Disabilities Specialist - The Children's Home Society of New Jersey

Educational Qualifications: Associate’s degree in Early Childhood or Special Education with at least two courses in Special Education and the inclusion of children with disabilities, and two courses in case management or human services field. Experience Qualifications: Three years’ experience in the disability services field preferred.General Description: The Disabilities Specialist is responsible for assisting Disabilities Coordinator in identifying children who may have a disability, assuring appropriate intervention and services, and for managing, implementing and evaluating comprehensive programs for children with disabilities and their families. Responsible for implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and other special education provisions; works with teachers, parents, local education agencies, and community agencies in planning and program development, obtaining professional diagnoses and assessments of disabled individuals, and developing Individual Education or Family Service Plans.Job Responsibilities:This position supports the Disabilities Coordinator/Manager:• Assist teachers in the classroom to provide support for all children participating in the program to reach the overall goal of social competence through the acquisition of developmentally appropriate emotional, cognitive, behavioral and social skills• Receive and follow up with in house referrals and provide an appropriate level of recruitment and outreach in coordination in existing systems to find and locate eligible children.• Assists to make sure that 10% of the enrollment opportunities are made available for children with qualified special needs in each Head Start contact• Assist DC to conduct ongoing monitoring of program activities as assigned in-person/virtual• Assist DC to Identify children with special needs and coordinate their services with special education• Attend IEP meetings when needed; and assist the teacher in-person in how to implement the child’s IEP or IFSP in the classroom• Ensure the follow-up with families referred to community agencies in order to schedule a mental health consultation/further evaluation• Provide in-person/virtual observations and activities and suggestion for teachers in support of IFSP’s and IEP’s.• Works with the managers to ensure an integrated approach to Disabilities Services is coordinated throughout all services and systemsThis is a brief description only of the position; anyone interested may request a full job description from the human resource department.The Children’s Home Society is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer M/F/D/V. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.