• Include a summary of the role of family services staff in the program.
• Make sure the description speaks directly to the candidates and clearly describes the roles and responsibilities. The description should inspire interested candidates to apply for the job and guide them in preparing for the interview.
• Use the Head Start Program Performance Standard Family and Community Engagement Program Services, 45 CFR §1302 Subpart E and the Relationship-based Competencies to Support Family Engagement as guides to write the “Job Description” section and “Job Responsibilities” section (below).
• Include whether it is a full-time or part-time position and the number of months of employment.

• The family advocate engages families of enrolled children in activities and services that support parents as their children’s primary nurturers, experts, and teachers, to promote and sustain children’s learning and development, as well as long-term family well-being.
• The family advocate builds trusting relationships with families and provides support and access to services that are responsive to each family’s goals, living situation, cultures, beliefs, values, languages, practices, and traditions.
• The family advocate partners with families to learn about their strengths and identify resources that can advance them toward their goals for themselves and their children.
• This is a full-time position; the chosen candidate will be scheduled to work Monday through Friday for 8 hours each day, depending on assignments. The individual holding this position will work on a 12-month schedule and will need to travel locally to fulfill work-related responsibilities, including but not limited to home visits, center visits, and training events.

• Include daily activities and tasks the employee will be required to perform.
• Describe the skills and competencies an employee needs to acquire for the job.

Relationship-building and Collaboration with Families

• The family advocate will use relationship-based practices as defined in the Relationship-based Competencies to:
  • Develop relationships with parents by learning about their histories, goals, and dreams.
  • Engage in respectful, ongoing, two-way communication with parents.
  • Collaborate with families in a family partnership process to support the their identified needs, interests, strengths, and goals (45 CFR §1302.52).
  • Jointly monitor progress toward families’ goals.
  • Conduct in-person or virtual home visits.
  • Maintain ongoing contact with families, according to the program’s policies and procedures.

Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA), if applicable to the position

• Support recruitment and enrollment of children and families, including children with disabilities, children and families experiencing homelessness, and other priority populations identified by the program in their community assessment (45 CFR §1302.14).
• Engage in recruitment efforts to increase interest in the program and to assist in building a waitlist or fill vacancies within 30 days.
• Maintain child attendance records; communicate with families and teaching staff about attendance; provide support for attendance challenges.

Community Partnerships and Engagement

• Identify and develop ongoing collaborative relationships with community partners to help support family access to community resources (45 CFR §1302.53).
• Provide community resource information to families while tailoring information in response to each family’s goals and needs.

Transitions

• Assist families with transitional activities as defined at Transition Services, 45 CFR §1302 Subpart G:
  • Into the Head Start program.
  • Within the program (e.g., from an Early Head Start classroom to a Head Start Preschool classroom or from Year 1 to Year 2).
  • From the Head Start program to other educational settings.

Recordkeeping and Data-informed Services

• Document and track child and parent information in the program’s data management system, including but not limited to case notes, health data, enrollment data, and program information data to support family and program goals.
• Maintain policies, guidelines, and expectations to protect the confidentiality and privacy of families’ data.

Professional Growth

• Participate in training events, staff meetings, and ongoing professional development opportunities to learn about the role and develop the skills needed to work effectively with children and families.
• Participate in reflective supervision, reflective practice, and peer-to-peer learning groups.

• The Head Start Program Performance Standards establish the family services staff qualifications requirements for staff working directly with families.
• Your program has the flexibility to add higher or more rigorous requirements than those outlined in the Performance Standards. Review Education Requirements for Family Services Managers and Staff for guidance on developing policies and procedures to ensure family services staff meet the regulations.

Family services staff must hold one of the following:

• Current credential or certification in social work, human services, family services, counseling, or a related field.
• Associate or bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, family services, counseling, or a related field.
• High school diploma or a degree that is not in social work, human services, family services, counseling, or a related field, with a commitment to completing a credential or certification within 18 months of the date of hire.

If applicable, consider including the following:

• Current or former Head Start parents who meet the qualifications will receive preference and support if they apply.
• Current staff (even if new) who are interested in the position but who do not meet the qualification requirements will receive financial and other support to complete the requirements.

• Ensure the experience you ask for in the job description is inclusive of individuals with diverse and nontraditional backgrounds.

• Holds at least (X number of years) of experience working with families or children in an early childhood, social service, or education program.
• Knows about the two-generation Head Start model and family services or human services programs.
• Has served on the Policy Council in a Head Start program.
• Is a current or former Head Start parent.
• Has held a volunteer, intern, staff, or apprentice position at a Head Start program.

• Include other state, local, or grant recipient requirements that candidates will need to meet.

These examples may vary across grant recipients but could include:

• Background checks (45 CFR §1302.90)
• Language proficiencies
• Certifications required by the grant recipient (e.g., first aid, CPR)
• Drug screening
• Health screenings and vaccinations
• Driver’s license

• If applicable, include specific requirements related to American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Head Start programs.

Examples of additional requirements for AIAN Head Start programs:

• Familiarity with and respect for AIAN heritage and culture.
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to Native cultures.
• Ability to work with diverse cultural groups and people from both urban and rural settings, in cross-cultural situations, and with multigeneration family structures.
• Knowledge about Indigenous culture and language revitalization efforts.

• If applicable, include specific requirements related to Migrant and Seasonal Head Start (MSHS) programs.

Examples of additional requirements for MSHS programs:

• Experience with or knowledge about working with the migrant and seasonal farmworker culture, lifestyle, and community.
• Experience with or knowledge about working with families in migrant and seasonal early childhood programs or Head Start programs.
• Bilingual English and Spanish (oral and written).

• Include a list of perks that will attract talented candidates.
• List at least two or three benefits to increase the application rate.

• Scholarship to complete a family services credential
• Training opportunities, professional development, and mentoring/supervision support
• Paid family services apprenticeship
• Signing bonus or other bonuses
• Financial or nonfinancial support for professional development
• Career development opportunities
• Health insurance
• Staff wellness opportunities
• 401(k) or 403(b) retirement savings program with employer contributions
• Gym membership

• Include a concise description of your program.
• In the description, include the program’s goals, history, mission, philosophy, services offered for children and families, and the service area or community served.

The Family Dreams Head Start program continually works toward its mission of delivering high-quality services to eligible children and families in safe and healthy settings and preparing children for success in school and life.

The program’s staff actively engage parents and family members, with family participation throughout the program being a cornerstone of the Head Start model. Equity is foundational to the Head Start mission and to securing fair and just access to educational opportunities and comprehensive services for all children and families.

The Family Dreams Head Start program has been part of the Jonesville community for more than 40 years, working with the local community to deliver comprehensive services for children and families.

• The job advertisement or posting must identify the Head Start program as an equal opportunity employer and include a supportive statement.
• This statement consists of a short paragraph that conveys an organization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in its employment practices according to federal law.

Example from the U.S. Department of Labor:

“The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.”

• Include contact information for a staff member who can provide more information or respond to questions about the position.