Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant

About Kinder Konsulting

For over 23 years, Kinder Konsulting & Parents Too! has specialized in supporting the emotional, behavioral, developmental, and mental health needs of infants, young children, and families throughout Central Florida.

Our team is recognized for its expertise in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and its commitment to helping children succeed in the environments where they live, learn, and play.

Through our Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Program, we partner with childcare centers to:

• Reduce preschool suspension and expulsion
• Increase teacher confidence and job satisfaction
• Improve classroom climate and functioning
• Strengthen family engagement
• Support social-emotional development
• Create nurturing, inclusive learning environments

The success of this program has led to continued growth and expansion, creating exciting opportunities for qualified clinicians looking to make a lasting impact.

About the Role

Our consultation model is informed by nationally recognized Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation frameworks, including the Georgetown University Center of Excellence Model.

Consultants provide support at multiple levels of a program, including:

• Program and administrative consultation
• Teacher and classroom consultation
• Family consultation
• Child-focused consultation

Unlike traditional outpatient therapy, consultants help early childhood programs build their own capacity to address social-emotional and behavioral concerns. Consultants use observation, assessment, reflective practices, coaching, professional development, and collaborative problem-solving to support sustainable change.

The ideal candidate understands that lasting change occurs when we strengthen the systems surrounding children, not just the individual child.

Responsibilities

• Conduct classroom observations and assessments.
• Partner with Center Directors and leadership teams to identify strengths, challenges, and opportunities for growth.
• Support program-wide initiatives designed to improve social-emotional and behavioral outcomes.
• Provide coaching and consultation to teachers and childcare staff.
• Assist educators in understanding the developmental, social, emotional, behavioral, and environmental factors influencing children's behavior.
• Collaborate with families to support children within their home and school environments.
• Develop recommendations and action plans that support children, classrooms, and programs.
• Facilitate problem-solving meetings with teachers, families, and administrators.
• Assist programs in creating inclusive and relationship-based practices.
• Identify when children may benefit from additional mental health or developmental services and connect families with appropriate community resources.
• Complete observations, assessments, reports, billing, and required documentation in a timely manner.
• Participate in reflective consultation and professional development activities.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling, Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology, or a related behavioral health field.
• Florida Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Registered Intern working toward licensure in Florida.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience working with infants, young children, and families.
• Strong background in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.
• Experience working in childcare centers, preschools, schools, Head Start programs, or other community-based early childhood settings.
• Reliable transportation and ability to travel throughout Orange County.

Desired Skills and Experience

The ideal consultant possesses:

• Advanced understanding of infant and early childhood development.
• Knowledge of social-emotional development and behavior in young children.
• Experience supporting children ages birth through five.
• Ability to assess underlying causes of challenging behaviors.
• Strong observation and assessment skills.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with directors, teachers, families, and community partners.
• Experience facilitating and leading conversations with diverse stakeholders.
• Understanding of systems-level thinking and organizational change.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of community resources and early childhood service systems.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Cultural humility and responsiveness when working with diverse populations.

Who Thrives in This Role?

This position is ideal for clinicians who:

• Enjoy working beyond the traditional therapy office.
• Understand that behavior is communication.
• Can see both the child and the larger system influencing the child.
• Enjoy partnering with teachers rather than simply telling them what to do.
• Are comfortable working with administrators, educators, families, and children.
• Appreciate relationship-based approaches to creating change.
• Are reflective, flexible, and collaborative.
• Enjoy problem-solving and helping others grow.
• Are able to balance clinical expertise with practical, real-world solutions.

Why Clinicians Love This Position

Many clinicians find this role rewarding because it offers flexibility, variety, and meaningful systems-level impact.

Benefits include:

• Flexible contractor schedule.
• Ability to create a schedule that works for your lifestyle.
• Opportunity to work in centers that match your availability and geographic preferences.
• Strong earning potential.
• Ability to bill for both direct and indirect service activities.
• Compensation for:
  • Classroom observations
  • Assessments and screenings
  • Consultation meetings
  • Documentation and report writing
  • Teacher coaching
  • Family consultation
  • Program support and planning
• Ongoing consultation and peer support.
• Specialized training in Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation.
• Opportunity to create meaningful change for entire classrooms, programs, teachers, and families.

Work Environment

Consultants work within childcare centers and early learning programs throughout Orange County. Depending on the needs of each center, consultants may work independently or alongside other members of our consultation team.

Centers vary in size and level of need, allowing for flexibility in scheduling and caseload design. Some locations are shared among consultants, creating opportunities for collaboration and support.

The ideal candidate is not simply looking for another therapy caseload. They are passionate about helping teachers feel successful, supporting families, strengthening early childhood programs, and ensuring that young children have the opportunity to thrive.

Education

• Master's Degree required

License

• LMHC, LCSW, LMFT, or Registered Intern in the State of Florida

Schedule

• Monday-Friday
• Flexible scheduling

Work Location

• Early Childhood Center