family advocate meeting virtual learning
TRANSCRIPT
Before
school begins
Know who your team
manager is so that you
can send your parent
meeting minutes,
policy committee
minutes and classroom
calendar of events to
the correct Head Start
manager.
Be sure to document
all monitoring
deadlines in your
Outlook Calendar
Parent Board
Make sure you have all updated required forms on parent board and remove all outdated material
Make sure the parent board is easily visible, neat, organized and has a colorful heading that will attract the view of families
Make sure you update monthly the parent meeting information and policy committee information
When school begins…Know your Team
Manager
Your Team Manager will be the HS Grantee manager who is assigned to monitor your particular classrooms you are working with.
Send your Team Manager the following items:
Parent handbook
Bus safety plan
Monthly Parent Meeting minutes
Monthly Policy Committee minutes
Monthly Classroom calendars of events
*Please discuss with your Team Manager the method for receiving the monthly report information so that they have this on time.
Case Notes
Any communication other than the Family Visit will be documented into
the Family Case Notes.
Individualized case notes verifies your communication and the services
that you have provided to your family.
This will also be critical in reviewing this information through the Family
Advocate Folders.
When school begins…. Please be certain to assign
yourself as an Advocate so
services can start with families
as soon as the child is
enrolled.
We work with parents and caregivers as soon as the application process begins and
continue this throughout the school year.
How to assign yourself as a Family
Advocate
On the right-hand side of the screen, you will Click on the
“Enrollment tab” of COPA. you will scroll down to
“ASSIGN FAMILY ADVOCATE”.
Under Unassigned Families, select the needed Family
Advocate. You should see a list of families that are
assigned to you.
Scroll down to “Unassigned Families” and select a family
by selecting box to the left of their name.
Select “Assign Caseload”
Changing Family Advocates
Go to Family Data Sheet
Below Family Data Sheet, you will see Primary Caregiver General Information
Select the yellow pencil image and scroll down to view the FA dropdown box
Select the correct FA here and select the gray box at the bottom of the screen
stating, “Update General Information.”
If the family changed schools, you will need to transfer the family to a
different Enrolling Agency/site under the “Primary Caregiver Enrollment
Information” section
Family Visit
Family visits will be done virtually through the remainder of the year. A decision will be made later whether we will be returning to in-person Family Visits.
The Family Advocate will schedule a minimum of one (1) home visit/conference with each family between the time the child is accepted into the Head Start program and up to 90 calendar days after enrollment in order to complete the Family Assessment and Partnership Agreement. (see Family Assessment and Family Partnership policies). All family home visits must be posted on COPA within 120 days.
Policy and
Procedure of
Family Visit
requirements
Family Visit involves:
Parent Family Community Engagement (PFCE)framework
Family Partnership Agreement
Family Visit note
Goals and/or referrals
Parent meeting information, community resources, calendar events
Family Interest Inventory
Prior to the Family Visit
Attempt to develop a relationship with the family prior to coming to
the home.
Prior to the Family Visit use the communication method the family
prefers most such as Facebook messenger, texts, FaceTime, email.
Make certain the family is aware that you must see and hear them
during the Virtual Family Visit.
Send reminders to the family of the upcoming Family Visit, you could
gauge the frequency of this need through your communication.
Be prepared for the Family Visit by having all paperwork with you
ahead of time.
Success during an In-Person Family Visit
and listen to the family, avoid interview style questions making the feel they are being judged.
Communicate
casual and wear comfortable clothingDress
parameters before the visit so that the family know how long the visit will be and what you will be discussing.
Establish
aware of your tone, body language and pace of the conversationBe
strategic in notifying others of your location prior to leaving, awareness of clear exit and knowledge of pets prior. Be
Success during a Virtual Family Visit
Discuss with the family what platform they feel most comfortable
using; remind the family that they must be seen and heard during this
visit.
Briefly inform the family the basics of using the social platform, in
case they feel uncomfortable asking.
Test the social platform prior to make sure the equipment and setting
work correctly; be certain to mute background noise
Be prepared for the Family Visit by having all paperwork/supplies in
with you, prior to the visit.
If you are aware of a goal that the family expressed prior then
encourage family to elaborate more to determine the referral
needed.
Documentation on the Family
Visit form
On the visit form, list the family name and any others that were
present.
The time of the visit should be when you began the meeting whether
it was in-person or virtually and then when you ended this visit.
Under the location heading, select “Online” if done virtually. During an
in-person Family Visit, you would select “Home.”
Staff/FA-Family Advocate would select their name here
Under the Results heading, you would select “Completed/Received.”
Under the Provider heading, list the county and classroom name
Under Visit Type, select “Required Visit, Family Advocate Home Visit.”
