At The New York Foundling, we trust in the power and potential of people, and we deliberately invest in proven practices. From bold beginnings in 1869, our New York-based nonprofit has supported hundreds of thousands of our neighbors on their own paths to stability, strength, and independence. We help children and families navigate through and beyond foster care. We help families struggling with conflict and poverty grow strong. We help individuals with developmental disabilities live their best lives, and we help our neighbors access quality health and mental health services—core to building lifelong resilience and wellbeing. Together, our interrelated programs provide a whole-person, whole-family, and whole-life approach that unlocks solutions for a lifetime.
The Youth and Child Care Specialist is responsible for the supervision of the pregnant and parenting residents, ensuring a warm and constructive residential environment. The Youth and Child Care Specialists promote development of appropriate and effective independent living skills for the pregnant and parenting teens we serve. The Youth and Child Care Specialist is responsible for ensuring the program's four core concepts for behavior management (Safety, Responsibility, Respect and Personal Growth) among residents and provide positive behavior reinforcement on a daily basis. The Youth and Child Care Specialist will collaborate with all team members including social work staff in sustaining a trauma informed environment and therapeutic milieu.
1.Supervise and support pregnant/parenting teens. Actively participate in effective implementation of recreation and structured programming for residents. Teach independent living skills (i.e. laundry, cleaning, cooking) and effective parents skills (positive role modeling); and co-facilitate groups when necessary; participate in the training and implementation of Trauma Systems Therapy and the successful dissemination of a strengths based behavior management system among residents, maintaining a thriving therapeutic milieu;
2.Provide safe child care and developmentally appropriate learning to call children in the program;
3.Change diapers, bathe, dress and feed children, as need or instructed. In the absence of the program cook, assist with meal preparation for residents;
4.Administer medications to the adolescent mothers, pregnant teens and children, as instructed; accurately document that medication on required forms;
5.Prepare room for new admission (sanitize and clean room, make bed with fresh linens, make room with welcoming basket), facilitate new admission orientation (review Resident M/C Program Manual), and ensure proper medical clearances;
6.Uphold expectations of the Primary role once/if selected and implement trauma informed responses with youth;
7.Assisting the pregnant and parenting residents in developing effective parenting skills and positive behavior while promoting independence;
8.Comply with Agency rules, policies and procedure, as well as uphold Program standard operating procedures for Specialists and residents;
9.Ensure that proper documentation is submitted in a timely manner, including but not limited to daily shift logs, program notes on residents, medication reports, and incident reports; Report all problems/critical incidents and/or unusual situations pertaining to the adolescents and/or their children to the Lead Youth and Child Care Specialist, Program Director, Supervisor and/or Social Workers. Document all critical, serious and unusual incidents in the communication log and write internal Incident Reports;
10.Conduct room checks, at least every 30 minutes throughout the shift, as required by New York State regulations and program policy;
11.Read communication log at the beginning of each shift; accurately document in the communication log what transpires throughout your shift.
12.Prepare rooms for new admissions (i.e., sanitize and clean room, make bed with fresh linens, make room welcoming with welcome basket).
13.Work collaboratively with case planning team to ensure youths goals are identified and consistently monitored
14.Promote and maintain a safe, secure and nurturing environment for residents;
15.Escort residents to ER visits, medical appointments and school, as directed;
16.Participate in orientation for new client admissions, treatment update and case planning meetings;
17.Ensure that all residents attend structured program activities, including weekly therapeutic group, independent living groups, birthing & parenting groups; health & human sexuality groups, tutoring and mentoring groups;
18.Remain flexible and comfortable with changing duties and schedules to accommodate program needs;
19.Remain on shift until your relief has arrived; and
20.Perform other tasks as assigned.
The New York Foundling is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse employee population, the Foundling will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.
High school diploma or GED required; Associates or Bachelor's degree preferred.
Must have supervisory experience, and experience working with adolescents and children.
Clean and valid NYS Driver's License required.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred
Other Requirements:
At least 1-2 year's experience working with pregnant and parenting teens; 1-2 year's experience taking care of infants and toddlers;
Good verbal and written communication skills. Must have computer literacy in Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel.
Good organizational skills and inter-personal relational skills. Ability to engage difficult and acting out adolescents.
Knowledge of pregnancy, infant development and adolescent development;
Ability to support, nurture and discipline children and youth in a structured environment
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