Description:
Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet offers 43 paid days off per year, excellent medical benefits, and an employer-sponsored 403b plan that requires no contribution from employee. We prioritize your well-being and financial security.
Discover the unique rewards of working in a Head Start program, where you can ignite young minds and provide comprehensive early childhood education that sets the stage for lifelong success.
By joining Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet Head Start, you will make a lasting impact on children's lives and have the opportunity to support and uplift families by empowering them to thrive and create a brighter future for themselves and their children.
Apply now so we can make a lasting impact together!
General Responsibilities
- Under the administration and coordination of the Early Head Start Home-Based Supervisor the Parent Child Educator will provide the physical, cognitive, social and emotional growth and development of infants and toddlers in the home based setting and during center-based socialization experiences.
- The Parent Child Educator will work with parents and families to develop, plan, model and implement positive early childhood experiences in the home and center based setting.
- Ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) developmentally appropriate practice for infants and toddlers.
- Periodic weekend recruitment activities are required along with attendance at parent meetings and family activity events.
- It is the expectation that programmatic recruitment takes place throughout the community as specified and designated during the week and some weekends.
Essential Functions
- To recruit, establish and maintain a caseload of twelve (12) infants and toddlers and maintain all required documentation to support that comprehensive services are provided to these families according to applicable Head Start Performance Standards and Early Head Start IM-HS 00-22 Home Based Services in Early Head Start documents.
- Regularly communicate with families and staff to organize and plan effectively a minimum of forty-six (46) home visits of ninety (90) minute duration per year; and twenty (22) socializations opportunities per year, the length of the socialization based upon the developmental level of the child, the content of the experience and the families need.
- Provide, transport and serve a nutritious snack and/or warm meal for each child, parent and sibling present at the time of the home visit and socialization opportunity. Socialization experiences are linked to support the goals established during the home visits and reflect specific goals and objectives included in the Family Partnership Plan.
- Plan and develop, with the parents, an individualized program for the family, which includes establishment of a caring positive professional relationship in a climate of mutual trust and respect for the culture and diversity of each family.
- Work with parents to strengthen their knowledge of child development; help parents to understand how children learn and grow during the critical early years from birth through three; plan and conduct child education activities to meet the child’s language, cognitive, physical, social and emotional needs. Carry out curriculum plan by providing individualized developmentally appropriate activities for each child through observing, assessing and documenting the progress of the child on a regular basis.
- Plan, arrange and/or conduct comprehensive training for parents and families on health and education needs of infants and toddlers. Model and teach parenting skills and provide information about health and nutrition, including integrating health and nutrition education into the home environment with respect for the diverse culture of the families, coordinating with other staff and the parents regarding health screenings for their children or other family members, and providing appropriate information and referrals, when needed.
- Educate parents about community resources and provide support to families in setting goals and objectives that they have developed through the Family Partnership Agreement and Goal Setting process. Coordinate services with families and other community agencies and follow-up to obtain the families assessment of the services they received.
- Coordinate, participate and assist in the implementation of the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) and with the Early Intervention program for children 0-3 with disabilities.
- Develop an individual transition plan with each family, other program staff and any pertinent community agencies soon after enrollment and assess and update as needed during the families involvement in Early Head Start (EHS). Assist with the transition of children into and out of the Early Head Start program, and within the program as indicated.
- Attend and participate in staff meetings and related activities; attend workshops, conferences and trainings; enroll and complete academic coursework to increase professional knowledge of the needs of children from birth through five; increase professional knowledge of how to work with adult learners; serve on committees as assigned. Parent Child Educators will be assigned to attend community based recruitment events throughout the weekday in addition to attending two required Saturday recruitment events each program year.
Great Employer Provided Benefits
- Time Off: 14 Holidays - 15 Vacation Days- 14 Sick Days
- Medical/Dental/Vision Health Insurances
- Flexible Spending Account
- Short-term Disability Insurance
- Long-Term Disability Insurance (employee paid optional)
- Life and AD&D Insurance
- 403B Retirement Plan with employer contributions
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Requirements:
- Associate’s Degree is required for this position, Bachelors or Masters degree preferred with preference in areas of early childhood education or a related field. All degrees must be from a regionally accredited educational institution which has U.S. Department of Education approval.
- Documentation of 36-semester hours of early childhood coursework including infant and toddler courses is required.
- A minimum of one (1) year of experience working in an early childhood setting or working directly with low-income families is required.
- Must obtain and/or maintain certification and training in First Aid, Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), and Infant/Toddler Development.
- Ability to work independently and accept increased levels of responsibility.
- Ability to develop a weekly itinerary for completing home visits, socializations and manages multitasks simultaneously
- Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, and Teams.
- Strong verbal and written communications skills.
- Passage of complete background clearance, physical and Tuberculosis (TB) Test.
- A valid driver’s license, reliable means of transportation and proof of liability insurance is required.
