Empowering Families, Inc. is a play-based in-home early intervention program. We provide services for children from birth to 3 years of age. As a family-centered program, we work collaboratively with families and other professionals to create developmentally appropriate goals for the child. Empowering Families, Inc. seeks employees who are motivated, creative, and have the desire to advance in the field of child development.
This position requires home visits within the San Gabriel Valley and Pomona Valley areas. We provide services in the cities of Altadena, some areas of Pasadena, Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Azusa, Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, Pomona, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, West Covina, Covina, Baldwin Park, El Monte and La Puente. We do try to center your caseload around your preferred locations if possible. Drive-time and mileage are compensated. This position is available as part-time. This position allows you to create a flexible schedule anywhere from 7-29 hours per week. This position may become a full-time option once a full caseload has been reached and maintained for a specified time period.
Performance Standards
- Must participate in required supervision, meetings and training.
- Must be able to work within a modified trans-disciplinary team approach/setting.
- Must demonstrate flexibility with work, attitude and communication with Empowering Families, Inc. staff and families.
- Must be able to implement effective early intervention strategies and techniques.
- Must demonstrate emotional control, good judgment and safe practices when under stress.
- Must demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
- Perform other job duties or responsibilities as requested or assigned.
Job Duties & Requirements
- Provide ongoing information to parents and other caregivers.
- Provide detailed information about typical and atypical birth to three developments in the areas of social-emotional, cognitive, receptive and expressive communication, fine and gross motor, and self-help as indicated through observation, coaching or questions that arise.
- Provide general information about the importance and benefit of establishing routines, different temperaments, attachment, sensory integration, parenting birth to three, and coping skills.
- Provide information about and assistance with opportunities for inclusion of child/family in community activities and in natural settings on an ongoing basis.
- Seek assistance from supervisor and/or make referral/requests for mental health, occupational, physical and speech and language therapy consultations, more complex parenting and/or developmental issues are presented.
- Report and consult with IFSP team in a prompt manner any red flags regarding possible attachment concerns, Autism concerns; sensory integration concerns, feeding problems, serious behavior or sleep concerns, and any unrealistic expectations by the parent especially in the areas of discipline and toilet training.
- Communicate effectively with families about the infants/toddlers condition and recommended strategies, by using active listening, speaking on an appropriate cognitive and cultural level, reflecting and paraphrasing, wondering, coaching, encouraging, stating things in more than one way to accommodate the listener's needs, checking or clarifying that the family understands what you have said and seeking mutually satisfying strategies. At each session discuss parent’s perception of child’s progress and check to see if session met parent’s expectations. If it did not, discuss what parent might like to see happen differently.
- Plan and implement play-based interventions in all developmental areas as identified by IFSP.
- Plan (or find assistance in developing and planning) ongoing intervention to be implemented in the home or other natural setting that meets the outcomes and strategies as outlined on the IFSP.
- Jointly develop goals with the family and other team members. Measure progress and adjust goals/strategies and outcomes through dialogue with the family as needed.
- Assist with implementation of home programs through demonstration, coaching and other techniques for parents/caregivers.
- Prior to each visit be prepared, by planning particular activities based on families preference and related to IFSP strategies and goals, to use during the home or community based visit and document how the parent participated, what you demonstrated and the child’s response to the intervention (the effectiveness of the strategies) in the “results” note. Review session with caregiver before leaving. If appropriate, discuss and provide home program activities for the family. Periodically assess family’s satisfaction.
- At the visit, begin by learning what is new and what progress has occurred or not occurred. With the family, clarify goals and routines to be addressed during the session with the caregiver
- Engage caregiver and other appropriate family members in planned activities so that the caregiver can demonstrate all activities and the EIS and family can monitor their effectiveness.
- Using the Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP), evaluate progress toward goals on a regular basis as needed. Consult with specialists when progress is not occurring as expected and or any red flags are identified. Revise goals and strategies as needed.
Meet Performance Measures/Expectations
- Manage individual caseload in a manner that ensures that all children in the program receive quality services for their identified needs, in a timely manner every week.
- Maintain an updated schedule of appointments, trainings, events, etc. in NPAWorks/Go at least two weeks in advance.
- Submit developmental progress reports on a quarterly basis.
- Maintain and submit all required documentation daily.
