Caregiver

Position Summary:

The caregiver will prepare children, infants to 5 years, for elementary school by developing lessons plans, supervising academic and emotional development, maintaining open communication with parent’s/guardians to help children’s transition into elementary school setting.

Essential Job Functions:

• Structures a developmentally appropriate educational experience in the classroom using methods such as storytelling, games, and activities.
• Enforces safety and security standards for children, staff, and visitors.
• Supervise children at all times, as specified under Texas Administrative code
  • Knowing which children are assigned to the Caregiver
  • Knowing how many children the Caregiver is responsible
  • Knowing each child’s name and having information showing each child's age
  • Ensure each child’s safety and well-being, including physical proximity and auditory or visual awareness of each child’s on going activity as appropriate
  • Intervene when necessary to ensure each child’s safety
• Ensure supervision of children considers the below regulations under Texas Administrative code
  • The child’s chronological age;
  • The child’s current stage of development;
  • The child’s individual differences and abilities;
  • The indoor and outdoor layout of the operation;
  • The circumstances, hazards, and risks surrounding the child; and
  • The child’s physical, mental, emotional, and social needs.
• Fosters a cooperative rather than a competitive atmosphere
• Prepare lesson plans and other materials for class activities.
• Prepare classroom for daily class activities.
• Select, store, order, issue, and inventory classroom equipment, materials, and supplies.

• Plan and conduct activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration, and work time that provides students with opportunities to observe, question, and investigate.
• Interact with children in a positive manner
• Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guests, or other experiential activities and guide students in learning from those activities.
• Teach basic skills, such as color, shape, number and letter recognition, personal hygiene, and social skills
• Teaches students to follow rules and procedures in the classroom and school.
• Monitors students’ progress throughout the year and evaluates preparedness for kindergarten.
• Adapt teaching methods and instructional materials to meet students' varying habits, interests, strengths, and any special needs, including any special supervision needs or care
• Communicates all progress and concerns with tact and professionalism to parents and the director, suggesting ways to promote learning and development.
• Identify children showing signs of emotional, developmental, or health-related problems and discuss them with supervisors, and parents or guardians.
• Prepare and implement remedial programs for students requiring extra help.
• Set appropriate behavior expectations based on the child’s current stage of development
• Builds and maintains positive relationships with parents.
• Ensure continuity of care for children by sharing with incoming caregivers information about each child’s activities during the previous shift and any verbal or written instructions given by the parent
• Attend to children's basic needs by feeding them, dressing them, and changing their diapers.
• Maintains required paperwork for individual student files, attendance and incident reports, and other necessary records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
• Report suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation to DFPS as specified in the Texas Family Code
• Maintains knowledge of research, developments, and best practices in early childhood education.
• Attend professional meetings, educational conferences, and teacher training workshops to maintain and improve professional competence.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Embrace and embody the mission, vision, guiding principles, clinical vision and goals of WestCare Foundation;

Essential Qualifications:

Certifications/Licensures:

• Child Development Associate Certification must be acquired within 1 year of employment. Preference will be given to those candidates who are currently certified.
• Pediatric CPR/First Aid Certification must be acquired within 90 days of employment. Preference will be given to those candidates who are currently certified.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to obtain and maintain WestCare’s vehicle insurance is required.

Education:

• Graduation with a high school diploma or equivalent is required.

Experience and Competencies:

