Jobs/Roles in the ECE Community: National/Federal Level

At least three national/federal organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you and why you chose them. 1. Early Learning-White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/education/early-childhood I chose this site because it gives information on all the programs and initiatives that have been started/continued by President Obama. 2. Early Learning http://www.ed.gov/early-learning I chose this site because it gives a lot of good information on the budgeting for early child care and it also gives information for each state. It also gives you resources that we can use in this course. 3. The National Institute for Early Education Research http://nieer.org/ Conducts and communicates research to support high-quality, effective early childhood education for all young children. Such education enhances their physical, cognitive, and social development, and subsequent success in school and later life. Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest you. 1. Professional Development Coordinator Professional development coordinators help teachers and programs assess, plan and achieve personal professional development goals. Professional development coordinators must possess good written and oral communication skills; be able to collaborate, plan and partner with other agencies and institutions providing professional development opportunities; be able to provide professional development opportunities on a wide variety of topics; know how to provide follow-up support; and document and evaluate services provided. Professional development coordinators also advocate for policies, standards, practices and efforts necessary for ensuring and retaining a well-educated, compensated, and skilled early childhood workforce. 2. Early Childhood Consultant Consultants provide information and assistance to child care programs, business and industry, communities, elected public policy officials, and state and federal agencies to help them develop programs, regulations and public policies that will enhance or improve the quality of child care. Early childhood systems consultants need a foundation in early childhood education/child development and child care administration as well an in-depth understanding of the funding bodies and agencies/systems supporting child care in the area being served. 3. Family Specialists/Counselors Family specialists/counselors include a wide variety of early childhood professionals who help families access the resources they need to care for their children. Family specialists/counselors need to have a basic understanding of child and family development, child care licensing regulations, knowledge of community resources (private and public) and the ability to communicate this information to parents. Family specialists/counselors may provide services in the child’s home, the child care setting or in an agency office.

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels List at least three local or state organizations or communities of practice that appealed to you, and explain why you chose them 1. South Central Los Angeles Regional Center One of our goals is to ensure that individuals who are eligible to receive services (consumers) are assisted in living the highest quality life possible in their communities. These agencies are known as Regional Centers and assists people of all ages with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism and other similar disabilities. We provide intake, assessment, diagnosis and lifelong service coordination. SCLARC believes special needs deserve special attention. We are committed to the provision of culturally sensitive services which enhance the inherent strengths of the family and enable consumers to lead independent and productive lives. http://www.sclarc.org/ I chose SCLARC because they work with special needs children and their families, they also will be part of my Communities of Practice. 2. Community Care Licensing It is the mission of Community Care Licensing to promote the health, safety, and quality of life of each person in community care through the administration of an effective collaborative regulatory enforcement system. In 1973, the Legislature enacted the Community Care Facilities Act to be administered by the Department of Health. The purpose of the Act was to establish a statewide system of community care (separate from health care) for persons with mental and developmental disabilities, and socially dependent children and adults. The Act required the Department of Health, together with care providers (Advisory Committee on Community Care Facilities), to jointly establish new regulations for licensing non-medical out-of-home care facilities. Today the CCL Program remains a Division within CDSS. However the nature of community care has changed significantly and now includes care for persons whose needs require the management of severe behavior adjustment problems, serious mental disorders, and significant medical needs. In order to give emphasis to the different populations served the CCL Program is now governed by three separate licensing Acts and a fourth statute that was enacted in 1990. http://www.ccld.ca.gov/Default.htm I chose CCL because I am interested in how centers are licensed and the licensing requirements for centers that are geared towards special needs children. 3. Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) Los Angeles Universal Preschool (LAUP) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide access to quality early childhood education programs for children in Los Angeles County. We believe all children deserve the best start in life, and high-quality preschool programs provide them with a solid foundation for success. While access and affordability are core commitments of LAUP, our dedication to improving the overall quality of preschool is what gives the LAUP model national potential. http://laup.net/ I chose LAUP because in my current agency one of our programs is an LAUP program. The standards that LAUP has for classrooms/centers that they fund are the same high quality standards that I feel all centers should have and also they are the standards that I will have when I open my own center. 3 Job opportunities (currently available or not) that interest you 1. Family Services Coordinator The following job summary is for descriptive purposes only. Actual job description and job title is subject to change Job summary: Under the direction of the Family Services Manager, the Family Services Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that program services are provided to families by linking families with the services of Health, Disabilities, Nutrition, Social Services and Mental Health activities of the program. This position supervises and provides technical assistance to the family community engagement staff and works within an interdisciplinary team setting with other Head Start staff using case-management protocols that integrate service areas, to address identified concerns for children. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in a field related to Social, Human or Family Services is required. This position requires at least two (2) years of related experience with emphasis in family services, training and knowledge of family dynamics, human relations, psychology or social work. Supervisory experience required. Experience dealing with sensitive family situations in a non-threatening and professional manner. Thorough knowledge and ability to keep up-to-date on State/Federal regulations and Head Start Performance Standards and practices. https://home.eease.adp.com/recruit2/?id=6700291&t=1 2. LICENSING PROGRAM ANALYST The Child Care Licensing Program Analyst is responsible for a full range of licensing duties which may include: develop and implement orientations/training programs; review applications; recommend license approval/denial; perform on-site facility evaluations; investigate complaints in licensed and unlicensed facilities; recommend and prepare administrative actions to deny, revoke, and suspend facility licenses. Desirable qualifications: ability to work independently and as part of a team; exercise good judgment; communicate effectively and clearly, both verbally and in writing; valid CA driver's license and ability to travel. Work hours and schedules may vary. Must be able to use laptop in the field. http://www.ccld.ca.gov/PG526.htm 3. Education Manager The Education Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the educational and school readiness aspect of the Early Childhood Education program. The Education Manager directly supervises the Education Specialist and second level supervision of Site Directors who oversees the performance of 200 teaching staff. The Education Manager is the key liaison staff to represent the education unit within the PACE ECE Management Team. It is necessary for the Education Manager to work on integrating the educational services to all the other content areas to include, but not limited to health, nutrition, mental health, disability, family services, and enrollment. Education/Experience: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in one of the following: Development, Education, Educational Administration, or related discipline. Post-graduate degree in relevant field highly desirable and preferred. Minimum of 5 years management and supervisor experience in an educational setting (preferably in early childhood education or specifically Head Start or State Preschool) Demonstrated ability and experience to plan, organize and control substantial resources. Demonstrated ability and experience in organizational development and team building. Excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as presentation and public speaking skills Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point as well as the use of Internet and E-mail to conduct research and communications is required. Must maintain CLASS Observer Reliability and ECERS Standing Must work towards CLASS & ECERS Trainer Certification https://home.eease.adp.com/recruit2/?id=5576061&t=1