Illinois is Dramatically Expanding the Caregiver Connections Workforce
Governor Pritzker approved the allocation of Governer’s Emergency Education Relief (GREER) funding for the elements of Public Act 101-0654 that calls for increasing the social-emotional support to the early childhood workforce.
Our Philosophy
We believe if consultants are growing, then they are helping the providers, families and communities they serve grow, too. We are dedicated to growing the team and working in a way that centers racial equity, diversity and inclusion. Caregiver Connections provides a nurturing infrastructure of support to our consultants, including reflective supervision, mentoring and an ongoing professional development.
Join the Team Current Job Openings
The Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant (MHC) will provide ongoing, relationship-based mental health consultation, technical assistance, training, and referral services to Early Care and Education (ECE) providers working with children ages birth to age 5 and their families within the communities served. The MHC will provide/facilitate pertinent training to ECE providers and others within the communities served, and on a statewide basis. The MHC will work proactively within their respective communities to improve and facilitate understanding and collaboration between the ECE field and the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health field, and to promote community understanding of and support for child and family mental health. Demonstrates an ability to apply trauma-informed principles and a racial equity and social justice lens; and integrates them into daily practice. Communicates effectively and promotes collaborative problem-solving by demonstrating care and respect in considering the diverse experiences and perspectives of others.
Essential Functions
Consultation & Referral
Establish and maintain ongoing supportive relationships with childcare providers in the communities we serve. A minimum of 200 on-site contacts should be made per service year. Provide program-level mental health consultation and technical assistance to childcare providers (both licensed and non-licensed) in communities we serve. Provide ongoing support for childcare staff to enhance interactions with the children and parents they serve. Assist ECE providers in designing setting-based intervention strategies to enhance children’s social-emotional development and mitigate behavioral disruptions. Provide mental health consultation regarding particular children with mild social-emotional challenges, including administering screening and assessment tools as warranted. Provide information to the provider regarding community resources that might be helpful to the identified needs of the family and caregiver. Facilitate trauma-informed collaborative relationships with providers that demonstrate care, respect, cultural competence, and developmental sensitivity. Educate providers about the risk and protective factors associated with trauma/childhood adversity, and healthy child development and assist them with developing tools/strategies to strengthen development.
Training
Facilitate delivery of training to the ECE community, either by providing the training directly or arranging for other competent trainers to do so. A minimum of 40 training hours should be provided per service year. Identify those training topics appropriate primarily for local presentation and those that lend themselves to broader audiences (such as state conferences) and facilitate either or both types of presentation as appropriate.
Record Keeping
Maintain all records as needed on a daily basis, including records necessary for program evaluation. Assists in the gathering of data and preparation of reports required by regulatory agencies and/or necessary for program evaluation.
Professional Development
Enhances professional competence through ongoing awareness of developments in the field of early childhood mental health and development. Will participate in all mandatory training.
Community Liaison
Represents the agency in a positive light to active and potential clients, referral and funding sources, and the general public. Utilizes community contacts to advocate for clients and to promote child and family well-being. The MHC will work proactively to improve and facilitate understanding and collaboration between the ECE field and the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health field. Demonstrates the ability to communicate and collaborate with children, families, professionals, and communities to establish supportive relationships.
Legal & Ethical Responsibilities
Complies with all pertinent state and federal laws, DHS and DCFS Rules and Procedures, COA standards, and Code of Ethics for Child Welfare Professionals.
Quality Improvement
Contributes to quality improvement through active participation in Quality Improvement/ Utilization Review activities.
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Infant Mental Health, or related human services field.
- Knowledge of early childhood development, including an understanding of the concepts and dynamics underlying young children’s social-emotional development (such as attachment and separation), as well as an understanding of family dynamics and the importance of child-caregiver interaction.
- Experience in the Early Childhood Care and Education field, including an ability to be comfortable practicing in various early childhood settings, and to effectively integrate various appropriate mental health activities and philosophies.
- Ability to identify key signs, symptoms, impact, and manifestations of trauma, disrupted attachment, racism, and adversity in children and adults.
- impactsDemonstrated knowledge of human development and how people can be affected by trauma, abuse, racism ad adversity, and stress at various stages.
- Demonstrated understanding of how behaviors, including those that appear to be “problems” or symptoms often reflect trauma-related coping skills.
- Willingness to work evening and weekend hours when necessary to meet the needs of the child care providers and families that we serve.
- Demonstrated competence in serving a culturally diverse population. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with a diverse workforce. Demonstrated commitment to personal and professional growth in practices that increase racial equity, inclusion, diversity, and belonging. Demonstrated skill in designing and implementing professional training and development programs.
- Willingness to examine personal beliefs about and experiences of trauma, childhood adversity, racism, and the impact these have on interactions with clients, colleagues, organizations, and systems.
- Demonstrated knowledge of self-care strategies and ways to utilize them when needed.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including engaging presentation and public speaking skills. Demonstrates a communication style that is open, adaptable, reflective, engaging, honest, and culturally sensitive and eliminates the use of labels that stigmatize.
- long-distanceMust travel for job responsibilities, including long distance driving; hold a valid driver’s license that has not been revoked or suspended within the past three years, and use of a personal vehicle with adequate insurance.
- Ability to collaborate with local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies, and other partners in the DHS CCR&R system.
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