Parents as Teachers Educator

Sieda Community Action is seeking a Parents as Teachers Educator for Keokuk and Iowa County.

Under the supervision of the Parents as Teachers Program Manager, this position has the responsibility for the implementation and delivery of Parents as Teachers services in the Iowa, Jefferson, and Keokuk Early Childhood Iowa area. This programming will occur primarily within the family’s home; each visit should last for at least one hour. Parents as Teachers services follow the model and curriculum of the Parents as Teachers National Center (PATNC). Visits/programming should be family-centered and strength-based and directed at establishing a trusting relationship. Parents As Teachers Educators provide services in a manner that promotes, empowers, and nurtures the family to understand their role as the first and most important teachers of their children. PAT Educators partner with educators, childcare providers and health providers as referral sources and referral recipients to provide comprehensive care.

DUTIES: (Essential Functions)  

•  Performs complex varied duties requiring advanced skills.
• Conduct all PAT work/home visits/Group Connections/Documentation/Assessments and screenings in accordance with the PATNC (Parents as Teachers National Center) Essential Requirements and Quality Standards and all Sieda/EFSS Unit policies and procedures.
• Travel is required to meet PAT Program requirements.
• Build trusting relationships with families through interpersonal skills, consistency and rapport.  Advocate for families to ensure they are supported and encouraged.
• Provide trauma-informed services to ensure safety/feeling safe for all participants.
• Deliver services in a culturally competent manner. PAT Educators will be sensitive to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Develop and maintain accurate, complete and current PAT case files for each family.   Access to the files is limited to personnel of the PAT program including the Economic and Family Support Services Director and ECI Directors.
•  Maintain a caseload through recruitment and enrollment of families.
• Raise awareness and build the program around evidence-based practices that support the importance of enhancing school readiness by reaching children during the critical, formative years of life.
• Attend and participate in all supervision meetings and monthly staff meetings with the PAT Program Manager and/or the Economic and Family Support Services Director. 
• Provide information, programming, and other activities to the PAT families specific to their service area.  Parent educators connect families to resources that help them reach their goals and address their needs.
• Collect data for compiling the monthly and annual reports.  Submits data when needed to the PAT Program Manager and/or the Economic and Family Support Services Director.
• Participate in meetings with other area partner agencies. 
• Assist the PAT Program Manager in providing temporary recruitment and home visitation services in the event of an emergency, caseload vacancy, or other disruption of normal delivery services.
• Must be available to work varying work hours for special events/trainings.
• Communicate all pertinent information to the PAT Program Manager and/or EFSS Director consistently and timely.
• Other duties deemed necessary to support the PAT Program/Economic and Family Support Services/Sieda.            

ADDITIONAL TRAINING:

• Obtain certification that requires additional hours of job-related training.
• Foundational and Model Implementation Training is a requirement of the Sieda PAT Program. PAT Educators must attend this training before delivering PAT Model services. Successfully complete the DAISEY and Penelope training before use of the programs.
• The National Certification Exam for Home Visitors is a requirement of Sieda PAT as an ECI-funded program. This exam must be passed, and certification must be obtained within 1 year of employment. 
• Following the passing of the NCE and their first year of Employment, is a requirement of Sieda PAT as an ECI-funded program, staff with an AA only will begin working towards their BA, which must be completed within 4 years of their employment start date.
• Parent educators obtain competency-based professional development and renew certification with the national office (PATNC) annually.
• Obtain all training and background checks required for agency/model/funder within required timeframes.

 PROGRAM REPRESENTATION:

• Requires varying levels of interaction with staff, enrolled participants and other agencies in a role representing a single program.
• Maintain consistent, regular contact with assigned families in designated counties of coverage. Actively engage with children whenever they are present.  
• Foster partnerships with other providers, represent Sieda and promote the Parents As Teachers program by providing information, giving presentations and/or materials when able for coordination of services. This includes such activities as serving on interagency committees as a division contact person, mentor or trainer.  This on-going contact with other agencies is on a frequent basis. 
• Assist with transition, dual parent/caregiver involvement, referrals for:  health, nutrition, mental health, accessing transportation, special needs and other barriers to success.
• Develop and maintain working partnerships with other providers, to include informing them of program openings regularly.

