Durham Early Head Start Bilingual Home Visitor

Reports to: DEHS Home-Based Coordinator

Occupational Summary: Provide in-home support and education to parents and children, both in English and Spanish, which will enhance the parent’s ability to serve as the child’s first and most important teacher. Plan and offer developmentally appropriate parent-child activities during weekly home visits and twice monthly parent-child playgroups designed to promote parent-child interaction and to support the child’s healthy development in all areas (cognitive, motor, social, emotional, language, creativity, and health) and school readiness. Work as a team member with all Durham Early Head Start (DEHS) service area experts (health, nutrition, special services, and mental health) to assess, identify, and address child and family needs and to develop child educational and family goals. Educate families about the importance of preserving the child’s primary language and culture while expanding the child and family’s understanding and use of English language. Arrange for and provide a variety of educational experiences for parents and children to reduce isolation, integrate them into the larger community, expand social networks, and improve parenting skills. Provide support to parents of enrolled children and linkages around general resource referrals, parental mental health needs, and domestic violence when they arise or to follow up on positive developmental and social emotional screening tools.

Work Performed

General Staff Responsibilities:

1. Participate in staff meetings, attend conferences, training/workshops, and meet education standards as required.
2. Demonstrate familiarity with the Center for Child & Family Health (CCFH) policies and procedures, federal Early Head Start Performance Standards, DEHS policies and procedures, and the DEHS program mission.
3. Maintain congenial and respectful relations with staff, children, families, and community.
4. Keep current and accurate records.
5. Maintain confidentiality with regard to staff and family information.
6. Maintain professional standards and professional courtesy policies.
7. Actively participate in professional development opportunities and ongoing self-improvement.
8. Fulfill role as mandated reporter as stated in DEHS Child Abuse and Neglect Policy.
9. Be present at work in order to provide consistency of services.
10. Be a contributory team member in a positive and productive manner.
11. Demonstrate flexibility to accommodate changes in job responsibilities due to changing program demands as requested by supervisor.
12. Demonstrate commitment to DEHS mission, values, and policies and reliability in the performance of daily job duties.
13. Commit to weekly reflective supervision as a cornerstone of program and staff development.

Duties/Functions/Responsibilities:

1. Provide all mandated child development, family, health, nutrition, and mental health services during weekly 90-minute home visits with assigned caseload of children and prenatal mothers.
2. Coordinate and conduct at least 22 parent-child and peer playgroups per program year, in which parents are active participants reinforcing parent’s roles as primary teachers for their children. Some of these playgroups may be on Saturdays or evenings. 1121 W. Chapel Hill Street, Ste. 100 Durham, NC 27701 | CCFHNC.ORG 2
3. Facilitate parent meetings in cooperation with other DEHS Service Area staff.
4. Ensure that all home-based and playgroup activity planning and implementation is guided by an approved curriculum that offers a variety of stimulating, creative, and engaging learning experiences for parents and children.
5. Assist parents in establishing and working towards goals for their children and family.
6. Provide service coordination/case management, referral, and follow-up services to address child and family needs.
7. Conduct screening and ongoing assessment of young children’s development, health, nutrition, and mental health within 45-, 60-, and 90-day timelines per DEHS procedures and supervisor instructions.
8. Encourage active parental involvement in home visits, playgroups, and the DEHS program.
9. Inform supervisor and request assistance whenever family is in crisis or circumstances indicate need for further evaluation or treatment for substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health, or child abuse/neglect.
10. Monitor children’s health status, including immunization status, medical follow-up, physical health, dental health, and nutrition and educate parents about importance of regular medical and dental care, dental hygiene, and good nutrition.
11. Provide parent education on various topics routinely through home visits and playgroups using approved evidence-based curricula (e.g., Parents as Teachers, Partners for a Healthy Baby).
12. Promote the involvement of fathers in all aspects of children’s education and program services.
13. Participate in planning and facilitation of annual parent orientation events.
14. Report all concerns, issues, and problems that arise in the course of carrying out job duties to supervisor and assist in the development of action plans to ensure that DEHS is in compliance with all federal EHS Performance Standards.
15. Maintain healthy boundaries with families and children to empower families to become more self-sufficient, competent and confident.
16. Record keeping and monitoring:
    1. Document all activities in accordance with DEHS procedures and supervisor instructions.
    2. Develop, review, and write comprehensive individual plan that reflects family and child’s strengths, needs, and goals.
    3. Maintain up to date documentation in Child Plus and Teaching Strategies Gold databases and paper/hard copy child and family records, including: health, dental, nutrition, developmental and mental health screenings and assessments, parent education, pedestrian safety, playgroup observations, individual service records, data entry, child/family goals, contact logs, and all other required forms.
    4. Provide timely family/child information updates and changes and submit in-kind documentation in accordance with DEHS procedures and supervisor instructions.
    5. Maintain playgroup notebook that reflects all playgroup planning, activities, topics, speakers, handouts, and attendance.
17. Be available to conduct home visits and playgroups at least one evening and/or on weekends as needed to meet family needs.
18. Assist in program recruitment efforts to include working occasional weekends and evenings at community events designed to reach eligible families.

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