Family Service Advocate

Job Title/Job Code: Family Service Advocate

Please apply for this position on our internal website

https://ymcaatlanta.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/YMCA_Early_Learning/job/Atlanta-GA/Family-Service-Advocate_R0009220

Department: Early Learning

Branch: Woodson Park YMCA Early Learning

Position Type: Full Time

Supervisor: Center Director

As a thought-leader and best-in-class provider in education, wellness, youth development, and community-building, The YMCA of Metro Atlanta is one of the oldest and most essential non-profits serving in Atlanta. Today, we’re looking for you to join us as we carry out our mission to positively impact lives and communities across the state.

At the Y, we’re an association of like-minded people (staff, volunteers, and members), on the forefront of a movement to ensure that everyone -- especially children -- experience an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. In the course of a year, we provide more than 3,000 children, ages 6 weeks through Pre-K with high-quality literacy and STEAM-infused learning; give 58,000 youth and teens access to sports, aquatics, day and resident camps, teen leadership development programs, and employment opportunities; provide over 200,000 members with programs, services, and facilities to enjoy connection and maintain wellness regardless of age; and engage over 25,000 volunteers and donors from across Atlanta to share in the gift of supporting their communities.

The opportunities to serve are vast, and we’re looking for a diverse mix of people, who share our values of CARING, HONESTY, RESPECT, and RESPONSIBILITY, to join us and do their best work. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion is reflected in our people, our members, and our partners. We are fully focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other wonderful characteristics that make us different.

Commitment to Health and Safety

The YMCA of Metro Atlanta has implemented a COVID-19 Vaccination requirement for all Full-Time positions. For further information, please visit our Vaccine Hub, or speak to your recruiter. Reasonable accommodations for medical and religious objections will be considered.

Under the direction of the Senior Director, Early Learning, the Family Service Assistant (FSA) will successfully administer and evaluate services to children and families. This position is primarily responsible for the implementation of YMCA’s Early Learning Family Services program and for the successful achievement related to the children and families. This position will play a key role in planning, implementing and delivering appropriate support for families and children that will prepare them for kindergarten.

The Family Service Assistant (FSA) is responsible for building trusting relationships with families, coordinating and supporting the delivery of comprehensive Family Services in the areas of Health, Nutrition, Social Services, Eligibility (ERSEA) and Education. The FSA will serve as a family advocate and support family well-being and promote children's learning and development for the 0-5 Head Start and Early Head Start Program.

In Addition:

FSA will be the Director on Duty when Senior Director is absent from the building and as needed. The FSA will serve as a floater between classrooms to relieve staff from breaks, trainings and absences and will also serve in am and or pm carpool.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work with experience in case management and family engagement/supports/advocacy
• Valid Driver’s License
• Comprehensive Satisfactory BFTS Clearance and other new hire background check.
• Candidate must be bilingual

Responsibilities:

• Maintain required documentation required by Head Start, BFTS, GA Pre-K, Quality Rated, YMCA of Metro Atlanta and any other governing agencies.
• Recognize parents as their children’s primary teachers and develop trusting and respectful relationships with families.
• Must follow BFTS, Quality Rated, Ga Pre-K, Head Start, and YMCA of Metro Atlanta rules and regulations in collaboration with the Early Learning leadership team.
• Participate with the Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment and Attendance team to (but not limited to):
• Recruit eligible children, including those with disabilities, and assist families in completing registrations.
• Enroll eligible children, following the Selection Criteria process.
• Monitor attendance and discuss with family the importance/benefits of regular attendance.
• Make referrals to the Disabilities/Mental Health Specialist on children with disabilities, prior to enrollment.
• Monitor center attendance and develop strategies for families with Chronic Absenteeism.
• Collaborate with families in the Partnership Building Process that include (but not limited to):
• Identification of Families’ needs, interests, strengths, goals, services and resources that support family well-being.
• Reviewing individual progress, revising goals, evaluating and tracking identified needs and family progress.
• Making referrals and conducting follow-up reviews to ensure the delivery of services.
• Establishing and maintaining a network of resource contacts to facilitate services and referrals for emergency and crisis situations.
• Maintaining accurate and detailed documentation of case management services within ChildPlus software and other required data management systems.
• Conducting Home Visits.
• Establishing a two-way communication process.
• Develop community partnerships to identify resources and services on a regular basis.
• Collaborate and support the Parent Family and Community Engagement team to develop and implement parent engagement opportunities that promote the seven outcomes of the Parent Family Community Engagement framework.
• Support parent activities that promote child learning and development in the following areas:
• Education
• Health
• Transition
• Parent-child relationship
• Literacy and bi-literacy
• Language
• Establish and maintain a system for ensuring children’s health screenings and exams:
• Obtain complete health history and parental consent on all health/education screenings.
• Identify and collects immunization records on all children.
• Maintain accurate health/medical documentation in the file and within the ChildPlus Software for immunizations, medical screenings, treatment plans and other medical information.
• Coordinate medical appointments.
• Ensure treatment plans are documented and delivered.
• Administer first aid as needed (documentation of current training is required).
• Dispense and administer medication in accordance with medication procedure (documentation of training is required.
• Participate in all Medical Staffing involving children and families.
• Participate in speech Staffing.
• Provide families with health summaries.
• Maintain first aid supplies in safe and secure location.
• Assist with identifying and connecting families to Medical Homes.
• Participate in agency-wide projects/systems such as Community Assessments, Self-Assessments, Strategic Planning, Trainings and in the development/review of policy and procedures.
• Establish, update, maintain and close confidential files on all enrollees, including ChildPlus data entry in all appropriate modules.
• Maintain, update and distribute Resource Directory.
• Serve as a parent liaison between the program and the families.
• Support a welcoming and nurturing environment that incorporates the unique cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds of families in the program and community.
• Generate computer reports.
• Recruit and support volunteers and in-kind contributions.
• Review CACFP Income Eligibility Application forms and correctly determines free, reduced and paid eligibility category for each child enrolled during each month.
• Perform all safety procedures and all other necessary protocols. To include: Personal temperature checks, children and parent temperature checks and prescreen questions, sanitation of all areas. Assure that all necessary PPE are available to provide an effective and safe program.
• Administrative include, but are not limited to: parent communication, discipline, supervision of staff at site, prompt decision making, and supervision of site in conjunction with and in the absence of the Senior Director.

Effect on End Result: This position has a primary impact on the overall effectiveness of Family Services and the success of programs and services to the families and children of the program. The effectiveness of this position is primarily measured by the sound department administration.

Ergonomics: Sitting, bending, stooping, standing, 15% repetitive keyboard work, seeing, verbal communications, lift up to 25 pounds.

Location:

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $40,000.00 - $43,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Family Services: 2 years (Required)

License/Certification:

• Social Work Degree (Preferred)

Work Location: In person