Catholic Charities of Buffalo·City of Niagara Falls, New York
The clinician will provide individual and group counseling to preschool students with IEPs while collaborating with teachers and families to support social-emotional development. They are also responsible for conducting behavioral assessments, monitoring student progress, and ensuring compliance with agency documentation requirements.
Catholic Charities of Buffalo is seeking a full-time Preschool Social Worker for our Early Childhood School Social Worker Program (ECSSWP) with Catholic Charities of Buffalo. The ideal candidate will deliver comprehensive services for preschool students, families, and school personnel. Services provided include social emotional support through classroom support, individual counseling, group counseling, and parent and teacher consultation.
This is a full-time position (35 hours per week) that may require occasional flexibility to attend school and community events. Travel between schools within the service area may also be required. The position is based on-site at a school in either Erie County or Niagara County, depending on the selected candidate's location preference and departmental needs.
Catholic Charities is non-profit human services agency that strives to empower individuals, children, and families across the eight counties of Western New York. For more than 100 years, Catholic Charities of Buffalo has provided HOPE to individuals and families of all faiths, backgrounds, and circumstances.
As the most comprehensive provider of human services in Western New York, Catholic Charities delivers wide-ranging programs to address systemic poverty, sudden financial crisis, hunger, behavioral health, workforce readiness, family stability, legal immigration and resettlement, and help for older adults. As a trauma-informed agency, we strive to support the total wellbeing of clients and employees.
Catholic Charities prioritizes wellness and diversity through various committees such as: CARE (Compassion, Acceptance, Respect for Everyone) Committee to create an inclusive environment where every individual feels seen, heard, and valued; Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) Committee to lead agency efforts in creating and maintaining a trauma-informed workplace; Wellbeing Committee to empower staff to reach their full potential through personal wellness and community support; and the Safety Committee to maintain a physically and psychologically safe and welcoming environment for all.
Job Responsibilities
Provide individual counseling to preschool students with IEPs, focusing on emotional regulation, coping skills, and behavior management.
Deliver push-in support within the classroom to assist students in applying social-emotional skills in real-time situations.
Facilitate small group counseling sessions to promote peer interactions, conflict resolution, and social skill development.
Conduct behavioral observations and assessments in the classroom to inform individualized intervention strategies.
Collaborate with classroom teachers to develop and implement classroom-based interventions that support student behavior and social-emotional learning.
Partner with parents and caregivers to provide support, resources, and strategies that reinforce counseling goals at home.
Participate in the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) process, including contributing to IEP development and progress reporting.
Monitor and document student progress toward IEP counseling goals using data collection and teacher feedback.
Maintain ongoing communication with school staff, CPSE teams, and families to support consistent, team-based care.
Participate in program meetings, supervision, and professional development related to early childhood mental health, SEL, and trauma-informed practices.
Ensure compliance with agency documentation requirements (e.g., session notes, billing, service verification).
Exemplify Catholic Charities' mission, vision, values and policies and procedures
Adhere to high ethical standards, consistent with the Catholic Charities' Corporate Compliance Program, Code of Ethics, legal mandates & labor laws, NYS Justice Center, and other accreditation standards (e.g. COA, BBB).
Actively participate in CCB program and department meetings and committees and in both agency-sponsored and Diocese-sponsored events; requiring non-traditional hours.
Perform other duties as assigned.
Applicants must reside in New York State to be considered.
Compensation shown above may vary based on factors including but not limited to skills, education, location and experience.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Catholic Charities of Buffalo is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals, regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic. Catholic Charities of Buffalo will make reasonable accommodations for known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified employees and applicants with disabilities, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact recruitment@ccwny.org [recruitment@ccwny.org].
Candidates must hold a Master's degree in social work, mental health counseling, or a related field along with a valid professional license such as LMSW, LCSW, or LMHC. A minimum of three years of experience working with children ages 3-10 with IEPs is required, along with a valid NYS driver's license.
Market context
In New York, preschool social worker roles are typically competitive because employers look for a master’s degree, a valid license such as LMSW, LCSW, or LMHC, and direct experience counseling children ages 3–10 with IEPs. Candidates with a valid NYS driver’s license may have an edge, especially when the role includes travel between sites. Review the posting closely for setting, caseload, and service expectations, and note that this platform AI-summarizes requirements and benefits from the original job description to save research time.