Child Care Consultant

Orchard Place; Des Moines (IA); Hybrid; USD 48,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Orchard Place seeks a Child Care Consultant to provide telephone, e‑mail, and onsite coaching to child care providers across assigned counties, guided by Trauma Informed Care and a strengths-based approach.

The role requires collaboration with supervisors, attendance at trainings, and ongoing documentation. A bachelor’s degree in early childhood or related field is required, with driving as a regular duty and some opportunity to work from home as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood or related field.
• Experience in child care preferred.
• Must demonstrate engagement with clients and families.
• Ability to manage documentation and reports on time.

Responsibilities

• Provide telephone, e‑mail, technical assistance and onsite consultation to child care providers in assigned counties.
• Support and guide providers on Developmentally Appropriate Practices.
• Collaborate with Regional IQ4K Specialists to support quality improvements.
• Recruit new providers into CCR&R consultation services and maintain program participation.
• Complete required documentation and reports promptly.

Skills

Trauma Informed Care

Consultation services

Communication skills

Organization skills

Independent worker

Education

Bachelor's degree in early childhood/elementary education

Tools

Microsoft Office

Database management

Job description

Under the general supervision of a Child Care Consultant Supervisor, provides telephone, e‑mail, technical assistance and onsite consultation and coaching services to child care providers in assigned count(ies). The Child Care Consultant will approach the work with a Trauma Informed Care, multi-occurring and strengths‑based perspective.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

includes the following and applies to consultation services for home and center-based child care programs unless specified. Other duties may be assigned.

• Adheres to the philosophy, values, commitments and practices of the Sanctuary model in guiding the day-to-day interactions with clients, families and staff.
• Respects and values individual differences and actively supports a culture that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Provides ongoing consultation services to legally operating child care programs in assigned counties including:
• Support and guide providers and programs on Developmentally Appropriate Practices, keeping health, safety and quality in mind.
• Ensures that consultation services align with series training curricula, providing coaching when identified.
• Consults with child care providers to improve quality of child care based on the provider’s identified needs including but not limited to:
• Consultation services to improve the quality of child care based on Iowa Department of Health and Human Services regulatory and specific corrective action plans, with the goal of assisting the providers to achieve regulatory compliance including follow‑up communication with HHS detailing progress towards fulfilling corrective action plan obligations.
• Have a solid understanding of the continuous quality improvement to support programs in the IQ4K process and criteria.
• Partner with Regional IQ4K Specialists regularly to support programs with quality improvements.
• Consultation to assess and improve the quality of child care based on Environment Rating Scales, needs of Child Net, Accreditation and others as identified.
• Support quality improvement through verifying and administering grant funds as providers are eligible and funds are available.
• Consultation services to support inclusive and culturally‑appropriate child care policies and services.
• Calls providers who have not participated in CCR&R services to recruit new providers into consultation services with the goal of contacting 100% of all child care programs at least annually by phone.
• Fulfills other consultation services as outlined in the scope of work from HHS.
• Contact non‑registered providers in an effort to support them through the registration process increasing child care availability across the region through technical assistance and consultation.
• Provides child care provider orientation meetings introducing providers to CCR&R services.
• Completes all required documentation in a consistent timely manner.
• NDS entries documenting work complete within five days of occurrence
• Marketing efforts reported
• Monthly consultation report
• Training support as needed
• Consistent efforts to complete vacancy updates every 60 days, complete updates annually.
• The Child Care Consultant will participate in local community collaborations as designated by the Regional Community Development Plan.
• The Child Care Consultant will meet regularly in supervision sessions with assigned Child Care Consultant Supervisor:
• Participate in a minimum of two observations annually during an onsite consultation.
• Participate in on‑going I‑Consult support and Practice‑Based coaching.
• The Child Care Consultant and supervisor will identify the professional development needs of the consultant annually during Performance Reviews and the setting of goals including current knowledge of HHS regulations, QRIS requirements and best practices.

GENERAL:

• Attends regularly scheduled staff meetings and OP Agency meetings.
• Attends and or staffs meetings and other community events as requested to represent and promote CCR&R services.
• Position requires extensive driving. Periodic check of the motor vehicle record must meet agency guidelines to drive for agency business.

HOURS:

The duties and responsibilities of the Child Care Consultant will generally be discharged within a forty‑hour week. However, the needs of the office will dictate the Child Care Consultant hours of work and the Child Care Consultant is expected to be available at times other than regular working hours.

SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIP:

The Child Care Consultant operates under the general supervision of and reports to the Child Care Consultant Supervisor, who will establish a regular reporting process.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

GENERAL: At the time of employment and every three years thereafter, the person shall receive a physician’s certification of adequate health to perform duties. Must have satisfactory background checks and meet federal fingerprinting requirements through the Division of Criminal Investigation and the Child Abuse Registry. At the time of employment and throughout employment with the agency, the person shall have a valid driver’s license and show proof of valid liability insurance on own vehicle.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES: The Child Care Consultant will hold a bachelor’s degree in early childhood, elementary education with an early childhood endorsement or closely related field. Experience in child care preferred. Must demonstrate competence in understanding of population served, providing individual and family services, ability to effectively engage client/family/provider in services, and commitment to providing safe, high‑quality care to the children, youth and families served.

Child Care Consultants are required to attend Level 1 I‑Consult training offered by Iowa State University during the first year of employment. Child Care Consultants are required to attend Level 2 I‑Consult and achieve I‑Consult credentialing within time frame given, generally the first three years of employment. Consultants are expected to complete Practice Based Coaching within the first two years of employment.

The Child Care Consultant will demonstrate computer skills including managing a database and Microsoft Office Suite. They need to be an independent self‑starter who has organization and planning skills.

LANGUAGE SKILLS: Will demonstrate verbal and written communication skills. He/she will demonstrate ability to read, analyze, and interpret general periodicals, professional journals and technical procedures, or government regulations. He/she will demonstrate ability to write reports, policies and procedures utilizing correct grammar and punctuation. He/she will demonstrate ability to effectively present information and respond to question from superiors, other employees, clients, and persons from outside the organization.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Walking, standing, and sitting are required. Using hands to handle and feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The Regional office is located in Des Moines, Iowa. Some allowance to work from home will be made as needed or dictated in drive time. Works in well‑illuminated, climate‑controlled areas with low to moderate noise level. Regularly exposed to outside weather conditions and a variety of child care environments.