Infant
and Child Development Consultants
Status: Full- time Permanent
Location: St. Catharines,
Ontario
Open Date: January 10, 2025
Closing Date: January 24, 2025
The Infant and Child
Development Program is a voluntary home visiting program for infants and
children, birth to school entry, who are at risk of or may be experiencing
delays in the child development. Reporting to the Manager, Clinical Services
the Infant and Child Development Consultants (ICDC) will be responsible to provide
assessment, education, development strategies, coaching and modeling of routine
interventions that ensures support to parents/caregivers regarding their
child’s development. This role
will work collaboratively with clients and families, other agencies and health
professionals including Social Work, Occupational Therapists and Speech
Language Pathologists. We plan to recruit four to five ICDC positions.
As an employee of the
Centre, you will be part of a community dedicated to creating a welcoming and
supportive environment for the children and youth we serve. We are a place where families are at the
heart of all we do. As an experienced professional, the Infant and Child
Development Consultants will foster an interdisciplinary approach that
enhances’ the child’s wellbeing and development. Join a team that makes a real
difference in the lives of children and youth every day.
Key responsibilities
include:
Assessment
- Conduct
informal and formal assessments and reassessments in consultation with
family to identify at risk infants/children for developmental concerns or
delays.
- Assess infant/child’s level of functioning, and parent/caregiver
interaction through observation and such assessments.
Intervention
- Develop family service plans with families based on their child’s
strengths and needs; establishing goals that are responsive to parents’
strengths, competencies and priorities
- Provide
support, coaching and modelling to families who have an infant/child at
risk for a developmental delay, or experiencing a delay in any or all
areas of gross motor, fine motor, social-emotional, cognitive,
communication, self-help in their home setting.
- Support parents/caregivers to identify and plan developmental goals
that nurture and enhance the child’s wellbeing and development and work
with families/caregivers to help achieve those goals using the CanChild F
Based Framework.
- Develop routines-based interventions based on the goals identified
in the Service Plan
- Provide
parent/caregiver education, support, and strategies to parents/caregivers
and assist parents/caregivers in acquiring the skills necessary to enhance
their child’s development.
- Promote
positive parent/caregiver child interactions through attuned and
responsive caregiving
- Participate in an interdisciplinary team approach such as OT’s,
PT’s SLP’s for infants/children at risk of delay and transfer strategies
in the home environment as determined by the interdisciplinary team
members.
- Conduct or collaborate with other interdisciplinary team members in
group programming that support infant and child development.
Service Coordination
- Collaborate with other professionals and provide service
coordination on behalf of the parents/caregivers when indicated.
- Consult or refer to other interdisciplinary professionals when
indicated.
- Assist in accessing specialized funding and information about
additional community resources, supports and other professional or
alternative services.
- Support Transition to School processes when indicated.
- Community wide planning with other service providers
Documentation
- Maintain client files, reports, care plans and enter clinical
information into the electronic health record.
Health and Safety
The Infant and Child Development
Consultant will comply with the duties assigned to Workers as per Section 28 of
the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Key Relationships:
The Infant and Child
Development Consultants are concerned with the effectiveness of all
relationships that affect the Centre.
The following are particularly significant to the position:
External
- Children who are referred,
their families and other caregivers
- Niagara Region Public
Health
- Niagara Health
- Early On Centre staff
- Other Early Years Service
Providers or agencies that support children prior to school entry
- Primary Care
Internal
- Clinical managers and
clinical staff
Qualification and Skills:
Infant and Child Development Consultants are recommended
to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree, with emphasis on early childhood
development, preferably in one of the following areas of study:
- Early
Childhood Education (0 – 6 years)
- Child/youth
studies
- Psychology
degree with emphasis in early childhood development
- Family
systems and child development
- Health
care/ rehabilitation with emphasis in early childhood development
- Special
Education, with emphasis in early childhood development
ICD Consultants without a four-year bachelor’s degree may
be considered, if they have at minimum, a two-year post-secondary diploma in a
relevant field; plus a minimum of three-years experience with emphasis on early
childhood development, infants, toddlers, etc.
Knowledge/Skills:
- Knowledge
of typical infant and child development
- An
interest and commitment for serving children with special needs and their
families
- Risks
and protective factors that support infant and child development
- Awareness
and sensitivity to socio-cultural differences in child rearing
- Knowledge
of community resources and supports.
- CPR
and First Aid certifications are requirements of this position
- Sufficient
computer literacy to produce letters and reports to meet ministry and college
requirements
- Access
to a vehicle and possession of a driver’s license valid for the province of
Ontario is required
- A
current criminal reference check for vulnerable populations
- Non-violent
crisis intervention training
- Bilingualism
considered an asset
Other:
- Access to reliable transportation and possession of a driver’s license valid
for the province of Ontario is required
- A
current criminal reference check for vulnerable populations
- Evidence
of non-violent crisis intervention training
Why
Join Us?
- We provide a total rewards package that
supports your well-being, and have a culture that supports and encourages
continuous professional development and growth.
- Provide a competitive salary commensurate with
experience. This position is currently under a compensation review.
- Participation in a Defined Benefit Pension
Plan (HOOPP) from day one of employment with us, offer healthcare and dental
benefits, and access to the Employee and Family Assistance program.
To pursue this career opportunity, please visit our website at: www.niagarachildrenscentre.com
We will be reviewing candidate submissions as they are received
and move forward with interviews. Early submission is encouraged.
The Niagara Children’s Centre is committed to fair and accessible
employment practices. Upon request, suitable accommodation is available under
the Accessibility for Ontarians with
Disability Act (AODA) to applicants invited to an interview.
The Niagara Children’s Centre’s is a unionized environment and
this position is included in the Collective Agreement.
We thank all those who apply but only those selected for further
consideration will be contacted. The selected candidate will be required to
participate in a Criminal Background Check.