Child Care Counselor

Rising Ground, Inc.•Yonkers, NY

75d•Onsite

About The Position

The Child Care Counselor provides direct care and support to children and adolescents in the residential treatment center setting. The role involves helping clients address emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges while fostering a safe, nurturing environment. The counselor works closely with a multidisciplinary team to implement treatment plans, monitor progress, and support the overall therapeutic goals of the center.

Requirements

High School Diploma/GED required
At least 3+ years of working in a Residential Treatment Center
Valid driver’s license with a safe driving record as determined by NYS Department of Motor Vehicles.
Experience working with children or adolescents with emotional, behavioral, or developmental disabilities in a residential, educational, or therapeutic setting.
Strong understanding of state and federal regulations governing residential treatment programs and special education services.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills, with the ability to work effectively with students, families, school personnel, and external agencies.
Ability to manage complex cases, implement treatment plans, and provide crisis intervention when necessary.
Commitment to fostering a positive, inclusive, and therapeutic environment for all students.
Authorized to work in the U.S.
Ability to work in-person in New York City (NY) for at least 3 days or more per week.
Ability to travel to other Rising Ground sites (if required)
Arrive at work on time, respecting other shift workers and programmatic needs.
At all times, model the appropriate dress, speech and behavior for residents. This includes dressing professionally or in designated work uniforms/dress code if prescribed.
Professionally representing the agency when speaking with parents, community members or other stakeholders.
Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with adolescents and staff; Respond to all requests in a professional and courteous manner.
Respect the privacy of all individuals and maintain client confidentiality as prescribed by law and in Agency policies.
Assume the expected role on the treatment team and maintain collaborative relations with members.
Maintain and promote a cooperative, harmonious, teamwork environment within the workplace. Maintain and promote an atmosphere of dignity and respect in line with the philosophy and policies of Rising Ground.
Become knowledgeable of all RTC policies and procedures; modeling, training and actively supervising the use of each.
Attend all mandatory or recommended staff development workshops/trainings.
Show organizational commitment which includes understanding and actively supporting the mission, policies and procedures protecting the integrity of the Agency.

Responsibilities

Provide direct care and supervision to children and adolescents in a residential setting, ensuring their safety, well-being, and emotional needs are met.
Actively and diligently supervise youth at all times; both in the cottage, and when escorting youth on campus or during off-ground programming.
Utilize the appropriate techniques of behavior management and crisis intervention, using TCI and other agency provided trainings.
Remain sensitive and understanding in difficult and stressful situations; keeping the youth’s needs and feelings in perspective.
Support individualized treatment plans in collaboration with clinical staff, helping to achieve therapeutic goals.
Assist clients with daily living skills, emotional regulation, and behavior management in both group and one-on-one settings.
Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation of client progress, incidents, and treatment plan goals. Perform Life Space Interviews as trained. (e.g., incident reports, statements, goal tracking, etc.)
Foster a positive, structured, and supportive environment for clients, encouraging healthy coping mechanisms and emotional growth.
Communicate effectively with staff, team members and other professionals to ensure a cohesive and holistic approach to client care.
Participate in team meetings and provide feedback regarding client behavior, progress, and any adjustments needed in treatment plans.
Model appropriate behavior and social skills for clients, offering guidance and mentorship when needed.
Support crisis intervention efforts and manage emergency situations when necessary, following established protocols.
Access /communicate with other team members (i.e., medical and clinical) as necessary to ensure the health and safety of residents.
Maintain / inspect the cottage to ensure no health or safety hazards exist. Remove or report concerns as necessary.
Report any observed violations of code of conduct to supervisor immediately (i.e, inappropriate sexual behaviors or physical aggression between co-workers and youth). Provide written documentation if requested.
Staff are required to serve as bus monitors for young people being transported to and from school or other designated locations. This includes ensuring the safety and well-being of the youth while on the bus, monitoring behavior, and ensuring compliance with all transportation and safety guidelines.
Staff are expected to address any behavioral issues or concerns during the transport and report any incidents or concerns to the appropriate team members.
Staff are required to follow the supervision protocol while in transit and complete any necessary documentation once arriving back to the campus.
Supervise, assist, and teach residents to perform all activities of daily living, including self-care, chores, etc.
Initiate, support and escort residents to planned recreation and other therapeutic educational activities. Look for ways to improve the daily structure, coordination, and overall program implementation. This includes driving an agency vehicle if deemed certified, as needed/expected.
Implement PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support) System fully and in accordance with training. At all times model the core values of ROAR (respect, on task, act safely and be responsible) and frame corrections of student behaviors in a positive way.