Direct Care

Windwood Farm Home For Children Inc • Awendaw, SC

2d • $20 - $22 • Onsite

About The Position

Direct Care Workers provide day-to-day care, supervision, and behavioral support to residents in our residential treatment program. Working alongside the multidisciplinary mental health team, this role supports therapeutic interventions, monitors residents’ basic physical and emotional needs, and helps maintain a safe, structured, and therapeutic environment. Successful candidates combine genuine compassion with firm, consistent boundaries. A background working with children, adolescents, or in other high-stress care environments is valued, along with a working understanding of trauma-informed care and mental health challenges.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Ability to remain calm, patient, and professional under challenging conditions, including frequent interruptions, escalated behaviors, and potential verbal or physical threats from residents.
• Demonstrated ability to de-escalate conflict and respond effectively during crisis situations.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across a diverse professional staff and resident population.
• Valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record, if transporting residents
• Working knowledge of trauma-informed care principles and adolescent behavioral health.
• Sound judgment and decision-making under pressure.
• Cultural humility and the ability to build rapport with youth and families from diverse backgrounds.
• Strong written communication skills sufficient for behaviorally specific incident and progress documentation.
• Experience in inpatient or outpatient mental health, or child welfare management.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Must be flexible in work hours in order to meet resident and organizational needs.
• Must be able to address and prioritize multiple task demands within established timeframes
• Must demonstrate the gross and fine motor skills, physical strength, stamina, and body mechanics needed to safely perform all job duties, including CPI interventions.
• Must be dressed in a manner that allows for a safe, hands-on response to an AWOL or aggressive resident, including a CPI restraint if needed.
• Successful completion of SLED, Central Registry, DMV, and state/national sex offender registry checks, coordinated through Human Resources.
• Fingerprinting required at hire and every five (5) years thereafter.
• Completion of TB screening/chest X-ray and participation in random drug screening as required by state contracts.
• Maintains current CPI, CPR, and First Aid certification, and any applicable professional license, throughout employment.
• Completes all annually mandated training, including SCDSS, SCDPH, sexual harassment prevention, and mandated reporter training.
• Completes no less than 32 hours of onboarding training and 16 hours of continuing education on an annual basis.
• Provides certification training as needed.
• Obtains and maintains certification in ServSafe, CPI, First Aid and CPR, and Mental Health First Aid upon hire and annually or as required; attend ongoing training and educational sessions i.e. mandated reporter.
• Viewing of the Civil Rights video is mandated during on-boarding and annually thereafter

Nice To Haves

• Coursework or a degree in child development, psychology, behavioral health, social work, public health, or a related field preferred.
• Prior experience working with children or adolescents preferred; experience in high-stress care, education, or crisis-response settings is a plus.
• Bachelor degree preferred but not required at this time.

Responsibilities

• Fosters a safe, therapeutic environment by following all facility procedures, safety protocols, and professional boundaries.
• Monitors high-risk areas in accordance with agency policy; applies approved physical intervention (CPI restraint) techniques only as required to manage emergency safety situations.
• Models appropriate social, emotional, and life skills to help residents build independent-living competencies.
• Completes behavior and activity documentation in clear, behaviorally specific, and objective language, within required timelines and in accordance with agency policy.
• Builds trusting, supportive relationships with residents through consistency, fairness, and genuine concern for their wellbeing.
• Communicates and coordinates effectively with the multidisciplinary treatment team, supervisors, and co-workers to support each resident’s treatment plan.
• Reports safety concerns, incidents, and concerning staff behavior promptly, in keeping with the agency’s mandated-reporting and “see something, say something” culture.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of program and agency operations.

Benefits

• This is a Public Student Loan Forgiveness eligible agency
• SC State Health Plan (employee pays a portion; agency covers short-term disability)
• A generous paid leave policy
• Our paid holidays: New Year’s Day, MLK, Thanksgiving and the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve.
• SIMPLE IRA eligibility after 1 year, with up to 3% employer match

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED