care coordinator

therapist

partner

life skills trainer

licensed vocational nurse

San Diego Center for Children

As an educator and human being, this place breaks my heart on a consistent basis. I love being a teacher and working with these students but the administrative staff makes everyday a painful experience. 

The principal is barely qualified for his position and clearly plays favorites - from what I understand, he was a wonderful teacher but is a dreadful principal because he has no idea how to effectively manage a large group of people. It saddens me to say that the only opportunities for advancement at the Center come from having a close personal friendship and/or relationship with either the principal himself or someone else "higher up" in admin. 

On that same note, it is apparent to nearly everyone that certain employees - current as well as those about to transition out - have more "pull" than others. It seems like the only way to have your voice heard and for action to be appropriately taken is to be friends with all the "right" people. This creates a toxic work environment for all of us - oftentimes I feel as though I am walking on eggshells because if I say something that all the "right" people disagree with, I worry that I will be blacklisted and treated poorly. I have seen it happen with many of my co-workers past and present. Two of my closet friends here at work were chased away from their positions within the last year - and that is to say nothing of the dozens of instructional aides (IAs) who have left the Center because they have been overworked, underpaid and mistreated, to say the least.

To be fair, there have been several major changes within the Academy system over the past school year and that may contribute to the high stress levels of the principal, which may lead to his ineptitude. That being said, many of these changes were brought about by the principal himself and seem to have been completely unnecessary. Additionally, questions regarding these changes have largely gone unanswered - save for one last-minute meeting in the common lunch area where the principal angrily directed the entire Academy staff to stop spreading false rumors about him, much in the spirit of a spoiled child who was not getting his way. Many of us, myself included, were confused and taken aback by this directive, but that is one of many examples of the lack of leadership this administrator exhibits on a daily basis.

Long story short - don't apply here. You will not be appreciated. You will feel emotionally and mentally drained and asking for help gets you nowhere. There are so many other, better, more efficient and supportive sites out there looking for well-qualified educators.

A typical workday varies depending on the position. What's great about being a teacher at SDCC is that one can decide what they day will be like because it's all about planning and organizing the schedule to be fun for yourself and the students. I learned strong organizational skills from management and to maintain the integrity of my work and taking pride in job well done. The team members are very supportive and most of the time will go out of their way to be there and support one another. The most challenging part of working there is that one have to always remember that you're working with a special Ed population. The behaviors and personalities of the clients vary and at times it will be tough to meet a client's emotional and psychological/ behavioral needs and that can make a person feel helpless. Other than that it is a good place to work and it has flexible work schedules. The most enjoyable part is having the opportunity to watch the clients grow and blossom emotionally and seeing the huge improvement in their behaviors. There are other incentives as well, during the summer, the executives host a picnic and cook for the staff and at the end of the year a huge Christmas party is held at a fancy hotel and those who have been at the organization for 5 or more years are recognized for their organizational commitments.

I just began working here and I love it! The people that are complaining and writing bad reviews, probably just didn't cut it. Working with troubled young people is NOT AN EASY TASK! You either love children or you don't. You either understand them or you don't.  Blaming management for your low pay...really? I never took a child psychology class, do not have a master's degree or the equivalent. But I came through the door making more than the degree ppl. Anyway, I absolutely love this place! If you are a good worker, and you're making a difference, you stand out. The people on here writing bad reviews were only there for a "job". Working with this population is a "lifestyle". The kids are good at running people off. They KNOW who are the "weak links". I'm never tired,  I'm never bored, the people I work with are amazing! There are a few staff that think that they "know" what they are doing because they read a book. Your EDUCATION won't cut it! If you have never experienced their type of pain, this is not the place for you! If you love kids, know their pain and want to help them do better and be better, then you would do just great here and be happy. If all you want is a "job", then I suggest anywhere but here. Being able to guide these kids that feel down, and teach them is the most rewarding experience EVER. Once those kids sense weaknesses, they will come at you until you leave.

