Child and Family Specialist

(South King County)

$52,500 - $67,100 annually (Based on years of applicable experience)

Full-time, Regular Status, FLSA Exempt

Open until Filled

Childhaven is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, inclusion, and recruiting candidates of every race, creed, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender or gender identity, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other protected status as provided by law.  Qualified individuals who bring diverse perspectives to the workplace are highly encouraged to apply!

ABOUT CHILDHAVEN

For over 110 years Childhaven has been a leader in serving children, families, and communities that have experienced trauma and adversity. In the past few years, we have been adding services and locations, becoming more community-based, and forming partnerships to increase our impact. In June 2020, Childhaven consolidated with Renton Area Youth and Family Services (RAYS) and Art with Heart, which further expanded our capacity to better serve more children, families, and communities. By combining our legacy of healing-centered care, with the expertise of our new partners, Childhaven is building a continuum of care model that is unlike any other in the Puget Sound Region.

We are proud to be a values-driven organization that serves families from diverse communities. Our values are the compass we use to get us there. They guide us in the way we treat each other, the decisions we make, and the success we achieve. Values are the touchstones to chart and guide our behavior, and reflect our commitment to:

• TEAMWORK: Relationships come first.
• EQUITY: There’s infinite value in every human.
• EXCELLENCE: Constructively dissatisfied with the status quo.
• DEDICATION: Do more. Do better.
• RESPECT: Meet people where they are.
• REFLECTION: Feelings Matter. Stepping back and exploring possibilities.

Going forward, we are embarking on a new and very ambitious strategic impact plan to further strengthen programs, expand impact, and embrace innovation. In the next five years our goals are to double the number of locations and quadruple the number of children and families we are serving - all while developing and strengthening partnerships with other community-based organizations, referral sources, government agencies, and universities. In so doing, we are opening doors to a host of new roles and opportunities within the organization. And that’s where you come in.

ABOUT YOU

You are a passionate, driven, and dedicated Child and Family Specialist who is excited by this opportunity to bring your superpowers and diverse mix of skills and experience to advance our work. You share our vision to help ensure that all children are safe and healthy; thriving physically, socially emotionally and educationally; and well nurtured by family and by their community. You too are constructively dissatisfied with the status quo, embrace continuous improvement, and heed the call to better serve more. You are equal parts learner, leader, and mentor… and see around the corners of a challenge, replaying the question of “What if” with a reply of “Why not”.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Child and Family Specialist (CFS) is responsible for providing additional therapeutic services   early learning providers, children and families through an infant early childhood mental health (IECMH) lens. They will support ECEAP/Head Start and Early ECEAP/Early HS providers, children and their families to build relational health. This role will support all important caregivers in a child’s life by building the skills to create and sustain safe and supportive environments that foster the development of healthy and secure relationships, and overall child well-being.

The CFS will provide a broad range of services, including levels of IECMH consultation in classrooms and through home visits; training and coaching staff; reflective practice for early learning providers; screening, assessment, and referral services for children and families; and providing family/caregiver trainings (all of which may be provided in-person and/or virtually). The CFS will also collect data, maintain records, and support compliance in all facets of ECEAP and Early ECEAP Performance Standards and state regulations.

This role reports to the Senior Manager of ECLIPSE and works collaboratively with the Mentor Teacher and Relationship Based Professional Development Specialist. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Individualized Child, Family & Provider Centered Services

• Partner with all child caregivers in the screening, assessment and referral processes, including the determination of strengths, needs, dosing of services, and level(s) of consultation required.
• Maintain a full caseload of children and ensure quality, positive relationships with families and early learning providers.
• Conduct observations and assessments of individual children and family needs.
• Provide written and oral observations and strengths-based feedback to classrooms on a regular basis, as determined by each provider partnership.
• Meet with families (at childcare; home; community; virtually) to assess child and family needs while co-creating or assessing progress of Individual Care Plan (ICP) to support these needs.
• Meet with classroom team and child’s family to review observations, develop and implement the ICP.
• In partnership with the child’s multi-disciplinary team: create and carry out an ICP.
• Provide reflective practice and therapeutic services both in classroom and during home visits.
• Through reflection and home visits build capacity in caregiver to meet the child’s social-emotional needs.
• Provide child development information related to social-emotional wellness and infant early childhood mental health (IECMH).
• Provide guidance and model developmentally appropriate activities for children, individualized interventions, and effective ways to work with and support children both in classroom and home environment.
• Conduct standardized developmental, behavioral, and/or social-emotional screenings and assessments for children as assigned or referred for services.
• Provide child and family referral and follow-up to community services.
• Conduct home visits to support the behavioral health needs of families and children.
• Collaborate with Relationship Based Professional Development Specialist and Mentor Teachers to ensure all family, provider and program needs and goals are being addressed and met.

Other Duties as Assigned

• Participate in professional development opportunities regarding anti-racism, oppression, and cultural humility/curiosity. and regularly assess own performance and program for related improvements.
• Participate in ongoing job-related professional development, in-service trainings, and continuing education.
• Assist with internal Childhaven staff training opportunities as available.
• Comply with all Childhaven policies and procedures.
• Comply with the agency's policy and procedures regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse.
• Participate in regular administrative, clinical, and reflective supervision with designated supervisor.
• Participate in scheduled team and administrative meetings.
• Contribute to federal, state, and local reporting requirements and reporting of child abuse.

 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in social work, psychology, counseling or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience with young children and families.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience home visiting
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 50 pounds.
• Endorsement by the Washington Association of Infant Mental Health (WA-AIMH) or willing to complete the process at onset of employment.
• Experience working and communicating with immigrant and marginalized communities and families.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with diverse groups, including programmatic documentation.
• Knowledge of Washington State Childcare Licensing requirements.
• Outstanding organizational and prioritization skills. An ability to prioritize work effectively to appropriately manage all job requirements.
• Cleared portable background check through the Washington DCYF.
• Must have reliable transportation, valid driver’s license, safe driving record and auto liability insurance or must have acceptable alternative and reliable transportation

Preferred:

• Bilingual/bicultural background strongly preferred.
• Specialized clinical training in infant early childhood mental health, including provision of reflective supervision/consultation for individuals and groups.

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 offer a comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental and vision insurance. Expanded benefits include a flexible spending account, healthcare reimbursement account, a 403(b) savings program with employer A full listing of benefits is available.
• Opportunities to attend a wide variety of trainings on clinical and education topics, advocacy and more.
• 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 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.

How To Apply

Open until filled; qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.  In addition to completing the application online, attach a resume and cover letter when prompted.

Those who fail to attach resume and cover letter may not be considered.