Family Partner

Under direct supervision, the Family Partner will be responsible for providing direct, comprehensive services to assigned pregnant women and/or infant children and their families through home visits and parent participation. Caseloads will include both prenatal mothers/families as well as infants/families.

The incumbent will support prenatal mothers and expectant families in dealing with the multitude of physical and emotional changes pregnancy brings working to assist in fostering a strong bond between both parents and their unborn baby; to inspire pregnant women to have a healthy lifestyle and ultimately a healthy baby; to enhance their self-esteem and life goals; to identify early signs of health and developmental concerns and to prepare family for parenthood. The Family Partner will minimally provide one (1) visit with each expectant mom per month, or more based on family need and monthly education experiences.

Once the baby is born the Family Partner will conduct weekly home visits with each assigned family and offer/facilitate twice monthly group explore and learn sessions with parents and children. Caseload shall be in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards for the program.

Incumbents are responsible for coordinating and implementing comprehensive services, in accordance with Head Start Performance Standards, for assigned families and will provide health services and follow-up to assigned clients.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this class.

• With parents, plans and conducts 90 minute home visits and facilitates group socialization experience/classes to assigned families as required by program option and based upon the needs of the family; provides prenatal and/or parent education using assigned curriculum; plans and implements class times as required by program option which focus on child development concepts, parent-child relationships and parenting techniques.
• Develops and supports the concept that the parent is the primary educator, enabling the parent to provide richer experiences to support their childs growth and development
• Documents client home visits accurately, through timely entries into the childs file, including topics covered, parent-child observations, family accomplishments and needs, tracking health screenings, follow up and other relevant information; records, maintains and updates health files, including medical/dental examinations, follow-ups, and referral documents for assigned clients; maintains the confidentiality of all family records and program information.
• Conducts screenings and ongoing assessment of childrens development for assigned clients; works in partnership with parents to determine the uniqueness and individuality of their child using observations, screenings and assessments.
• Collaborates with assigned families to establish goals, documents progress in meeting the goals, and regularly updates their progress in written individual child goals and Family Partnership Agreements.
• Promotes and assists assigned families in identifying, accessing and utilizing community resources, while encouraging and promoting each familys empowerment and self-sufficiency and reinforcing positive self-help skills; provides referrals for children and families to community resources to meet identified needs and ensures follow-up to see needs are met.
• Ensures expectant families are linked with pre-and post-natal care to promote healthy birth outcomes; provides pregnant women information on topics such as child development, health awareness, prenatal issues, breast feeding, and sudden infant death syndrome; works closely with lactation consultant and health and mental health staff to complete a newborn visit within 2 weeks of babys birth.
• Assists the parent in providing a safe home environment to prevent and reduce childhood injuries, recognizing safety hazards, dangerous substances, and unsafe conditions and give parents resources regarding the removal of debris, hazards, unsafe equipment and materials; reinforces good self-help skills, (i.e., hand washing, teeth brushing, and assists in educating parents in diapering and toileting procedures).
• Assists the parents in learning and maintaining good health and nutrition practices, utilizing home space, relationships, materials, and home routines as resources for an interesting, secure and enjoyable environment that encourages, play, exploration and learning; provides information relevant to family needs.
• Encourages parents to appreciate the importance of physical development and provides opportunities for indoor and outdoor active play that encourages physical development, recognizes individual differences and guides children in the safe use of materials and equipment; maintains an open, positive, friendly, professional and cooperative relationship with each family member to encourage and support parent engagement.
• Recognizes symptoms of spousal, sexual, child abuse and neglect and the legal requirements in such cases and follows MAAC procedures in dealing with such situations.
• Attends required trainings, meetings, conferences, workshops and other business related meetings; performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Implementation of the home-based curriculum which explores parenting concepts, skills, and practices that promote healthy child development;
• Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five and applicable state early learning and development standards, including for children with disabilities and dual language learners, as appropriate;
• Effective strength-based parent education, including methods to encourage parents as their childs first teachers;
• Early childhood development with respect to children from birth to age three; and
• Methods to help parents promote emergent literacy in their children from birth to age three, including use of research-based strategies to support the development of literacy and language skills for children with limited English proficiency
• Community resources related to client needs
  

Ability to:

• Ascertain what health and development services the family receives and work with providers of these services to eliminate gaps in service by offering annual health, vision, hearing, and development screening for children from birth to age three
• Develop strategies for helping families coping with a crisis; and
• Connect the relationship of health and well-being of pregnant women to early child development
• Work occasional/periodic evenings/weekends as assigned

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/CERTIFICATION

• High school diploma or GED equivalent
• Valid California Child Development Associate Teacher Permit OR Home-based CDA credential
• Six (6) semester units in ECE/ Child Development and six (6) units in Infant/Toddler (three (3) units required at time of hire and must complete additional three (3) units in Infant/Toddler within one year of employment)
• Three (3) or more units in Social Services or Health Services related fields
• One (1) year of experience with children ages 0-3 years in a child care, health or social service setting
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) speaking, Reading and writing required.

VALUE-BASED BEHAVIORS

Listens attentively to others. Asks clarifying questions to gain a better understanding of the other persons views and underlying assumptions
Works effectively in a team environment and actively participates in joint problem solving; willingly cooperates with co-workers
Identifies and takes advantage of opportunities for personal and professional development
Attends work consistently and punctually. Arrives to meetings prepared and on time; honors work commitments; follows through on what was agreed upon; meets deadlines
Honors the private and confidential matters of co-workers. Protects the proprietary information of MAAC systems
Follows rules, regulations, and policies; positively contributes to implementing changes
Deals with issues directly, in a respectful and timely manner. Focuses on resolving the issue while not criticizing the person. Follows rules, regulations, and policies; positively contributes to implementing changes

HEALTH STATUS

Must have a physical examination, TB clearance and a drug screen by a doctor/clinic designated by MAAC as well as immunization records for influenza*, pertussis and measles as required by state and federal regulations prior to the first day of employment.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS

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

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this class, an employee is regularly required to stand, walk and sit, talk or hear both in person and by telephone, uses hands to finger, handle or feel objects or controls, reach with hands and arms. An employee also is regularly required to stoop, kneel, bend, crouch or crawl, climb or balance and lift up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Mental Demands

While performing the duties of this class, the employee is regularly required to use written and oral communication skills; read and interpret information; analyze and solve problems; observe and interpret people and situations; use basic math; learn and apply new information or skills; work under intensive deadlines and interact with MAAC management, administrators, staff, teachers, parents, family members, children and others encountered in the course of work.

BACKGROUND CLEARANCE

All positions are subject to a background/education check, DMV check, NSOR, exclusion and debarment checks prior to hire and periodically throughout employment as required by various funding sources.

Note: California Start law requires background criminal checks on anyone who works in a licensed childcare facility who is not a client. Must have or obtain a current criminal background check clearance, signed criminal record statement, and signed Acknowledgement to Report Child Abuse form prior to the first day of employment.

TRANSPORTATION

Must have and maintain a valid California Drivers License, daily use of a personal, insured vehicle, and have and maintain a motor vehicle driving record acceptable to MAACs insurance carrier. Incumbents will be enrolled in the California DMV Pull Program.