Child Development Specialist

The-Arc-Gateway,-Inc.; Pensacola (FL); On-site; USD 26,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

The Arc Gateway offers developmental intervention services through its Help Me Grow Developmental Intervention program. We provide weekly sessions in families’ homes, community settings, or center-based environments, documenting progress and coordinating with therapists and care coordinators.

Responsibilities include initiating services from referrals, assessing children’s development, and preparing plans with caregiver input. The role involves scheduling, reporting, and community outreach.

Qualifications

• Must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Early Childhood Special Education, Child & Family Studies, Psychology or a related field.
• Must pass Level 2 fingerprint background check, DCF abuse registry check, and local law enforcement check.
• Must pass a drug screen and be 21+ with valid driver's license and insurance.

Responsibilities

• Deliver weekly Developmental Intervention and Consultation sessions in family homes, community settings, or center-based environments and document details and billing.
• Initiate services from referrals with Care Coordinator; assess developmental skills and create implementation plans with caregiver input.
• Maintain semi-annual progress reports and required authorizations per guidelines.
• Collaborate with physical, speech, and occupational therapists, care coordinators, and outreach specialists; record consultation sessions in EMR.

Skills

Documentation

Team collaboration

Scheduling

Family engagement

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Early Childhood Special Education, or related field

Job description

Description

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Help Me Grow Developmental Intervention, a program of The Arc Gateway is co-located at the Pearl Nelson Center, and offers developmental instruction services as well as consultation with pediatric speech, occupational, and physical therapists for children identified with developmental delays. Our dedicated developmental specialists prioritize the well-being of children, with a special focus on those aged birth to 5 years.

SUMMARY:

To provide developmental intervention services for children experiencing developmental delays, while also consulting with other specialists (physical, occupational or speech therapists) and guiding caregivers to support each child’s optimal developmental potential.

PRIMARY DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITES:

• Deliver Developmental Intervention and Consultation: Provide weekly sessions, conducted in the family’s home, community settings, or center-based environments. Sessions may be individual or group-based. Accurately document session details and billing in the program electronic medical record during sessions or by the end of each day.
• Initiate Services from Referrals: Begin services upon referral from HMG Care Coordinator or Early Intervention Manager. Collaborate with the Care Coordinator to initiate documentation- including demographic and case information. Assess each child’s developmental skills and develop an implementation plan with input from the parent/caregiver(s).
• Maintain Program Documentation: Complete semi-annual progress reports and all required authorization forms in accordance with program guidelines.
• Collaborate with Multidisciplinary Team: Engage with physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, care coordinators, and outreach specialists as needed. Record consultation sessions using approved forms and upload them to the child’s electronic medical record.
• Manage Weekly Scheduling: Coordinate with the Early Intervention Manager to review and adjust weekly schedules. Replace cancelled appointments with substitute sessions or evaluations when appropriate.
• Support Community Referrals and Transitions: Work with team members to facilitate referrals to external community services.
• EXIT EVALUATIONS: Conduct EXIT evaluations for children exiting the program due to goal achievement, resolution of developmental delays, relocation, or other reasons.
• Participate in Family and Community Engagement: Actively contribute to agency-sponsored events supporting families, such as festivals, respite evenings, outreach/ screening activities, workshops, and fundraising initiatives.
• Engage in Outreach Activities: Represent the program at community developmental screening events to promote early identification and intervention.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

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, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be able to pass Level 2 fingerprint background check, (https://info.flclearinghouse.com), Dept. of Children and Families abuse registry check, and local law enforcement check, Affidavit of Good Moral Character.
• Must pass a drug screen
• Must be 21 years of age, have valid driver's license, a good driving record and proof of vehicle insurance and registration with a satisfactory Motor Vehicle Report.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE: REQUIRED

Must hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Early Childhood Special Education, Child & Family Studies, Psychology or a related field.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Demonstrated ability to comprehend and interpret business publications, professional journals, medical records, and government regulations.
• Skilled in documenting a child’s developmental progress in alignment with regulatory standards.
• Proficient in preparing formal business correspondence and procedural manuals.
• Capable of delivering effective presentations to diverse audiences, including community organizations, media representatives, business professionals, and agency staff.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram or schedule form.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: REQURIED

• Complete an Affidavit of Good Moral Character document.
• Must be eligible to work in the United States as confirmed by E-Verify.
• Successfully complete the following training courses in which The Arc Gateway provides
  • Know Child Abuse
  • HIPAA
  • FDOH HIV/AIDS
  • Fraud/Waste/ Abuse
  • CPR/First Aid – Adult/Infant/Child
  • AEPS Evaluation and Curriculum Training

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This role involves regular use of hands for fine motor tasks, handling objects, and verbal communication. Frequent activities include walking, sitting, reaching, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and crawling. Occasional tasks may require standing, climbing, or balancing. The position frequently requires lifting up to 25 pounds and may occasionally involve lifting up to 50 pounds. Visual acuity must support close, distance, peripheral vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment. The employee must be capable of demonstrating manipulatives with children and actively monitoring their movements in both home and clinic environments to ensure safety.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee is regularly exposed to outdoor weather conditions and occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Driving may be required in inclement weather.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• May be exposed to contagious illnesses without warning, including but not limited to viral respiratory infections, influenza, CMV, HIV, Hepatitis B, and tuberculosis.
• Mandated reporter for suspected cases of abuse or neglect.
• Demonstrates the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Possesses strong organizational skills to manage a combination of responsibilities, including conducting sessions, coordinating with service providers or team members, and preparing for upcoming developmental intervention sessions.

SALARY

$23.08 hourly

STATUS

Non-Exempt

WORKING HOURS:

FT - Mon. – Fri., 8am – 4pm - (40 hours weekly)

Flexibility in scheduling is necessary to meet program/family needs.