Infant and Toddler Specialist

Infant and Toddler Specialist
- Early Head Start– Fayetteville NC

The Early Head Start Infant and Toddler Specialist will play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional support and guidance to Early Head Start programs serving children from birth to 36 months. This specialist will collaborate closely with the teaching staff to ensure that infants and toddlers receive high-quality care and education tailored to their unique developmental needs. By leveraging expertise in early childhood development, the specialist will implement best practices and innovative strategies that foster a nurturing and enriching environment, promoting optimal growth and learning for our youngest learners.

Essential Functions:

• Carry out tasks related to care and education of children birth to 36 months of age as prescribed in the Head Start Performance Standards and as assigned by the Education Manager.
• Support EHS program teaching staff through a protocol of Practice-Based Coaching
• Monitoring EHS children's care, education, and development
• Monitoring classrooms through focused observations and reporting

Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with Head Start Performance Standards and other regulations
• Inform child care program teachers and staff about the Head Start Program Performance Standards and support their implementation through effective technical assistance strategies:
• Monitor and report the extent to which child care program teachers and staff are able to effectively implement the HSPPS
• Support the quality of care and education for each EHS child through:
• Regular reviews of Children's Educational Records and portfolios, including developmental screen results
• Regular reviews of TS GOLD on-going child assessments
• Site visits and classroom observations both formal and informal
• Assessment and feedback on classroom management, routines, lesson plans, and environment (indoors and outdoors)
• Modeling and coaching on high quality, responsive, developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate interactions with children, fostering healthy, consistent, trusting relationships
• Ensure that all children's communication, language, and literacy skills are promoted effectively and appropriately
• Assist teachers with identification and referral of child concerns to Education, Mental Health, and Disabilities & Inclusion Coordinators.
• Assist child care program teachers and partner program teachers, when necessary, provide technical assistance, on the use of appropriate curricula, on-going child assessments, child routines, classroom management, and indoor and outdoor learning environments
• Support the EHS program-wide activities as a participant and contributor to:
• EHS-CCP Education Team to assist in program planning and self-assessment
• Monitoring of HSPPS and requirements in Caring for Our Children regarding safety in the child care programs
• Collaborate and communicate with other EHS-CCP staff to provide support for teachers and children and their families with behavioral, medical and/or educational needs in collaboration with these focus area managers and coordinators.
• Participate in regular case management/staffing meetings as requested
• Assess whether staff in any other service area needs information from this service and ensure timely, effective communication
• Participate on program self-assessment team for annual assessment of your service areas and other service areas as requested

• Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development or related field; with at least 3 years' experience working specifically with Infants and Toddlers.
• Experience working with infants and toddlers in a Head Start or similar program
• Profound knowledge of child development birth to 36 months and early childhood education best practices,
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing program needs

General Requirements:

• It is the employee's responsibility to obtain and keep current all certifications, licenses, health cards, etc., at all times. Must possess and maintain a current North Carolina driver's license and own reliable transportation with valid…