Family Engagement Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

SUMMARY :

Educare Lincoln is a collaborative partnership between the Lincoln Public Schools (LPS), University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL), Early Head Start (EHS), and the Buffett Early Childhood Fund. The mission of Educare Lincoln is to help young children thrive socially, emotionally, and academically through high-quality early childhood education, and in partnership with their families and the community. The EHS program (ages 6 weeks to 3 years) and the preschool program (ages 3 years to 5 years) promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of evidence-based education, health, nutritional, social, and other services to enrolled children and their families.

The Family Engagement Specialist assists in the recruitment, enrollment, and monitoring of attendance of Educare students. They team with teaching and administrative staff to develop and implement family engagement opportunities to enhance family well-being, promote positive parent-child relationships, support family members as lifelong educators, engage family members as learners, inform families during the transition of their children from one developmental program to another, connect family members to peers and their community, and promote family members’ abilities to advocate and serve as leaders in their community. The Family Engagement Specialist also assists families as needed to address crisis events that may impact a child’s regular participation in the program and / or relate to basic family needs.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND KEY TASKS :

Family Engagement

• Engage with fellow staff, family members, and children in a manner sensitive to the experiences, needs, and strengths of low-income and diverse populations as well as individuals with disabilities.
• Identify family strengths and areas of need by completing a Family Needs Assessment and updating as needed.
• Assist family members in identifying goals in the areas of family–child relationships, knowledge of child development, advocacy, and involvement during the Family Partnership Agreement process.
• Support families of children with disabilities and / or behavioral concerns through building relationships and communicating / advocating with teachers and administrative staff within the educational system and during the transition process.
• Plan and facilitate regularly scheduled family activities and family involvement events to respond to families’ interests and / or needs. Activities may include individual, small group, and / or large group sharing of information regarding child development and self-sufficiency issues as identified by families.

Interdisciplinary Responsibilities

Case Management

ERSEA (Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, Attendance)

Other

QUALIFICATIONS :

ESSENTIAL SKILLS / ABILITIES REQUIRED :