Early Childhood Specialist

GENERAL SUMMARY The Early Childhood Specialist (ECS) provides developmental, therapeutic, and rehabilitative services to children from birth through age seven and their caregivers. The ECS delivers support across all appropriate settings—including the home, school, clinic/office, community, telehealth, and other natural environments—as medically necessary. This position integrates developmental assessment, caregiver psychoeducation, and direct in-the-moment coaching to strengthen caregiver-child relationships, promote early intervention, and support long-term family stability. The ECS helps caregivers interpret child cues, foster secure attachment, and address developmental, behavioral, and emotional needs through evidence-based strategies. This includes providing psychoeducation and developmentally appropriate guidance to help children and their caregivers build the skills and understanding necessary for sustained success. Services are provided within Arizona’s Children’s System of Care under AHCCCS, consistent with the 12 Principles and the Child and Family Team (CFT) model. The ECS ensures that all interventions are family-driven and youth-guided, culturally and linguistically appropriate, trauma-informed, strengths-based, community-based and least restrictive, and coordinated with natural supports and other service providers. Practice emphasizes timely access, measurable outcomes, and successful transitions, promoting lasting developmental progress, emotional health, and relational well-being. The role is guided by program goals that include promoting early intervention to support developmental progress, increasing family stability and permanency, improving caregiver-child relationships, reducing safety risks for young children and families, and supporting school readiness ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 1.Conduct comprehensive developmental and relational assessments (e.g., Birth to Five protracted assessments) to gather information on child development, trauma history, family dynamics, and presenting concerns. 2.Observe and assess behaviors across settings (home, clinic/office, community, school when applicable, and telehealth) to identify triggers, drivers, and reinforcing factors. 3.Use assessment results to guide individualized service planning and identify appropriate interventions and supports. 4.Provide caregiver education and in-the-moment coaching using evidence-based parenting and early childhood resources focused on trauma, attachment, and social-emotional development. 5.Support caregivers in interpreting child cues, strengthening attachment, and promoting consistent, nurturing routines. 6.Teach developmentally appropriate coping, emotional regulation, and adaptive skills through individual and caregiver-guided interventions. 7.Deliver rehabilitative and supportive services consistent with AHCCCS standards (e.g., skills training and development, psychosocial rehabilitation, and family education). 8.Deliver programmatic clinical hours per week as required by agency standards. 9.Collaborate with families, interdisciplinary teams, and community partners to develop and implement individualized service plans. 10.Participate in or facilitate Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings to support coordination of care and family goal attainment. 11.Coordinate communication and care with providers and systems (e.g., primary care, psychiatry, schools, DCS, courts/probation, and community agencies). 12.Support transition planning and sustainability by strengthening natural supports and reducing dependency on formal systems. 13.Complete documentation, assessments, and treatment plan updates accurately and within required timelines in the EHR (Credible). 14.Ensure compliance with AHCCCS, Arizona’s Children’s System of Care (CFT), and agency policies. 15.Communicate progress, risks, and barriers to supervisors promptly and assist in developing solutions to improve outcomes. 16.Perform other duties as assigned. PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT ·The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a teammate to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. ·Regular, predictable attendance is required; including but not limited to quarter-driven hours / spilt shifts- as business demands dictate. ·While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to, stand, sit; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard, reach, stoop, kneel to install computer equipment. ·Repetitive physical movements (sitting, standing, jogging, running, in and outdoors, stooping, kneeling, crawling). ·Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work. ·Light to moderate lifting is required. Medium work exerting up to 50lbs of force occasionally, 20lbs or force frequently, 10lbs force constantly- following CPI crisis prevention protocols when applicable. ·Employee may be subjected to clients with violent tendencies (needs to be able to block physical threats and defend, hitting, kicking, biting, hair pulling, objects being thrown). ·Employee may be subjected to high levels of stress and emotionally volatile situations due to challenging behaviors or crisis situations that last a long period of time. ·Employee may encounter a variety of atmospheric conditions or poor environmental conditions: fumes, dust, odors, animals/animal hair, poor ventilation. ·Home environments may or may not be in well-kept conditions. Families may have trouble with water or lights being shut off. Home environments may have issues with pests. ·Employees may be subjected to different external climate factors (i.e., family’s trouble with heating or cooling, outside conditions in summertime, extreme heat or cold). ·Employees may be required to wear personal protective equipment. ·Households may include up to 15-20 people. ·Closed toed shoes required on shift. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a teammate encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. ·Moderate noise to excessive noise (i.e. business office with computers, phone, and printers, light traffic, children making noise, multiple children in a home. ·Ability to work in a confined area. ·Ability to sit at a computer terminal for an extended period of time.