• Previous experience in childcare setting serving children ages birth through eight years of age is preferred
• Bilingual, Spanish speaking, is preferred.
• Competency, good judgment, and self-control in the presence of children and when performing assigned responsibilities
• Ability to relate to children with courtesy, respect, acceptance, and patience
• Ability to be empathetic, compassionate, non-judgmental, and enthusiastic.
• Ability to recognize and respect the uniqueness and potential of all children, their families, and their cultures
• Ensures that no child is abused, neglected, or exploited while in the care of the center
• Extensive knowledge of early childhood development principles and developmentally appropriate educational practices.
• Enthusiastic personality that will engage preschool children
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with adults and children.
• Ability to collaborate and communicate with teachers, support staff, parents, and students in a positive and constructive way.
• Ability to establish priorities, work independently, and proceed with objectives required.
• Ability to handle and resolve recurring problems required.
• Ability to develop meaningful goals and objectives required.
• Skill in group processes including goal setting, planning, and conflict mediation required.
• High level of personal accountability for the quality and impact of work required;
• Experience in youth development model, asset-based relationship building, and experience in motivating youth required.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to plan, manage, and evaluate curriculum.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software as required for recordkeeping and documentation.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion.
• Ability to work well in a team environment.
• Skill in teaching others how to do something
• Skill in talking to others to convey information effectively
• Ability to think creatively, developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Skill in Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Adherence to the highest standard of ethical conduct, especially to standards governing confidentiality.
• Understands that different cultural and ethnic groups have different perceptions of health, wellness, behavioral health, and preventive health services
• Demonstrates respect for individual’s cultural and ethnic values when conducting assessments, developing Wellness and Recovery Plans, and providing services.
• Understands that different cultures define and perceive family and its importance differently.
• Demonstrates ability to work effectively with culturally diverse staff and populations
• Ability to use trauma informed care principles including ensuring child safety, preventing/avoiding re-traumatization, maximizing trustworthiness, enhancing consumer choice, maximizing collaboration, and emphasizing empowerment.
• Ability to identify and describe key signs, symptoms, impact, and manifestations of trauma.
• Aware of the differences between trauma informed and trauma-specific services
• Understands the bidirectional relationships among substance use and mental disorders and trauma.
• Understands the differences among various kinds of abuse and trauma, including: physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; domestic violence; experiences of war for both combat veterans and survivors of war; natural disasters; and community violence.
• Knowledge of WestCare Mission, Goals, and Values
• Knowledge of Incident Reporting
• Knowledge of HIPAA, Professional Ethics, Consumer Rights and Confidentiality
• Familiarity with WestCare services and programs
• Demonstrates a high degree of dependability.
  • Maintains a good attendance record.
  • Observes working hours
  • Shows flexibility and is responsive to requests from supervisor
  • Works independently with minimal supervision
  • Exhibits characteristics of good workmanship, and integrity on the job
  • Work time is always productive
• Demonstrates ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with consumers, co-workers, external partners, and regulatory agencies
  • Is courteous to consumers, staff, and all others.
  • Demonstrates tact at the appropriate time.
  • Cooperates with others both within and outside WestCare.
  • Works well with supervisor; accepts direction and supervision
  • Maintains a positive attitude toward work
• Ensures and maintains a safe working environment.
  • Work area is clean and orderly.
  • Verbalizes, understands, and adheres to agency safety procedures.
  • Demonstrates appropriate use of Unusual Incident Reports, in accordance with the agency’s reporting procedures
• Presents a positive personal image
• Dresses and maintains a professional demeanor

Working Conditions:

• Work is primarily performed in a classroom/daycare or office setting.
• Some outdoor activities may be required.

Essential Physical and Mental Demands of the Job

The employee must be able to perform the following essential duties and activities with or without accommodation:

Physical Demands:

• Requires mobility and physical activity: Having an adequate range of body motion and mobility to work in a daycare or outdoor environment including standing and walking (even and uneven surfaces), sitting for extended periods of time, bending, twisting, reaching, balancing, occasional lifting and carrying of up to 50 pounds.  Use of computer and telephone systems is required which includes coordination of eye and hand, and fine manipulation by the hands (typing, writing, and working with files).
• Requires talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.  Talking is required to impart oral information to employees, clients, patients, and the public, and in those activities in which the employee is required to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Requires hearing: Hearing is required to receive and communicate detailed information through oral communication.
• Requires seeing: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and at distance. This factor is required to complete paperwork for many of the employee’s essential job functions and to observe client behavior and activities in and out of the facility.
• The normal work routine may require exposure to human body fluids or tissues.  Appropriate personal protective equipment will be readily available to every employee.

Mental Demands:

• Requires the ability to collect and analyze complex numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions. 
• Requires the ability to work and cooperate with children, co-workers, managers, the public and employees at all levels in order to exchange ideas, information, instructions and opinions. 
• Requires the ability to work under stress and in emotionally charged settings.