Continued Family Visit documentation
Purpose-The reason why you are having this Family Visit.
The areas you would need to include are as follows:
State to develop a rapport with the family
discuss healthcare needs of the child
complete the PFCE
discuss goals/referrals
provide info on calendar events, next parent meeting
updates and Facebook classroom page
Family Visit ObservationBe certain to state what occurred during the meeting.
This is where you would state how the Family Visit went and what you
accomplished during the visit. For example, “Visit went well. Donna completed
the family assessment. Donna set a goal to gain employment. She asked for
assistance to find a dentist to help get dentures. She was referred to Home
Place Clinic. Updated family on community events and parent meetings.
Documenting the use of social media with virtual Family VisitsBe certain you document what platform
you used to do your Family Visit (i.e.
Zoom, FaceTime, Google Classroom,
etc.).
What is the
PFCE
framework
The Parent Family Community Engagement (PFCE)
framework is also referred to as the Family Assessment.
This assessment provides a better understanding into
what the family’s needs and strengths are so that we
can best assist them.
The PFCE framework is broken down into 7 headings:
Family Well-Being
Positive Parent-Child
Relationship
Families as Lifelong
Educators
Family Connections to
Peers and Community
Family Engagement in
Transitions
Families as Learners
Families as Advocates and
Leaders
What the
components
include:
1- The Family Well-Being
This area includes the areas of safe and adequate housing, nutrition awareness, employment, money management, health insurance, medical assistance, stress and resilience and transportation
2- Positive Parent-Child Relationship
This area includes family relationships, Head Start involvement, engagement, developmental screenings and attendance
3- Families as Lifelong Educators
This area involves current education status/furthering education
Cont.
Components
of the
PFCE
4- Family Connections to Peers and Community
This area includes community involvement
5- Family Engagement in Transitions
This area involves kindergarten readiness
6- Families as Learners
This area involves family interest/goals
7- Families as Advocates and Leaders
This involves promoting Head Start
Every family must have 2 assessments completed during the year.
This must be done before the due date shown on the COPA
screen.
The first assessment is to be completed No Later than 90
calendar days from date of enrollment.
Second assessment is to be completed No Later than 150 days
after the first assessment unless school year ends prior to this
date.
PFCE Family Needs
Assessments
Family Partnership AgreementThe written agreement between the family and the Family Advocate when a goal is established by the family. The form is completed by the Family Advocate from the responses of the family. This is completed during the Family Visit.
*The white copy is given to the family and the yellow copy is kept in the Family Advocate Folder.
Requirements for goals
Goals must be exact and detailed
Goals must be measurable. This is why they must be broken down into many steps. This allows the FA to determine the progress of the steps and what assistance is needed.
Goals must be reachable
Goals must have a timeframe in which to get things completed. This is why there are steps you are working toward in this timeframe.
Examples of acceptable goals:To obtain a GED
To obtain full-time employment; to obtain part-time employment
To obtain rental assistance
To obtain information for grief support group
To obtain affordable healthcare
To develop a healthier lifestyle
Unacceptable
Goals
To be a better parent
For child to learn how to tie his
shoes
To lose 50 lbs. in the next month
Tips for Goals:Always use SMART format
Always use the word “to” in beginning a goal
Avoid duplicating goals just because it is a common goal. For example, to receive
assistance with LIHEAP, to receive a food basket
Completing goals
Go to Family Data sheet
Click the Family Goals tab
Click the yellow pencil
Complete fields and include comments and the steps to reach the goal
Select Update Family Partnership Agreement
Goal Setting
We want to make sure that the
goal is one that can be
achieved.
Remember the goals set must
be the parent’s goals and not
ours.
We want to avoid setting the
family up for failure with an
unrealistic goal.
What is a Referral?
A referral is the method of sending someone to a location or individual for assistance.
Building a strong relationship with the family and listening to them will help determine what referrals are most needed.
Referrals include the written documentation on what the family’s needs are, as well as, what you have accomplished working with the family.
Examples of acceptable referrals:
Local extension office for healthy eating recipes and nutritional information
RYSC for backpack programs
Big Sandy Area Community and Technical College for assistance for college courses, GED assistance, tutoring
Appalachian Pregnancy Center for baby supplies
Red Cross for disaster assistance
Cont. acceptable referrals
Christian Appalachian Project for assistance with building supplies clothing, furniture, household items, Christmas program
Local food pantries
Big Sandy ADD-family caregiver services, aging program
Local extension office for healthy eating recipes, gardening/farming/budgeting and nutritional information
Tips for
successful
referrals:
Knowing your family and listening to what their needs are
Researching who you know that can help in the family’s needs
Expanding your Community Partner contacts so that you know who can help your families.
