Major Responsibilities:
- Implements and monitors the integrated child care program as well as providing consultation and training to directly operated and community child care agencies
- Provides consultative advice and direct support to Supervisors, Early Childhood Educators, Resource Educators and parents regarding individual and group planning in directly operated group and home care programs plus purchase of service centres and home child care
- Directly supervises a team of resource educators in the delivery of various initiatives and programs within a specific geographic area (i.e. Every Child Belongs model)
- Approves Special Service Unit expenditures within specified district and within approved budget limitations.
- Ensures financial accountability through analysis and approval of operating budgets, audits and T4 review of agencies providing services to children with special needs and their families. Negotiates recoveries from operators under service contract
- Provides workshops and conferences for the child care community
- Develops/implements evaluation tools and utilizes results to direct service enhancement for the continuous improvement of services (e.g. Toronto Operating Criteria for Agencies Providing Special Needs Resourcing, Financial Criteria, Parent Surveys, Workshop evaluations, Postal Code statistics collection, Child Care Support Funds surveys).
- Supervises a team of resource educators by hiring, training, monitoring performance, handling labour relations and human rights issues including the hearing of grievances and the imposition of discipline
- Develops and coordinates in-service training in the area of programming with primary and secondary prevention as the focus
- Establishes and maintains partnerships with local community agencies and treatment programs that support the staff and children in the programs
- Provides technical support relating to inclusion of children with special needs/disabilities in child care, school and recreational settings and also in support of the Special Needs Appeal Process via recommendations to the Client Liaison Consultant (Ombudsperson) and the Divisional Appeal Committee
- Prepares briefing notes, project charters, business cases and information for Program Manager.
- Represents the City of Toronto and Children's Services on a variety of divisional, community and provincial groups and collaborates with child care operators, special needs agencies, other child/family agencies and Boards of Education, to ensure local service planning and delivery meets the needs of children, families and community.
- Reviews and monitors all documentation and programming required for children with special needs in accordance with both Provincial legislative requirements and City of Toronto requirements
- Directs the development of new and more effective approaches to the provision of services for children with special
- Participates in the unit and divisional planning by identifying service and policy gaps
- Undertakes other special projects as assigned
Key Qualifications:
- Extensive experience working with children with special needs, their families and service providers, in the individual program planning process.
- Experience in the delivery of child care and application of child development theories in relation to the special needs population.
- Experience in effectively identifying problems, proposing solutions and implementing decisions.
- Extensive knowledge of the legislation and policies regarding delivery of child care.
- Knowledge of program development and planning, evaluation and community development.
- Ability to establish effective working relationships with staff, supervisors, managers, parents and the community, support agencies, politicians and other levels of governments.
- Ability to supervise, train and coordinate the activities of staff in a team environment.
- Ability to effectively handle day to day labour relations matters.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- General knowledge of government legislation in the areas of human rights, labour relations, collective agreements and Occupational Health and Safety.
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