Infant Toddler Development Specialist

Infant Toddler Development Specialist 1, 2, 3

Reports to:  ECP Services Supervisor/Program Mentor

Job Summary

Contribute to mission and vision of MICA by creating a positive, respectful, and safe environment when working with children, families and agency and community partners.  Build and maintain positive relationships with children, families, program staff, and agency and community partners as needed to provide excellent services.  Must be able to present MICA in a positive manner and maintain positive interaction with families and staff.  Work and promote a team environment.

Assist parents in establishing strength-based goals and written plans to enhance the social, emotional, physical and cognitive development of their infants and toddlers.  Facilitate use of resources, serve as a source of support and encourage parent engagement in all aspects of the program. Facilitate transition into Head Start or other Early Childhood Program.  This position may perform regular duties at alternative sites with approval of the Program Director.

Essential Job Functions

Build and maintain positive relationships with families, program, agency and community partners, and volunteers as needed to provide excellent services.  General philosophical agreement with the agency mission, commit to the concept of diversity and inherent worth of every individual. Supervisor will provide guidance about specific tasks required of this position for completion on daily, monthly or quarterly cycles. 

• Conduct weekly home visits with caseload children and their families as required by program

• Partner with parents to develop and implement learning experiences that ensure effective curriculum implementation and use of assessment and promote children’s progress across the standards described in the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework: Ages Birth to Five and the Iowa Early Standards to meet each child’s individual needs, interests, learning styles, and individual goals that are compatible with the child’s family culture
• Support parents with developing responsive caregiving routines, and positive and nurturing relationships with children
• Interact and engage with children and families through conversations and facilitating activities in the family’s preferred language

• Plan and facilitate required number of socializations (opportunities for children and parents to interact and engage with one another in a group setting) as required by funder
• Meet with consultants as needed and required to ensure quality services to children with disabilities, mental health and other special needs
• Maintain a socially and emotionally safe and supportive climate using Conscious Discipline practices and PBIS supports. Use response strategies from the Safety First Curriculum when appropriate
  • Educate and coach parents to use these strategies in the home
• Maintain the safety and welfare of children at all times
• Attend and assist with parent meetings and other county team activities
• Must be able to identify and visually monitor children in their daily environments in order to assess development and assure safety
• Maintain and arrange the equipment and materials in an appropriate, safe, healthy and orderly fashion at the socialization sites
• Must maintain confidentiality of information about children and families at all times
• Must be able to assist all children in all emergency situations when under program supervision.
• Must be able to push and control an occupied wheelchair
• Must complete the DHS Essentials training modules
• Must complete pertinent Teaching Strategies GOLD trainings to include inter-rater reliability
• Must pass required competencies for specifically funded programs
• Must obtain and maintain First Aid and CPR certifications, bi-annually thereafter
• This position is a Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter

Compliance

• Build respectful, culturally responsive, and trusting relationships with families
• Conduct developmental, social-emotional and communications screenings and assessments with children and their primary caregiver(s) as required
• Complete and submit all required documentation accurately, in a timely manner, and according to agency standards
• Use agency-designated curriculum when providing services
• Assure compliance with all funder performance standards
  • Maintain the program’s Home Visitor Rating Scale (HOVRS) minimum thresholds in all domains
• Assure compliance with all agency and program policies and procedures

Develop skills and knowledge related to the position

• Certification in program curriculum within 6 months from first day of employment
• Must be able to learn and adhere to extensive number of funder performance standards, as applicable
• Knowledge of the following principles
  • Child development and early childhood education
  • Child health, safety and nutrition
  • Adult learning
  • Family dynamics
• Develop knowledge of community resources
• Attend all trainings as required
• Complete and maintain certifications as required
• Negotiate PDP with supervisor
  • Implement action plans to meet compliance, program practices and professional development expectations

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficient in reading, writing and speaking the English language; able to speak in other proficient language
• Able to connect with families, to create positive, appropriate working relationships to assist individuals and families to achieve their goals
• Strong commitment to achieving results
• Knowledge of early childhood development
• Knowledge of the principles of child health, safety and nutrition
• Knowledge of adult learning principles
• Knowledge of the principles of family dynamics
• Excellent child observation and assessment skills
• Dedicate to continuous learning
• Strong teamwork skills. Able to collaborate in a positive and respectful way with families, agency staff and community partners
• Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality
• Intermediate computer skills and strong knowledge of Microsoft Office, as well as effect use of a variety of software, electronic devices and databases

Working Conditions (Essential physical, mental and emotional demands)

The demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This is a full-time non-exempt position typically a 40-hour week. Must be able to work assigned schedule.  Occasional overtime required
• Must be able to navigate stairs to access some classrooms and family homes
• Must be able to maintain a calm, composed demeanor in a highly active physical, social and emotional environment
  • Must be able to move about in indoor and outdoor environments to appropriately monitor and interact with the children
  • Must understand and appreciate the development of young children and be able to use appropriate guidance techniques at all times
• The person in this position frequently communicates with children, parents and colleagues, both one-on-one and in larger groups. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
• The person in this position regularly drives for the job for general purposes like (but not restricted to) home visits, socializations, and trainings
  • Must have and maintain reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license and proof of automobile insurance
• The person in this position occasionally lifts, carries or otherwise moves and positions objects weighing up to 40 pounds when stocking supplies or setting up equipment
• Frequent operation of a computer and other office productivity machinery and devices, such as a copy machine, a computer printer, and an IPad or tablet
• Must have a pre-employment physical examination, and every three years thereafter, to prove ability to perform work duties.
  • The physical exam must include any necessary testing for communicable diseases, including a TB assessment as required by the Iowa Department of Human Services Child Care Licensure standards.
• Staff who work in centers that serve infants will be required to have a Tdap immunization per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations

Education and Experience

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education or Child Development (classified as Infant Toddler Development Specialist 3)
• Bachelor's degree in Human Services or related field (classified as Infant Toddler Development Specialist 2)

Will Consider

• Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Human Services or related field (or equivalent coursework) with a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience (classified as Infant Toddler Development Specialist 1)

Preferred

• Home Visiting and/or experience working with children 0-5 years old
• Bilingual Spanish/English or Burmese Languages/English

Candidates offered the position must meet the following criteria

• Minimum age requirement of 18 per NAEYC and/or DHS licensing standards.
• Successful completion of all background checks at hire and thereafter according to agency and program standards.
• The person in this position may be required to either have a CDA or to be enrolled in a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential program through the Council for Professional Recognition.

Please note, this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Additional information

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