Early Childhood Specialist

Job Description

Job title: Early childhood specialist

Department: Services

Reports to: Program director

Location: BRONX, NY

SUMMARY

This is a part time, temporary position working 16 hours per week for 42 weeks. The Early Childhood Specialist works with families in a homeless shelter who have children aged 0-3 s to ensure infants and toddlers get a strong start in life by supporting parents with critical resources to build nurturing relationships with their children, reduce stress, and strengthen children's cognitive and socioemotional skills.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Work with two cohorts of 10 families for 6 months each
• Provide group play sessions and one-on-one meetings between the ECS and the primary caregiver from each family
• Meet weekly with each family.
• Model positive parenting behaviors for participating caregivers
• Refer caregivers to pediatric primary care (targeting those with Healthy Steps programs), Early Intervention programs, and Early Head Start programs, among other community programs for infants and toddlers.
• Train the on-site social workers in early childhood development psychology and neuroscience so that they are able to better serve clients in the program. Connect staff to educational resources such as Mt. Sinai Parenting Center’s Keystones of Development Curriculum, and work side-by-side with staff, so they become more familiar with the community resources available to the parents of children ages zero to three.
• Provide advocacy for clients around receiving early childhood development and medical services.
• Provide crisis intervention, aggressive and supportive counseling to strengthen clients’ ability to make appropriate life decisions.
• Attend staff meetings and trainings to enhance skills that are related to job function.
• Must be able to work flexible, alternate schedules which may include evening and weekend shifts.
• Perform other related duties.

Experience, education and special requirements

• Bachelor Degree in Early Childhood Development, Education or Social Work required.
• At least 1 year of experience working with children aged 0 to 3 years from low income populations who are at risk for developmental delays.
• Bilingual a plus.
• Strong relationship building skills required.
• Ability to work independently but know when to raise issues to supervisor.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills necessary.
• Ability to effectively multi-task and follow-up on a timely basis.
• Strong PC skills required including Word and Excel.

Agency profile & employee expectations

Occupational safety and health administration (Osha)

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ensures safe and healthful working conditions to workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. Westhab complies with all applicable OSHA standards, rules and regulations in addition to keeping our workplaces free of serious recognized hazards.