Family Services
WHAT IS A FAMILY ADVOCATE?
A Family Advocate is a valuable FRIEND!
Finds resources to meet needs
Ready to listen
Involved in your family's Head Start experiece
Engages your familiy in goal setting
Nurtures partnerships with families
Discusses and discovers a family's strengths
Each Head Start/Early Head Start family is assigned a Family Advocate. You may have already met them when you completed your child's application. You will see your Family Advocate in the classroom, on the bus, and on field trips with your child. They will contact you soon after enrollment to set up a time for a Home Visit so that they can get to know you and your family. Your Family Advocate will be a familiar face and a cherished FRIEND by the end of the school year!!
Head Start is unique in that it provides each family with their own Family Advocate. Our Family Advocates each have approximately 35-45 families in their caseloads. Family Advocates are there to help with any resources that your family may need or any immediate needs that you may have such as: food, clothing, or housing. They provide valuable information and referrals to the families that they serve.
Another unique aspect to our program is the Family Partnership Process. This process allows you to set goals for your family or for your child/children and to mark your progress throughout the year. It is the family's choice whether or not they participate in this process, but your Family Advocate will explain it to you and encourage you every step of the way! Examples of goals are: acquiring better housing, going back to school, looking for a job/better job, etc.
