[Hiring] Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Specialist @WestEd

Role Description

Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) Network Consultants (Specialists) work in communities providing direct in-person and virtual support to center-based administrators, teachers, staff, and home-based care providers. IECMHC Network Specialists are matched with assignments based on geographic location, areas of expertise, individualized program needs, and consultant availability. The IECMHC Network team coordinates the referral and intake processes with programs and providers. It also provides resources and an array of supports for IECMHC Network Specialists, including individual and group reflective practice.

IECMHC Network Specialists adopt the Consultative Stance in applying diversity-informed, reflective, and relationship-based approaches to collaborating with home-based providers, center-based staff, and program leaders to build their capacity to:

• Respond effectively to children’s developmental, social, emotional, and behavioral health needs.
• Consider all relationships influencing young children’s relational health and well-being, adult-child relationships, and those amongst the adults caring for children.
• Engage in self-reflection about personal values, perceptions, beliefs, culture, and connections between adult’s feelings and behavior and children’s feelings and behavior.
• Reframe children’s behavior to problem solve and practice new ways of responding to children’s needs.
• Gain knowledge and skills in understanding the impact of trauma on young children and develop a trauma-responsive lens to inform their approaches working with young children and their families.
• Develop inclusive and equitable policies and procedures that reflect a commitment to serving all children and families.
• Promote staff/provider health and well-being by attending to their feelings and experiences within the context of their relational work and interactions with young children and their families.
• Increase awareness and connection to community resources.

Consultant hours are intermittent and will vary based on program needs and consultant availability.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work, psychology, mental health, counseling, early childhood special education, early childhood education, or child development, and/or a closely related field.
• Clinical licensure or license eligible preferred but not required.
• At least 3 years experience providing consultation, coaching, and/or technical assistance with child care and early education staff/providers.
• At least 2 years providing and receiving reflective practice.
• Experience working directly in a child care or early education setting with children birth through five years old and their families.
• Experience working with home-based providers, including family child care home providers and family, friend, and neighbor caregivers.
• Ability to provide relationship- and strength-based consultation using inquiry and reflective practices.
• Knowledge of social, emotional, and relational health, and fostering the well-being of young children and the adults who care for them.
• Knowledge of trauma-responsive practices and policies in child care and early education settings.
• Knowledge of community resources for children ages birth to five and their families.
• Knowledge of inclusive practices and IDEA and ADA requirements.
• Endorsement in Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health and Reflective Practice Facilitation.
• Travel possibility up to 20%.

Requirements

• Successful candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and must perform all work physically located in California.
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• WestEd conducts a criminal background check and education verification for all new hires.
• Any offers of employment will be contingent on receiving a clear background check in accordance with applicable law.

Benefits

For more details about our benefits, go to: WestEd Benefits .