Family Engagement Advocates (FEA) are the staff members who have primary responsibility with families.
Why “advocates”?
Because that word means they are supporters. In other words, normally they will not do something FOR a family. They may provide suggestions, encourage, suggest words to say or questions to ask, go with a parent to an appointment of concern to quietly support and guide.
Every Head Start and Early Head Start family has an assigned Family Engagement Advocate, depending on which center a child is in and whether a child is in Head Start or Early Head Start. If a family has children in BOTH HS & EHS, they will have only one FEA.
The FEA will visit each family early in the year. He/she will assess each family’s strengths and needs. Together, the FEA and the parent will set goals and plans to make life better for the child and family unit. The FEA may make suggestions for resources and ways to meet the goals, and will periodically make contact to talk about progress. As goals are accomplished, they will talk with families as they reassess and start working to complete other goals.
The FEA should be the staff member the parent contacts with concerns. The FEA can help with things such as helping a family find a medical or dental “home” for a child who has none. They can refer to and suggest a wide variety of resources – just let them know what is needed.
Your Family Engagement advocate can help your family in getting health care, a dental home for there child.