Are you excited about working hard and thinking outside of the box to support children and families affected by trauma? Do you love to engage with children and families and to think therapeutically about behaviors and interventions? Do you enjoy helping children develop their social and coping skills? Join our Eagle House psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) to interact daily and work with children one–on-one and in groups to support them and help them build on their successes.

Starting Pay is $20.50 per hour with differential pay given for hours worked between 3 PM-7 AM.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Child Development Specialist I participates as a key member of a multi-disciplinary treatment team in the treatment and/or education of children with significant emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities. She/He ensures that the children’s physical and emotional needs are met on a daily basis and supports the children’s academic learning by focusing on the enhancement of their social, recreational and behavioral functioning.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Client Oversight

• Maintain the safety of children in all situations through the use of supervision and the implementation of various therapeutic techniques, including Therapeutic Crisis Intervention.
• Serve as a healthy role model.
• Provide trauma informed care and interventions.
• Provide safe transportation to and from program activities.
• Interact with children in a positive, nurturing, therapeutic manner.
• Facilitate or co-facilitate therapeutic groups.

Administrative

• Demonstrate techniques that enhance problem-solving abilities and enable growth and maturity.
• Record and document interventions and critical incidents in a in a timely matter.
• Conduct any other related work to insure that the physical and emotional needs of the children are met and that the program continues to operate effectively.
• Assists in planning, supervising and facilitation of the daily activities of clients, including bedtime and morning activities, etc.
• Maintains safety aspects of milieu/van by recognizing and correcting conditions, which are or could be safety hazards.
• Other duties as assigned.

Professional Development

• Assist on program/agency task force and committees or initiatives
• Use supervision and trainings to ensure professional growth and needed skills in the milieu
• Participates in staff meetings, in-service training programs and workshops or conferences as required by the agency
• Maintain required trainings and certification identified by agency as required to perform job

Required Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required and some experience in a related field is preferred; or Associate’s Degree and two years’ work experience in a related field; or High School degree and 4 years work experience in a related field.
• Must have a clean and valid driver’s license and three (3) consecutive years of driving experience. Must have the ability to obtain a Public Service License, Medication Administration Certified, Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Certification, American Red Cross First Aid and CPR Certified. One to three years in human service field or experience working with special needs children.
• Knowledge of basic child development, issues related to the effects of abuse and neglect.
• Must have the ability to manage stress and to respond to emergency situations safely and calmly.
• Must be culturally competent to serve a diverse population.
• Proficient with word processing and spreadsheet applications. Possess solid general computer skills, including ability to work in a Windows XP environment. Familiarity with specific applications used by the Village a plus.
• Physically able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodations, i.e. must be able to supervise groups of children and perform physical intervention if required; must be able to move freely from place to place without restriction.

From: The Village For Families & Children