- Attend trainings on a quarterly basis.
- Implement, assist with or track all services and strategies identified in the IFSP ensuring that all target dates are met. Exceptions must be documented.
- Assist family with accessing resources to meet the needs of the infant/toddler as identified by the IFSP. These may include but are not limited to informational, emotional and or material support such as securing well child/ therapy orders, assisting with doctors/specialists’ appointments, Early Head Start referrals, Vision and Hearing needs, adaptive equipment/assistive technology, transportation, childcare, respite; health insurance and medical, parenting and developmental information.
- Collaborate and coordinate with any relevant programs and /or agencies the family is involved with and gives consent for.
- Share any evaluation results or newly acquired medical records with the child’s IFSP team and review current IFSP to determine, what if any new outcomes and or strategies need to be added, revised or ended. After incorporating recommendations into outcomes and strategies review and discuss services, frequency and durations, making changes that reflect a modified trans- disciplinary approach.
- Monitor/track family no shows/cancellations bringing these to the attention of the supervisor for the purpose of developing an action plan. With Supervisor support, discuss these missed appointments with the family in a respectful and reflective manner.
Knowledge, Skills, Education and Abilities
- Knowledge of typical (normal) birth to age three growth and development.
- Knowledge about developmental delays in children birth to three years.
- Knowledge about disordered and atypical development in children birth to three years.
- Knowledge of medical diagnoses and conditions and their impact or potential impact on birth to three growth and development.
- Knowledge, skills and ability to work effectively with families /adults from various cultural, linguistic, socio-economic, cognitive, social -emotional and educational statuses.
- Knowledge of community resources available to assist families with financial, educational, medical, social and developmental needs.
- Knowledge of infant- toddler evaluation and assessment protocols, curriculums, methodologies, therapeutic strategies, techniques and monitoring/ measuring progress.
- Knowledge of the California Early Start program and services.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
- Comprehension of the IFSP process.
- Comprehension of the IEP process.
- Ability and skills to communicate well both orally and in writing.
- Ability to strive to make effective working relationships with team members and families that are characterized by mutual support, open communication, trust and respect.
- Ability to problem solve with infrequent assistance from supervisor. Identify and use a rational approach for the situation. Communicate problems and decisions to the supervisor.
- Ability to discuss uncomfortable and potentially conflict producing topics, in a professional and effective manner, with families, community agencies and other Empowering Families, Inc. staff.
Internal & External Customer Service
This position requires internal (team members, agency personnel) and external (doctors, day care providers, other agencies) contacts. The EIS will accomplish this with above average written and oral skills.
Travel
This position requires daily local travel in personal vehicle, often in difficult driving conditions and/or situations.
Minimum Education & Work History Requirements
Education
Bachelor's Degree; Acceptable degree includes Early Child Development; Human Development; Psychology; Social Work; Sociology; Special Education or other related degree with a minimum of 18 units relevant to early childhood intervention, early childhood development or early childhood special education
Work Experience
1-2 years’ work experience working effectively with families with infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) with developmental delays and disabilities, including global delays; communication delays; social-emotional delays, and; autism. Solid knowledge of;
- Child growth and development
- Child psychology or child and adolescent psychology
- Children with special needs
- Typical language development
Health Requirements
- TB clearance within 6 months prior of employment
- Annual Influenza vaccination (or waiver)
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine
- Health screening at the time of employment
Physical Requirement
- Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds
- Must be able to assume and maintain a variety of postures (kneeling, squatting, crawling, sitting, standing) for extended periods of time.
- Must be able to sit on the floor or stand for extended periods of time.
- Must have manual dexterity to perform specific computer and electronic device functions for data collection.
- Must be physically present at the assigned job location, which may include home, school, and community placements.
Certifications and Other Requirements
- Valid CPR and First Aid
- Valid CA Driver’s License and access to automobile (or have easy access to other means of reliable transportation). Must obtain proof of insurance.
- Must be able to pass a fingerprint clearance, background check, including criminal history, personal references, employment and education verifications.
- Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training Certificate
- The Administration of the Hawaii Early Learning Profile (HELP) 0-3 Certificate
Language
Ability to speak and read fluently in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Tagalog, American Sign Language (ASL) and/or other language is preferred, but not required for this position.
Pay: $22.00 - $25.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
Work Location: In person
