Family Advocate - Early Head Start (Helena, MT)

Aware-Inc; Helena (MT); On-site; USD 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

FSA

HSA

401k

Employee Assistance Program

Tuition Advancement

Professional Development

Job summary

AWARE in Helena, MT is seeking a Family Advocate to support children, adults, and families in our community. You will help families develop growth plans, coordinate services, and ensure compliance with Head Start standards. This full-time role offers competitive benefits and professional development opportunities.

The position emphasizes data accuracy, home visits, parent education, and collaboration with staff to enhance family well-being and program effectiveness.

Qualifications

• Requires a BS/BA in Human Services or related field.
• Two years’ experience working with families or in an educational setting preferred.
• Knowledge of Head Start/early childhood development is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with childcare licensure, Head Start standards, and ERSEA requirements.
• Assist families in identifying strengths, needs, and goal plans.
• Coordinate home visits, data entry (Child Plus) and document management.
• Develop and report on program data and outcomes.
• Foster community partnerships and provide parent education.

Skills

Communication skills

Computer literacy

Problem solving

Training & facilitation

Education

BS/BA in Human Services

Head Start experience preferred

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Family Advocate - $23.04 per hour to start

AWARE - Helena, MT - Full-Time

If you are passionate about providing high-quality care to individuals in your community, we invite you to join our team at AWARE.

The support we provide helps the adults, children, and families we serve become active and vital members of their community while focusing on personal growth. We are a compassionate and fully engaged team that is dedicated to providing the best possible care to our clients. Our strength lies in our culture of care, and we are looking for individuals who share our commitment to providing unconditional care to those in need.

We are committed to providing a supportive and inclusive work environment where all team members feel valued and respected. We offer competitive compensation and benefits packages, as well as opportunities for professional growth and development. If you are looking for a rewarding career, we encourage you to apply to join our team at AWARE.

Responsibilities:

• Ensure all compliance with rules, regulations and guidelines involving childcare licensure and Head Start Performance Standards are implemented and followed.
• Assist parents/guardians with identifying individual and family strengths and needs.
• Assist families with developing family goal plans. Follow up with families to assess goal attainment or to adjust/adapt goals, as necessitated.
• Assist families with identifying needed community resources, following up on the progress of referrals and/or goals.
• Assess and evaluate family success in reaching their goals (outcomes).
• Assists with required child screenings, including ASQ, DECA.
• Coordinate community agency services when families are connected with more than one service.
• Assist with transfers, program drops and transitions ensuring appropriate documentation is completed.
• Ensuring all required EHS documents are obtained and all signatures documented.
• Coordinate with team members to ensure required home visits are scheduled and complete.
• Enter child and family data, in a timely manner (within 48 hours), into Child Plus, ensuring accuracy of data.
• Analyze and report on data as required.
• Establish collaborative relationships with community organizations.
• Compliance with ERSEA requirements and activities, including recruitment, application meetings, follow up on required paperwork and attendance.
• verify eligibility for the program by collecting, reviewing and maintaining required documents.
• Monitoring enrollment, attendance, and health requirements following up with families as required.
• Assist parents with Best Beginning subsidy paperwork, including monitoring necessary deadlines.
• Provide support to center staff and work collaboratively for the well-being of the children and families served.
• Using the results of the parent survey, conducts parent education and other training opportunities for parents/guardians. utilizing a variety of approaches, curriculum, and teaching methods.
• Participate in staffing, staff meetings and trainings.
• Conduct home visits with families, including parent out of home if available, for the purpose of establishing rapport, obtaining paperwork, setting and following through with goals, assuring that children’s records are obtained, providing parenting and child development information and assistance, and providing crisis assistance, as needed.
• Ensure and coordinate father/males involvement opportunities.
• Assist and support with the coordination of Policy Council activities including elections, meetings, attendance and information distribution.
• Coordinate, with parent input, Parent Committee meetings
• Report to work at scheduled times and maintains good attendance.
• Perform all duties in a timely and professional manner.
• Participate with a positive attitude and behavior in all program activities.
• Participate in mandatory AWARE training, in-services, staff meetings, and corporate committees as assigned.
• Upon hiring, will undergo training and will be expected to pass testing in the following areas: First Aid/CPR, Blood-Borne Pathogens, HIPAA, and Vehicle Operation
• Perform other duties as assigned and reasonably within the scope of the duties listed above.

BENEFITS:

• Health Insurance
• FSA
• HSA
• 401k
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Advancement
• Professional Development

Requirements

Talents, skills, and abilities:

• Requires a BS/BA Degree in Human Services, Social Work or a related field. Requires at least two (2) years’ experience working with families. Experience in an educational setting with a demonstrated knowledge of family systems and early childhood development preferred.
• Must demonstrate a comprehensive working knowledge of Early Childhood education and Family Systems, including theories and principles of human growth and development, broad working knowledge relative to the needs of low-income children. Head Start/Early Head Start experience preferred.
• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
• Advance computer literacy including database management, spreadsheet, word processing, internet, email.
• Ability to form professional relationships with a diverse group of people.
• Willingness to work flexible hours in order to meet the needs of the program.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal.
• Excellent diagnostic and problem-solving skills.
• Training and training development for small and large groups.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining communication with team members.
• Knowledge of Head Start Performance Standards, philosophy and mission, desirable.
• Must have a valid Montana driver’s license and liability insurance.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.