The Disabilities Support Coordinator works with the Education Team to support students with disabilities and their families. Working in partnership with our Mental Health Specialist, Site Team Leader's, educators and parents to ensure agency services are designed to create inclusive classrooms and nurturing center-based and home-based environments. This position will focus on collaboration, teaming, coaching and solutions-based problem solving to achieve positive, trauma-informed learning environments supportive of students' social and emotional development, and educator wellness. This role will encompass providing direct support to students, staff and families, in addition to providing professional development, policy and procedure oversight, and plan development to ensure services offered are tailored to the needs of the individual child (5 and under), our classrooms, and their families.

 ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Serve as the primary contact for school districts responsible for developing Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), and/or Individualized Support/Behavior Intervention Plans and attend all related meetings. Partner with other agencies to support children in need of individualized care.
• Monitor IEPs and IFSPs on an ongoing basis and ensure individualized plans are implemented in the Head Start classroom.
• Develop and deliver content designed to increase knowledge of child development, with a particular focus on the first 5 years of life.
• Partner with mental health consultants to facilitate educator, staff, and parent understanding of both normative and non-normative influences in the complexities of child development; ensure appropriate support and interventions when needed.
• Partner with others throughout the organization to implement practices that are trauma-informed, culturally responsive, developmentally appropriate, and person-centered. 
• Assist with and/or complete Functional Behavioral Assessments and/or program observation instruments, such as the Teaching Pyramid Observation Tool and/or Infant-Toddler Scale.
• Serve as primary support during transitions to Head Start programming, Kindergarten, and/or other programs, as deemed appropriate.
• Complete all required paperwork according to program policies and procedures.
• Assist with family education, events, home visits, and/or playgroups, as requested/assigned.

LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as a core member of the Education Team.
• Lead and assist with coaching and professional development related to best practices for supporting children and families with high or differing needs. 
• Assist with goal development and participate in the agency’s process for continuous quality improvement; monitor, analyze, and present pertinent agency data.
• Participate in meetings and other activities designed to ensure collaboration and promote consistency for both agency staff and those served.
• Collaborate with other members of the leadership team to support training, education, and professional development opportunities.
• Participate in program design and development of the annual calendar; contribute to planning efforts, evaluation, and reporting of annual information to funders.

OPERATIONS RESPONSIBILITIES

• Adhere to a schedule for reviewing and revising policies, procedures, and other organizational processes to ensure provision of quality services.
• Assist in supporting team members with resources related to child development, trauma-informed care, disabilities, and strategies to support individualized support.
• Assist with ensuring compliance with all safety work rules and regulations.
• Assist Program Support staff in maintaining program inventory records.

The above list reflects the general details necessary to describe the principle and essential functions of the position and shall not be construed as the only duties that may be assigned for the position. An individual in this position must be able to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities listed above. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. It is the responsibility of the individual to inform the employer of any accommodation needed to perform the essential functions of this position.  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• A passion for early care and education, social-emotional learning, trauma-informed care, infant/child mental health, and/or supporting individuals with disabilities.
• A bachelor’s degree in early childhood development, education, social work, psychology, or a related field, and a willingness to obtain additional education pertinent to the role. (Financial assistance may be provided.)
• Three or more years of work experience in any of the essential duties/responsibilities outlined above.
• Experience in special education, behavior intervention or social work with high needs children. 
• Certification in infant and early childhood mental health or trauma-informed care, or licensure as a Special Education Program Aide.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to always maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive matters with professionalism.
• Ability to collaborate with others, perform high-quality work with minimal to moderate supervision, meet deadlines, and maintain a workload that contributes to the overall effective operations of the agency. 
• Experience utilizing Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, Power Point, Adobe, etc.).
• Must have or be able to obtain CPR and First Aid certificates.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A master’s degree in early childhood development, education, social work, psychology, or a related field, and a willingness to obtain additional education pertinent to the role. (Financial assistance may be provided.)
• Experience supervising, leading, assessing, and/or evaluating the performance of others.
• Experience providing care in a non-profit, childcare, or educational setting.
• The ability to communicate fluently in English and Spanish.
• PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL DEMANDS:
• Employees must be able to demonstrate at all times that they are able to meet the demands of their jobs.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Communication: Speaking clearly, hearing, and using hands to handle objects or controls.
• Physical Activity: Depending on the job, employees may need to lift up to 25 pounds; sit for long periods of time; bend, squat or crouch; sit on the floor and return to standing; climb stairs; and/or move quickly throughout the building.
• Visual Acuity: Seeing details of objects at various distances, as well as depth perception. The ability to withstand blue light from computer screens, smart phones, and other technology.
• Auditory Acuity: The ability to hear and focus on conversations and potentially respond quickly to sounds. 

MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

• Cognitive Skills: Learning new information, remembering processes, focusing, categorizing, and integrating information for decision-making. Making timely and effective decisions under pressure.
• Problem-Solving: Identifying problems, analyzing situations, and finding solutions.
• Organization and Planning: Organizing tasks, setting priorities, and managing time effectively.
• Adaptability: Adapting to changing situations and priorities.
• Stress Management: Managing stress and maintaining composure under pressure.
• Crisis Intervention Skills: Experience in providing support to others managing high-stress situations.

EMOTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and responding to the emotions of team members. Understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses and how they impact others.
• Relationship Building: The ability to form and nurture meaningful connections with others, both personally and professionally.
• Conflict Resolution: Resolving conflicts constructively and fairly.
• Frustration Tolerance: Coping with and enduring frustrating situations without experiencing excessive negative emotions or behaviors.
• Resilience: Maintaining a positive attitude and bouncing back from setbacks.
• Growth Mindset: Believing that your abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, effort, and learning, and maintaining an openness to receiving supervision and feedback to improve practice.

The physical, mental, and emotional requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.