Aftercare Child Development Specialist

SUMMARY: Mountain Home seeks Aftercare Child Development Specialists who provide trauma-informed, developmentally responsive childcare support to promote client participation in Mountain Home Montana programming and services. This position supports childcare coverage during afternoons, evenings, program activities, groups, appointments, and other assigned times to reduce barriers to engagement for families participating in residential, outpatient, and supportive services. The role supports children’s emotional, developmental, behavioral, and daily care needs through structured routines, responsive caregiving, purposeful play, and collaborative teamwork within an integrated behavioral health and family support environment. While this position does not routinely attend treatment team meetings, information sharing and collaboration are essential to maintaining consistent support and quality care. The typical schedule for this position is Tuesday–Thursday 4:00–7:00 PM, with flexibility. Occasional schedule adjustments may be requested to meet program needs, support special events, accommodate school schedules, or respond to the needs of children and families. Advance notice will be provided whenever possible.

REQUIREMENTS: (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• High school diploma or equivalent required. Experience, training, or education in Early Childhood Education, Child Development, Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or related fields preferred.
• Experience working with children in educational, behavioral health, or family support settings preferred.
• Understanding of trauma-informed care, attachment, co-regulation, and early childhood development.
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries while building supportive relationships with children and families.
• Strong communication, teamwork, and organizational skills.
• Ability to remain calm, flexible, and clinically responsive in fast-paced or emotionally heightened environments while safely providing trauma-informed, developmentally responsive care within Montana childcare licensing ratio requirements.
• CPR/First Aid certification required or willingness to obtain within designated timeframe.
• Registered  on the Montana Early Childhood Project and up to date on yearly education requirements

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Ability to frequently stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, crouch, and sit on the floor throughout the workday.
• Must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 40 pounds regularly.
• Ability to actively engage in classroom, outdoor, and play-based activities with children.
• Ability to supervise children in dynamic and fast-paced environments.
• Ability to maintain focus, responsiveness, and energy throughout the workday.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

● Provide childcare coverage during groups, appointments, family programming, special events, and other assigned activities to reduce barriers to client participation.

● Prepare food and support meals, snacks, toileting, diapering, hygiene, transitions, and rest routines in a manner that promotes emotional safety, consistency, developmental support, and trauma-informed caregiving practices.

● Maintain safe, sanitary, organized, and developmentally appropriate childcare environments in accordance with Mountain Home Montana protocols and childcare safety expectations.

● Provide behavioral observations and relevant developmental, emotional regulation, participation, and support-related feedback to supervisors and treatment team members as appropriate.

● Build collaborative and professional relationships with caregivers while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, confidentiality standards, and trauma-informed communication practices.

● Complete behavioral observations, incident reports, attendance tracking, childcare documentation, and other required records in accordance with program expectations and organizational policy.

● Promote a childcare environment that functions as an integrated extension of the behavioral health treatment environment and supports client participation, family engagement, emotional regulation, and therapeutic stability.

● Maintain reliability, professionalism, flexibility, teamwork, and other job-related responsibilities as assigned.