Family Advocate

FAMILY ADVOCATE 

Christopher House is a family of schools that closes the opportunity gap ‘with a continuum of schools through personalized learning and immersive family support starting at birth. We operate accredited early learning, elementary, and out of school time programs grounded in research-based curricula and high-quality instruction.

The Family Advocate is a member of the Family Support Services department who will partner with families through a collaborative family engagement framework and strengths-based practice. Through this shared responsibility, staff, families and children build positive and goal-oriented relationships. 

OUR VALUES

Commitment to Excellence

Achievement & Perseverance 

Respect & Compassion 

Equity 

OUR BELIEFS 

Children and Families thrive when: 

• Education begins at birth and continues throughout life, with parents as their children’s first teachers. 
• Home environments nurture literacy, achievement, and children’s success.  
• Parents have high standards and set high expectations for themselves, their children, and children’s schools. 
• Evaluations and program improvements are data driven. 
• Parents and staff work together to continuously evaluate and improve programming. 
• Programs develop collaborative relationships with parents and school educators. 
• Education includes the development of creativity and perseverance and is multi-disciplinary to foster each child’s unique strengths and interests.
• Develop independent, creative, life-long researchers, education includes curriculum designed to help scholars develop socially and emotionally as well as cognitively. 
• Diversity is celebrated and explored so that learners develop broad perspectives on life and learning. 

Position Description: Family Advocate 

Location: Uptown

Reports to: EC Associate Director of Family and Community Engagement 

Status: Non- Exempt 

Relationships with: Site Director, Eligibility Coordinators, Teachers, School Nurse, and other support school staff. 

Position Objective: 

• Build comprehensive relationships with Christopher House Families and team members.
• Provide holistic support services for families and children.

Specific Responsibilities: 

• Support families and caregivers as they navigate their children’s educational journey. 
• Ensure families participating in the ECDS program receive integrated, timely, appropriate, and comprehensive services based on individual family assessments and parent/advocate relationships.
• Provide continuous updates and communication to families 
• Provide services that are culturally sensitive in a respectful manner, always ensuring client confidentiality.
• Assist in the planning and implementation of a successful recruitment action plan to achieve the site’s full enrollment.
• Plan, facilitate and participate in community events to promote Christopher House’s programs and services. 
• Maintain health records, complete required paperwork. Communicate requirements to parents; ensure all health and dental records are obtained in a timely manner.
• Complete Family Assessments, Family Partnership Agreements, Holiday Program applications, referrals for services, etc.
• Maintain accurate records, including multiple databases as well as paper files (databases include Salesforce ECM and CSD CARES), as required by funding agencies and maintain compliance with funder’s requirements.
• Provide case management services to families including assistance and referrals, i.e. emergency services, health/nutrition/dental referrals, etc.
• Collaborate with families in accessing community services that meet their needs, circumstances and interests including following up with parents to ensure that services are received.

Skills/Qualifications: 

• Strong alignment with Christopher House’s Values and Mission. 
• Effective communicating skills with people of diverse cultural, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. 
• Strong work ethic, coupled with a proactive problem-solving approach.
• Experience working in subsidized or publicly funded programs. 
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal); bilingual Spanish preferred
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to set priorities, organize time efficiently and handle multiple demands.
• Proficiency in excel, word-processing and electronic documentation
• Flexible, with the ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment

Physical/Work Environment Expectations

• Full-time on-site position
• Flexibility with working some evenings and weekends. 
• Travel required across sites, based on program needs: travel to offsite locations for trainings and meetings 
• Ability to lift to 30 pounds and perform physical tasks such as bending, reaching, and sitting for extended periods

Education: 

• Bachelor’s degree in social work (B.S.W.) or a related field from an accredited college or university
• Gateways Family Specialist credential level 5

Christopher House is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran's status, or, any other protected characteristic.