SENIOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

Clark County Family Services is seeking qualified candidates to apply for the Senior Child Development Specialist position. This position performs complex assessment, treatment, and behavioral intervention to abused, neglected, and abandoned children who may be behaviorally or emotionally impaired or medically fragile, providing for the safety, permanency and wellbeing of children. The position schedules, directs, coordinates, and reviews the work of employees on a shift at an assigned cottage in Child Haven, a treatment shelter home program, in the absence of a supervisor. This is the professional specialist and working lead level in this child development series, with responsibility for providing work direction to staff on a shift at a specified cottage.

THIS IS A DEPARTMENTAL RECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITY AND IS OPEN ONLY TO FULL-TIME PERMANENT EMPLOYEES OF CLARK COUNTY FAMILY SERVICES WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THEIR PROBATIONARY PERIOD. 

This examination will establish a Departmental Eligibility list to fill current and/or future vacancies that may occur within the next three (3) months or may be extended as needed by Human Resources.  

 Human Resources reserves the right to call only the most qualified applicants to the selection process. 

The subject areas that will be assessed in the interview phase shall include adaptability, collaboration, conflict management, decision making, problem solving and teamwork 

In order to work at the Department of Family Services, employees must not have any qualifying offense that violates the standards required by NRS 432B.198 and/or NRS 432B.199.

Education and Experience: Bachelor's Degree in Behavioral Science, Child Development, Counseling, Early Childhood Education, Education, Health Science, Human Services, Nursing, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Criminal Justice, Communication, Special Education or a related field AND three (3) years full-time experience performing casework/counseling services, assessments or treatment services in a child welfare, social service, juvenile justice, and/or residential setting. Professional level experience and/or education that has provided the skills and knowledge necessary to perform all job functions at this level may be substituted on a year-for-year basis up to two (2) years.

All qualifying education and each experience must be clearly documented in the “Education” and “Work Experience” sections of the application. Do not substitute a resume for your application or write "see attached resume" on your application. All details must be written in your own words and cannot be copied from job descriptions or other external sources.

Working Conditions: Work evening, night, weekend and holiday shifts. Work with exposure to infectious or contagious diseases. Work with abused, neglected, aggressive and potentially assaultive, abandoned and medically fragile children, of ages three days to eighteen years.

Licensing and Certification: Possession of a valid Nevada Class C Driver's License at time of appointment.

Background Investigation: Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background investigation. Periodically after employment background investigations may be conducted.

Pre-Employment Drug Testing: Employment is contingent upon the results of a pre-employment drug examination.

• Provides direction, training and work review to the staff of a cottage on an assigned shift in the absence of a supervisor; organizes and assigns work; ensures that effective services are provided in a timely and consistent manner. 
• Reviews treatment plans prepared by staff; critiques and provides recommendations to ensure proper treatment. 
• Assesses immediate factors affecting a child's immediate safety upon intake into Child Haven and develops and implements immediate strategies to safeguard the child. 
• Assesses children's ongoing behavior, targets inappropriate behaviors and develops and implements teaching treatment plans to modify the targeted behavior; evaluates effectiveness of the plan and recommends modifications. 
• Modifies inappropriate behavior and builds new skills through the implementation of the Child Haven Active Teaching Approach (CHATTA). Counsels children on adjustment problems and family and personal relationships; personally handles the more difficult or complex cases.
• Facilitates group meetings to address children's issues, teach problem-solving skills, and to develop self-governing skills. Serve as a contributing team member in case planning and placement planning for children; facilitates, supervises and documents parental/ sibling visitation, uses various assessment and screening tools to identify needs and strengths of children and families; uses sound case planning and therapeutic activities; uses case management activities of providing, coordinating, and facilitating needed services and interventions. 
• Meets weekly with assigned children to review progress on the treatment plan, revise target behaviors and treatment strategies and review privileges earned or lost. Intervenes and, when necessary, restrains children who are out of control and are at risk of harming themselves or others. 
• Keeps records of work performed and writes treatment plans and a variety of reports; maintains shift logs. Consults with a variety of other professional staff regarding children and their treatment plans. 
• Acts in accordance with other social work professionals to collaboratively ensure proper case management and interventions.
• Develops and conducts a variety of recreational, social, cultural and academic programs. 
• Teaches child management techniques to parents; assesses parenting skills and teaches improved, appropriate skills. 
• Recommends permanency options based on assessment of parents' skills and interaction with their children, as well as the safety and developmental needs of the children. 
• Contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of the unit's service to its customers by offering suggestions and directing or participating as an active member of a work team. 
• Performs a variety of administrative and ancillary duties such as volunteer orientation, public speaking and providing tours of the facility. 
• Reads, interprets and administers medical instructions. 
• Drives a personal or County motor vehicle in order to attend off-site meetings, visit job sites and transport children.

Mobility to work in a treatment shelter home and office setting, use standard home appliances and office equipment, and to drive a motor vehicle in order to transport children; strength to lift, carry and restrain children; vision to read printed materials; and hearing and speech to communicate in person or over the telephone. Accommodation may be made for some of these physical demands for otherwise qualified individuals who require and request such accommodation.

Salary : $31 - $47