SDCC is the oldest non-profit in San Diego and operates a variety of programs for children including a residential program, therapeutic services, several school programs for kids with behavioral difficulties, and wraparound services.  In the Wrapworks wraparound program staff travels to family's homes, schools and communities to work with them on identifying their needs and strategies to meet their goals.  Typically the wraparound team is working with the family of a child who has been involved in probation, child welfare, or residential care with the goal of getting them home, safe, and out of the system.  This is a great team environment where your co-workers have your back and you get to feel you are making a positive difference.  Since this work is in the communit,y your typical day might start with a meeting in the office and then be made up of driving around between team meetings and one on one appointments with the kids or their families.  You learn a lot about the effects of different types of trauma on kids lives and what it takes to help them reach success.  You get a lot of supervision, training, and support so you don't feel stuck in difficult situations.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The job itself was fulfilling, but overall one of the most exhausting physically and emotionally at times. Often staff in the kids units didn’t get breaks, and this is including overtime, like 12 hour days. Some staff were really trying to make a difference while others were straight up unprofessional. There were enjoyable moments seeing the youth grow and use their coping skills, but overall the exhaustion and burn out for the pay does not make it worth working here. 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The youth would become violent, the children’s units are the most challenging with the least support, the overtime was never ending, and the burn out was inevitable. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
For the most part the staff you work with are friendly and a good team, but there are a few younger staff who struggle to stay professional in front of the youth in the residential home .

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
If you were in the residential you can expect a long day of groups, escalated youth trying to AWOL, youth becoming violent, no breaks in 12 hour days. You have therapeutic groups, meals, and activities.

The fun parts of working at the center included running groups and having session with the clients, interacting with staff, and participating in fun activities. Most staff were fun and engaging. Very diverse and down to earth workforce, which is great. Most kids were receptive and fun loving. 

Upper management, on the other hand, couldn't care less about their staff or therapists and are constantly looking to ding you instead of taking 
the time to actually help you grow. 

Good luck attempting to take a vacation if you are  a therapist. Taking a vacation is more stressful than not taking a vacation because of the footwork that has to be set in place before you go away. No work-life balance to speak of. 

Therapists serve as both therapists and case managers which is a very raw deal in my opinion. It would be nice if they hired some actual case managers to assist with the kids here instead of placing the burden on the therapists. 

If your have a degree go somewhere else. This place is absolutely horrible. The kids run the company. Long hours. No team work. Co workers  are very unprofessional and a lot of arguments and write ups for speaking up about a issues or concern. Rarely kids are successful and the program spends more money on high up employee than the kids it self. We don't provide all the program the website states.  The units are trashed and not livable for the clients. It's unbearable job and most people quit within a year. Please read the reviews about the residential because its all true. If you want to make a different in kids lives this job is not the job to do so. This place causes more harm to the child than good.

Totalitarianism. Nepotism. The job in itself is difficult. Children are attacking you on a daily basis both physically, emotionally and mentally. If you are committed to special education and can handle the aggressive behaviors the relationships with the students you will build are incomparable. You are the consistent adult figures in their lives. But, management has allowed an employee cross boundaries and take over other supervisors responsibilities when it is not her place. She has taken control and invading privacy. There is a drone that videotapes the staff without their knowledge and consent. The "behavior specialist" because she doesn't have her credential, hides in dark rooms spying on staff trying to get them in trouble. The mental abuse and lack of support from supervisors is unprofessional and illegal. The higher ups pick who they like and will support them and all the others are targets. Do not work here. No training, terrible adherence to IEP's, and zero parent support and communication. A lot of illegal and unprofessional actions.

I worked at the San Diego Center for Children as a Medication Technician, and overall, it was a rewarding experience. The organization’s mission to support youth and families dealing with emotional and behavioral challenges is truly meaningful, and it felt good to be part of a team that makes a real difference in the community.

The staff are passionate, caring, and dedicated to helping children succeed. I appreciated the opportunities for learning and professional growth, especially in working closely with clinical teams and gaining hands-on experience in behavioral health.

The job can be fast-paced and emotionally demanding at times, given the nature of the work, but management was generally supportive and open to feedback. The collaboration between departments helped make difficult days more manageable.

Overall, I’d recommend San Diego Center for Children to those who are compassionate, patient, and passionate about helping youth. It’s a place where you can grow both professionally and personally while contributing to a great cause.

Non=Public School in San Diego (Kearny Mesa) CA. Attached to a larger non profit organization that provides various services to youth in the region. Students came from all walks of life, being referred to the Academy for various social and academic reasons, as well as referrals from the juvenile justice system. Every day was different, and as an instructional assistant, could encounter any number of situations on a given day. IA's assisted classroom teachers with academic and disciplinary tasks, as well as filled in as a substitute teacher in situations where teacher was absent (were compensated an extra $40 per day on top of IA pay on sub days). Every Wednesday was a minimum day for students in order for staff to go to development. All in all, high stress environment, but team at Academy was very supportive of each other and quick to help.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Care coordinator 17 salaries reported	$68,588 per year
Therapist 14 salaries reported	$72,740 per year
Partner 14 salaries reported	$23.43 per hour
Life skills trainer 9 salaries reported	$22.18 per hour
Licensed vocational nurse 4 salaries reported	$32.31 per hour

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