meeting.

-75% of Policy Council vacancies filled within 30 days and 100% within 90 days.

- 2/3 of assigned classrooms have a Policy Council representative and an alternate.

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Signature of Staff Member Date

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Signature of Human Resources Director Date