Child Care Worker-RTF (4550)

The House of The Good Shepherd•Utica, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The House of the Good Shepherd (HGS) has been changing children’s lives for over 150 years, providing individualized, compassionate care to youth and families through a range of residential, educational, community, and foster care programs across Central New York, the Mohawk Valley, and the North Country. The agency is built on a foundation of empathy, resilience, and the Sanctuary Model of care, guiding its commitment to healing and hope. As a Child Care Worker, you will serve as a steady presence for children and teens who have experienced significant trauma, helping to create a sense of structure, safety, and security as they navigate daily life in a residential setting. This role involves challenging work, but your support will be a key part of a young person’s healing journey.

Requirements

Minimum high school or equivalency diploma required.
Sufficient maturity to work with and relate to children required.
Commitment to following and embracing the Seven Commitments of our Sanctuary Model.
Ability to form positive relationships with children.
Ability to understand and respond to children's basic developmental needs.
Ability to understand and follow agency policy and Trauma Informed Care orientation.
Understanding of basic needs and developmental issues of children in a way that promotes growth and respects individuality.
Valid New York state driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Some higher education preferred.
Experience with children highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Be a steady presence for children and teens who have experienced significant trauma.
Help create a sense of structure, safety, and security as children and teens navigate daily life in a residential setting.
Provide support as a key part of a young person’s healing journey.
Ask age and developmentally appropriate questions and actively listen to children’s responses.
Develop a warm, positive, nurturing relationship with each child.
Follow mandated reporting requirements regarding child abuse and neglect.
Practice infection control, including appropriate hand washing procedures.
Assist children in participating at their individual level of interest and ability, using knowledge of developmental milestones.
Interact with children during meal and snack times, promoting appropriate social behavior.
Apply knowledge of child development to plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities and environments.
Adapt activities and environments to meet the special needs and situations of individual children.
Identify developmentally appropriate behavior and reasonable expectations for children’s behavior.
Use observation to understand children’s interests and developmental levels.
Role model and teach appropriate behavior to children.
Demonstrate a high level of professionalism at all times.