Job Overview

Cares for infants, toddlers and/or pre-school children and/or school-age children as well as instructs the children in activities designed to promote social, physical, and intellectual growth.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Plans and conducts daily group activities and learning techniques for The Spring’s Childcare children based on the developmental level of the particular group and under the direction of the Kids Team Manager and Lead Teacher. 
• Includes indoor and outdoor activities to stimulate growth in language, social skills, and motor skills including such activities as art, music, creative dramatics, cooking, science, field trips, and organized games.  
• Encourages growth by helping children to learn to listen and teaching them to follow instructions, play with others, and to use play equipment. Learns and teaches new songs, games, and activities.
• Prepares educational materials and lesson plans for the upcoming week.
• Maintains the physical environment to conform to governmental standards of safety and cleanliness.  
• Organizes, cleans, and sanitizes toys, equipment, and materials. Cleans the Childcare Center and playground daily removing dangerous objects from the center.  
• Cleans bathrooms, floors, counters, etc. and documents/tracks as appropriate. 
• Redirects the children’s behavior and ensures that proper disciplinary plan is implemented if needed.
• Maintains documentation of the food program and documents as appropriate. 
• Monitors attendance and maintains attendance reports in accordance with licensing and funding standards. 
• Ensures that infants’ and toddlers’ soiled diapers are changed, children are dry and that soiled diapers are disposed of in a sanitary manner. 
• Facilitates Peace Groups as needed and documents in the database. 
• Assists with orientations, rosters, and tracking spreadsheets and documents.
• Completes and maintains Ages and Stages Questionnaires for children as needed in accordance with Early Learning Coalition guidelines. 
• Assists with occasionally providing childcare for night groups as needed. 
• Transportation in agency vehicles to transport children, families, or supplies.  
• Provides advocacy for shelter participants. 
• Provide support to other departments as needed. 

Occasional duties or projects which may be performed at irregular intervals

• Attends and participates in Childcare and Kids Team staff meetings.
• Attends workshops, conferences, early childhood training, family violence, or other related topics as directed.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Accountability- Areas in which the position is accountable/responsible

• Customer Service: Interacts with children and parents daily. Must be always courteous and respectful.
• Safety: Ensures a safe environment for children in Childcare Center and on the playground. Ensures children are clean and dry.

Business-Related Contacts:

• Internal Contacts: All Spring staff.
• External Contacts: Hillsborough County Childcare Licensing Inspectors, social service agencies, schools, and volunteers 

Prohibited Functions:

• Does not respond to requests from the media.
• Does not provide any service which could be interpreted as practicing law.

Education/Training/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in behavioral science preferred or two years of related experience with children.
• Child Development Associate (CDA) or equivalent required. If the employee does not possess a CDA, the employee must sign up for the courses and obtain the CDA within one year of employment. 
• Three (3) years of related experience. 

Specialized or technical educational requirements:

• Requires completion of Forty (40) hour Childcare training course and Five (5) hour Early Literacy training course.
• Become CORE certified within 90 days of employment. Completes sixteen (16) hours of annual training related to domestic violence. 
• Ten (10) hours of continuing education required annually as outlined by Department of Children and Families Childcare Licensing.  

Certification or Licensing Requirements

• Valid Florida driver’s license, active vehicle insurance, and acceptable MVR required. Must have two years of driving experience.
• Must be able to pass a level 2 background check.
•  Must successfully pass and maintain screening through childcare licensing agency and DCF, as required by law.
• Must be willing and eligible to earn and maintain a Child Development Associate (CDA) (or will sign up for course within 90 days of employment and complete certification within 1 year of employment).
• Certification in First Aid and CPR. (or will complete within 90 days of employment). 
• 10 hours of continuing education required annually related to childcare as approved through DCF.
• Obtain CORE Competency certification prior to having direct contact with participants. 16 hours of training each year thereafter regarding the dynamics of domestic violence and intervention.

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The position requires verbal communication on an individual and group basis, supervising groups of children at The Spring and on field trip outings. 
• Talking and hearing is required all the time.
• The position requires walking, standing, sitting, reaching, and using hands. Stooping and crouching are required frequently. Sitting on the floor to play and interact with children is required frequently.
• The employee must often lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  
• Special vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and ability to focus.

Work Environment:

• The environment is typically that of a classroom and playground setting with moderate to loud noise levels.   
• There is occasional exposure to the outdoors when assisting with outdoor activities or field trips and supervising playground activities.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Additional Remarks:

This position requires the following:

• Demonstrates maturity and good judgment.
• Must be able to work with a culturally diverse community with sensitivity and professionalism.
• Knowledge of domestic violence and victim issues, including advocacy activities, statutes and impact on children.
• Always maintains confidentiality of shelter activities and participants. 
• A driving physical is required. 
• Reliable transportation required.

Behavior Expectations:

The expectation is that each team member demonstrates knowledge of our company culture code and works in a way that aligns with our 15 fundamental behaviors. Our Guiding Principles are at the beginning of our culture code guidebook,

We are…

Survivor-Focused and Empowerment Based. The diverse voices of survivors inform the decisions we make. Survivors are encouraged to heal and move forward at the pace they set.

Collaborative. Collaboration with our community partners helps create better outcomes for survivors while also ensuring knowledge of the services we provide.

Diverse & Inclusive. Our team reflects the diversities of our community and the survivors we serve. We establish spaces and services that are supportive of all people.

A Great Place to Work. People love to work here. We develop the potential of our staff and support their growth as leaders in this work.

Honest & Ethical. We are transparent. We deliver on our promises. Each dollar we receive is used for its intended purpose and its greatest good.

A Safe Space. Safety leads each interaction with survivors.

Advocates. We tirelessly advocate for survivor safety, abuser accountability, and improving the overall system in our community.