PROGRAM DESIGN AND PLANNING:

• Involved in the planning of a limited area within a program reflective of his/her job responsibilities.
• PAT Educators will assist families to develop and achieve meaningful goals which promote family stability and growth.
• PAT Educators will plan and conduct monthly group socialization activities which promote healthy child-parent/caregiver relationships as well as allowing parents/caregivers and their children to come together to learn from one another.
• PAT Educators will observe, record, and plan for the particular needs of the child and family as part of an on-going planning and group socialization program.
• PAT Educators will work to see that program enrolled children will receive a full range of needed health, dental, nutrition, mental health, and other health related treatment and preventive interventions. 
• PAT Educators will work to recruit and maintain a full caseload of families in their service area.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXPECTATIONS: (Essential Functions)

• Support and model the agency’s mission, vision, and values.
• Maintain a regular attendance pattern to ensure continuity of services and adequate staff coverage.
• Demonstrate professional behavior at all times including personal appearance and maintaining an orderly and functioning office area.
• Treat all individuals in a courteous, non-judgmental, reasonable and confidential manner.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Ability to speak comfortably and effectively one-on-one and in group settings.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret documents relating to the program and agency.
• Ability to write accurate, timely and quality documentation of services.
• Ability to speak to families in a way that is both respectful and compels positive change.
• Ability to relate to families using a strength-based model at all times.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to define barriers, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. 
• Ability to recognize conflict and work towards a solution.
• Ability to interpret and follow policies/procedures and maintain contractual compliance in the delivery of program services.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional boundaries, while providing supportive services.
• Ability to be proactive and use forward thinking in addressing barriers, conflicts and setbacks.
• Ability to assist families with developing a family goal plan that is individualized and attainable.
• Ability to be solution focused.
• Ability to connect and engage with enrolled families consistently.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate, stand, walk, climb stairs, use hands and arms, drive, crouch and sit.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move 20 pounds.
• May require sitting on the floor to demonstrate/evaluate a child development skill.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to extreme cold and extreme heat, unkempt homes, household insects/pests and animals, poor ventilation and unhygienic environments.
• This job requires working in people’s homes where the environment is out of the scope of the workers’ control.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS:

The requirements listed below are representative of the education, experience, knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to be considered for this position. 

• Requires completion of an associate degree in education/Social Work/Family Services or related field from an accredited college or university and 5 years’ experience working with children and/or families.

OR

• A bachelor’s degree in education/Social Work/Family Services or related field from an accredited four-year college or university and 2 years’ experience working with children and/or families.

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY:

• Requires moderate level computer knowledge and experience. 
• Ability to enter documentation and data into databases required by agency/funder/model.
• Ability to use Google and Microsoft software applications/programs (calendar/Gmail/docs/sheets/drive/Word etc.) with minimal training and perform simple maintenance to keep computers operational.
• Ability to invite/schedule/attend/present virtual meetings using various platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, Webex etc.).
• Ability to maintain and operate a laptop computer and agency issued cell phone.
  

Applicants must also have the ability to work in a highly confidential setting and be able to understand, learn, and adapt to new technology. Employment is contingent upon a criminal background check including a registry check of past/current founded child abuse. Salary range for this position is $19.53 - $22.95 and is commensurate with education and experience. This is a full-time position and will require travel in the service area.

If interested, please complete your application through Sieda’s online application process. For additional information contact: Jenna Fleener, Economic and Family Support Services Director, at 641-682-8741. Applications will be accepted until October 19, 2026. Sieda Community Action is an equal opportunity employer offering competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefit package including: generous paid holiday, vacation, and sick time; health, life and dental insurance; and IPERS retirement benefits.