EHS Caregiver

Job Location: Paces Creek Center - Manchester, KY

Position Type: Full Time

Education Level: Infant/Toddler CDA or Associates Degree

Salary Range: $14.70 - $15.44 Hourly

Travel Percentage: Occasionally

Job Shift: Day

Job Category: Child Development Early Head Start

Description: Caring for children birth to three in a centre-based setting. Supervising Caregiver Assistant. Primary caregiver for infants/toddlers in a classroom setting. Implement planned centre curriculum for developmentally appropriate activities with infant/toddlers. Encourage parents/guardians and offer suggestions for child development activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Each employee is expected to strive for excellence in the performance of their tasks in an efficient manner, exercising good judgment with a dedication in fulfilling the mission of the agency and service to others.
• Employees are expected to keep informed of community issues, regulations, new research, and trends related to your field of work.
• Each employee is expected to assist with fund development.
• Integration of agency programs and services places you in a position of cooperatively seeking advice from other employees; sharing of program information; and assisting in other work units when needed.
• All employees must be conscious of and develop habits in reducing waste, eliminating duplication of services, improving productivity and cost effectiveness.

The duties of the Caregiver include, but are not limited to:

• Acquire knowledge of and implement accordingly the Head Start Program Performance Standards.
• Promote school readiness for all children.
• Have an understanding of the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework.
• Work cooperatively with other Child Development staff in the planning, integration, and implementation of EHS/HS program services for children 0 to 5 years of age.
• Become competent in the use of designated computer programs, and use properly in the operations of the Child Development Program.
• Responsible for compiling designated reports in a timely manner.
• Participate in the annual program self-assessment process.
• Gain a working knowledge of all programs operated by KCEOC for the purpose of providing information, making referrals and the delivery of integrated services to clients.
• Preserve the privacy of all children and families enrolled in KCEOC's Child Development Program by maintaining the confidentiality and security of all family information.
• Responsible for generating an appropriate amount of non-federal share (in-kind) that is reasonable and necessary for the operation of the Child Development Program.
• Maintain certification by recognized source such as the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross in CPR and First Aid and Safety.
• Participate and offer suggestions in conferences, meetings, training, and recruitment activities.
• Responsible for obtaining the annual required number of Child Development training hours per local, state and federal regulations through KCEOC's Pre-service Training.

In addition, the duties of the Caregiver include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible for provision of services to infants and toddlers in a centre-based setting.
• Work cooperatively with all staff, parents, and volunteers, be responsive to the challenge of providing integrated comprehensive services.
• Responsible for implementing a planned centre curriculum for developmentally appropriate activities with infant/toddlers.
• Develop individualized daily lesson plans; weekly universal lesson plans; and other appropriate educational activities that include the parent being involved; encourage the parent and offer suggestions for child development activities during the week.
• Maintain a clean, safe, age-appropriate learning environment in the classroom.
• Be responsive to the children and families with special needs and any disabling conditions.
• Have flexible work schedules, in order to work around the families' needs.
• Assist parents in understanding the transitional process from Early Head Start into another child development program.
• Responsible for transitional activities and coordination of Transition meeting.
• Recognize that in the centre-based program, the parent is the primary factor in the child's development.
• Assist in recruitment, taking applications, and in enrollment of Early Head Start children; communicate any problems or barriers to effective performance to the Infant Toddler Education Specialist.
• Be assigned as primary caregiver for four children in the classroom.
• Gain a working knowledge of community and regional resources for the purpose of identifying supportive social, health, educational, emergency and disability services available to the Early Head Start parents and children; communicate any new resource identified to the Infant/Toddler Pre-K Education Specialist and fellow staff.
• Assist families in utilising available health care, encourage families to obtain appropriate medical and dental screenings of Early Head Start children and arranging for appropriate follow up for any identified health-related problem.
• Follow up activities include, but are not limited to: assisting parents in making appointments with doctors, specialists, or dentists.
• Assist parents and children in securing transportation to and from appointments; encourage parents to learn about their child's development and participate in screenings and visits to medical professionals; maintaining documentation of all parent contacts and follow up activities with the family.
• Prioritise activities in a manner that reflects effective case management of clients, eliminating unnecessary travel or duplicated travel time/costs.
• Work cooperatively with appropriate Child Development staff in assessing and meeting the needs of enrolled children and their families.
• Coordinate health-related activities with the Health/Mental Health Manager by seeking advice/guidance, being knowledgeable of any established contracts for services and the payment requirements and billing.
• Be aware of and maintain supplies and equipment; inform centre lead teacher when inventory is low and/or maintenance is needed.
• Ensure that the classroom, centre and playground are kept clean and safe.
• Encourage parent participation in their child's development and educational experiences, both in the home and in the classroom.
• Assist and ensure that communication between Early Head Start staff and parents is provided timely by delivering messages and written communications as requested.
• Responsible for maintaining individual, comprehensive charts for every enrolled child in caseload. Ensuring all required documentation is maintained at all times.
• Responsible for ensuring their assigned classroom meets all daycare licensing requirements.
• Administering developmental screening and assessments on a schedule deemed appropriate by the Infant/Toddler Education Specialist.
• Participate in First Steps Meetings and IFSP development and updates for all children with diagnosed disabilities.
• Conduct three home visits and two parent staff conferences per year per child for each child in their assigned caseload.
• Observe the children and enter anecdotal notes and developmental assessment information into the computerized assessment program in a timely manner. Meet all deadlines regarding developmental assessment input.
• Develop lesson plans; updating and revising based on the children's individual education plans; maintain an age-appropriate learning environment in the classroom.
• Supervise and provide instruction to the Caregiver Assistants assigned to their classroom. Instruct them in carrying out the goals and objectives of the education component; provide the teacher aide with opportunities for learning.
• Be responsive to the challenge of providing integrated comprehensive services.
• Work cooperatively with Caregiver Assistants in assessing and meeting the needs of enrolled children and their families.
• Assist and ensure that communication between Caregiver Assistants and parents is provided timely by delivering messages and written communications as requested.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Minimum Qualifications: Child Development Associate Degree or comparable credential; training or equivalent coursework in early childhood development with a focus on infant and toddler development; work experience.
• Additional Requirements: Valid driver’s licence, reliable transportation, local travel, occasional out of town travel.