Childhaven teachers are a special breed of educator. They believe that early learning programs can improve lives affected by trauma, and help children thrive despite what they've experienced. Working with our kids every day, teachers represent the core of our services for children and families.

Teaching positions offer:

• A great opportunity to connect with families who have high needs, and make a lasting impact on their well-being
• Experience delivering early learning curricula to children from birth to six in an environment with low child-to-teacher ratios
• Paid time in training sessions on a wide variety of clinical, education, and health-related topics (including Right Response), as well as an education stipend
• A comprehensive benefits package including full medical and dental, as well as a $750 employer contribution towards your deductible
• Chances to collaborate with and learn from many other professionals, including mental health therapists and clinicians, ECEAP and Head Start teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists, special educators, nurses, case managers, and more
• Exposure to the child welfare system in King County and WA state, and experience helping families navigate it
• Regular step increases to salary and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance, as well as an education stipend
• Lots of quality time with kids like these!

Requirements for lead teachers:

• You have at least 2 years of experience working directly with children in early learning settings.
• You have at least 2 years of experience working with children in social services settings, and as a mandated reporter for abuse/neglect.
• You meet one of the following education requirements:
  • A valid Washington State Teaching Certificate with an endorsement in Early Childhood Education (Pre-K-Grade 3) or Early Childhood Special Education.
  • A Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE), Social Work, Human Services, or related field.
  • An associate degree in ECE.
  • An associate degree in related field other than ECE with 30 college credits in early childhood.
• You will submit to, pass Childhaven’s drug screen and background check, and possess a portable background check through the Washington Department of Early Learning.
• You have a valid driver’s license, proof of liability insurance and a verifiable safe driving record.
• Your current certifications include First Aid, Child/Infant CPR, HIV & Blood borne Pathogens and you have a MERIT identification number.

Childhaven serves families from diverse communities and we are committed to recruiting candidates who reflect this diversity. Multilingual and multicultural candidates are highly encouraged to apply!

Every role at Childhaven makes an impact! Lead teacher responsibilities include:

• Respectful interaction with children and caregivers that models positive behavior and promotes healthy self-esteem, self-confidence, and communication skills.
• Developing an age-appropriate curriculum for a classroom that meets children's developmental needs and builds pre-academic skills.
• Supporting the individualized social-emotional goals of children in your class—and helping to develop those goals in partnership with other service providers at Childhaven.

We strive to make Childhaven a great place to work by living our values: Teamwork, Equity, Excellence, Dedication, and Respect. Here’s a little bit about what we offer our staff:

• We believe in fully transparent hiring practices. Pay rates for Lead Therapeutic Classroom Teachers begin at $17.77/hour
• We offer a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental and vision insurance. Expanded benefits include a flexible spending account, education reimbursement and a 403(b) savings program with employer contributions. A full listing of benefits is available.
• No matter what your role is, you'll get opportunities to attend a wide variety of trainings on clinical and education topics, advocacy, management skills, and more. We also work hard to make sure that you have a mentor—a person who's helping you grow professionally.
• We’re dedicated to serving the full range of cultural diversity in our community, and to providing families with care that’s relevant to them and their values. As a member of Childhaven staff, you’ll be encouraged to contribute to community engagement strategies and to serve on our Racial Equity Team, which makes ongoing recommendations to ensure that our programs and protocols are doing their part to dismantle systemic racism.

Want to join our team? Submit a resume and a cover letter!

Your resume and application must be accompanied by a cover letter in which you address the following:

• The value you’ve gained from collaborative internal and external partnerships
• Your ability to make sound decisions in emergency situation
• A foundational knowledge of early childhood development and trends
• Highlights of areas where successes in your background will serve you in this role at Childhaven