Being willing to more than just provide a telephone number or website for those families who feel uncomfortable reaching out for assistance
Unacceptable referrals
Mom needed help with stress
management and FA provided
literature on stress management
tips.
A FA can’t refer a family to herself
Parent was moving and needed
boxes. FA referred mom to Walmart.
Avoid attempting to refer a family
to a location they already know.
Completing a Referral
Go to the Family Data Sheet
Click on Referral & Services tab
Click on pencil beside Family Referrals & Services
Complete all fields and submit description of referrals under
Observation/Comments section
Select follow-up date before 60 days under notification heading so that
a follow-up referral wouldn’t be overdue
Select New Referral/Service
Completing follow-up referrals
Follow-up referrals
From the referral page go to Follow-up notes
Document the date, status, comment on the follow-up and the next follow-up
date
Select Add Referral Follow-Up (without selecting this, the follow-up can’t be
submitted)
Follow-up goals and
Follow-up referrals
Be sure these are completed within 60 days from the
date of the initial goal and initial referral. For
immediate needs, please complete as soon as possible
so that the family has no delay in receiving needed
services.
Follow up on goals and referrals (to be reflected by case
notes in COPA)
Community Partners
Keeping contact information for those in the community that may assist your families is essential.
Some examples of these contacts are:
• Mayo Vocational Technical College
• Christian Appalachian Project
• Local food pantries
• Local extension offices
• Department of Community Based Services
*The more willing you are to network, the greater your success will be in receiving assistance
Staffing
This is a task done twice a year, using the checklist on COPA to determine what medical information is complete for a family.
During the 1st monitoring in October, you will check all that is completed. In March, you will determine what health information is still needed. You will use the checklist in COPA. To view this, go to Child Data Sheet→ then select checklist tab.
*Staffing is monitored two times a year; one in October and once at the end of April
Parent Meetings
Policy
Parent meetings will be held on a monthly basis to provide opportunity for
parents to become involved in on-site decision making, parent education and
curriculum development. This policy relates to Head Start Performance Standards
45 CFR Part 1301.3 1301.4 1302.46
Parent Meetings
PROCEDURE:
1. All parents at the site are members of the Parent Committee and will receive
notification of the time, date and location of the monthly meetings.
2. Parent meetings will be held at a time that is most convenient for the
majority. Input about these times will be solicited at the beginning of the
program year.
3. Minutes/notes of each parent meeting will be recorded and included with an
attendance sheet, topics discussed and decisions reached. Efforts will be made
to inform parents who do not attend meetings, which could include posting
minutes/notes in Parent Corner/bulletin board, sending a brief summary to each
parent, or including information in newsletters, etc.,
Parent Meetings Cont.
Parent Meeting Agenda
4. The agenda for parent meetings will contain at least the following items: .
Policy Committee/Policy Council report- Representative or alternate
representative . Classroom update/activities/curriculum- teacher . Community
resource update –Family Advocate . Parent education topic –Family Advocate or
guest speaker
Parent Meeting-Schedule at least 1 week in advance
-Post on classroom page and Facebook classroom page; if one has been created
-If parent meeting is done in-person, make the meeting also available virtually
-Make certain to send Family Services Manager the parent meeting invite as soon
as this is scheduled
-Send reminders to parents of the parent meeting
-Immediately reschedule any cancelled parent meetings, post and re-send all
invites including Family Services Manager
Statistical Report
POLICY: Staff will generate a monthly report of services provided to Head Start
families. This policy relates to Head Start Performance Standards 45 CFR Part
1301.3, 1302.51
PROCEDURE:
1. A monthly report, which documents volunteer hours, parent involvement
activities, family home projects, attendance and enrollment, will be completed
by the Family Advocate for each assigned classroom or group of children.
2. The report will be completed in cooperation with other direct services staff.
3. Once completed, the Family Services Monthly Report will be submitted to the
Grantee Family Services Manager, no later than the fifth working day of the
month, who will compile and analyze the information for areas of concern.
4. Family services statistical information will be reported to the Program Director
and Policy Council each month.
90 Day Deadline Reminders
PFCE Family Needs Assessment
A minimum of at least 50% of Family Partnership Agreement Goals
A minimum of at least 50% of Referrals
*For families with emergency needs such as food, shelter, electricity, we would want to make certain these goals and referrals are made a priority.
Due in COPA
90 Days
PFCE Family Needs
Assessment
Due in COPA
120 Days
At least 1 completed home visit on all families
50% of families must have a written goal
(date must show it was completed within 90 days of enrollment)
50% of families must have a referral (date
must show it was completed within 90 days of enrollment)