Bilingual Children's Services Inclusion Support Worker

**Inclusion Support Worker**/ **Children’s Services Program**

**Permanent Full-Time Position in New Liskeard / designated bilingual (English/French) position**

**Serving the South of the District of Timiskaming**

**35 hours per week / $31.42 - $37.04 per hour / Competitive benefits and OMERS pension plan**

**Competition number: 25-01**

The District of Timiskaming Social Services Administration Board supports individuals in need throughout our communities by delivering _Children’s Services, Emergency Medical Services, Ontario Works, _and _Housing Services_ through the effective use of available resources and in the best interest of the individuals we support. We are committed to serving and treating others through actions and values based on integrity and respect.

Employees of the DTSSAB make a positive difference in people’s lives by providing quality, person-centered and inclusive services. The DTSSAB is the system service manager for childcare and early years agencies that provide licensed childcare, home childcare, resources for special needs, and before and after school programs in child and family centres within the District.

Inclusion Support Workers focus on Special Needs Resourcing (SNR) to ensure that childcare programs are designed to support children with a wide range of special needs, including speech and language, developmental, physical, social, emotional, and behavioural challenges. Reporting to the Children’s Services Supervisor, the incumbents primarily work within the community in a supporting role to licensed childcare providers to ensure all children with special needs have the best support to fully participate in early years programs throughout the district.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Observe children in the physical environment and provide feedback to childcare educators, based on guiding pedagogical documents pertaining to child development and interests, for supporting inclusive, quality, safe early years learning environments
- Use DTSSAB evaluation tools to assess the needs of individual children in learning environments, and assist in developing realistic and developmentally appropriate goals for children with special needs
- Support educators to implement activities based on inclusionary best practice and adaptions pertaining to children’s development
- Guide educators to implement the play-based approach to learning, using appropriate instructional/learning strategies, activities, materials and equipment through an inclusive lens
- Communicate with parents, multidisciplinary treatment agencies and childcare providers to assist in the development of Individual Support Plans (ISP) / IPP Individual Program Plans (IPP) for each child with a disability and/or unique needs
- Support childcare service providers in implementing the ISP / IPP, and guide childcare educators to follow ISP / IPP directives
- Provide ongoing support to childcare educators by monitoring and evaluating progress, and assisting with updating and incorporating new information into each child’s ISP and IPP, adjusting plans as necessary
- Advocate to external agencies to obtain needed resources and services and make appropriate referrals
- As requested by parents and/or childcare providers, occasionally attend case conferences, school meetings, or therapy sessions
- Work closely with the members of the DTSSAB’s Children’s Services Team responsible for organizing, developing and implementing professional learning opportunities, workshops and training to support childcare educators in the district
- As required, support members of the DTSSAB Children’s Services Team in capacity building and planning to meet the individual and collective needs of children, using tracked data, compiled statistics, and updated Children’s Services database and records
- Other related duties as assigned

**Qualifications**:

- Graduate of post-secondary education in Early Childhood Education or its equivalent. Registration with the College of ECEs, as a member in good standing, is required; training in Special Needs and/or Behavioural Science are considered an asset
- Preferably two (2) years of experience providing support to children, including children with special needs, in a childcare, education, human or social services setting. An equivalent combination of education/experience may also be considered
- Bilingualism (fluency and proficiency in French and English written and verbal communication) is required for designated roles
- Knowledge of the _Child Care Early Years Act_, _ELECT_, and _How Does learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for Early years _is essential
- Effective communication, writing skills, and the ability to accurately receive, process and relay information
- Proven attention to detail and the ability to follow direction, well-defined steps, processes, policies, and procedures
- Excellent organizational skills and time-management skills to identify priorities, plan and manage the workload, meet deadlines
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