Direct Support Professional (DSP), After School Caregiver PT

Hand In Hand•Bettendorf, IA

125d•$14 - $15•Onsite

About The Position

The part-time Direct Support Professional supports a nurturing, safe, inclusive, and educational after-school environment for school-age children of all abilities. The role provides direct care and supports the lead teacher in carrying out weekly lesson plans, adapting activities to children’s individual needs and interests, and maintaining positive classroom management using Conscious Discipline and Safety Care. The position also supports children’s cognitive, emotional, social, and physical development through family communication and attention to program quality. The DSP supervises children, meets assigned personal-care needs, follows health, safety, privacy, and staffing-ratio requirements, and helps maintain an organized and engaging program space. The role develops inclusive activities, documents children’s progress and daily activities, communicates with families and colleagues, and coordinates with professionals involved in participants’ services. Required annual training and certifications must be completed and maintained. Work locations are Tessa’s Place in Bettendorf, Iowa, and Edwards Church in Davenport, Iowa. Hours are flexible based on applicant availability, typically after school and on full days when school is not in session according to local school district calendars.

Requirements

Must be at least 16 years of age.
Certification in infant, child, and adult CPR; First Aid; and Iowa mandatory reporting of abuse. Hand in Hand will coordinate courses if the applicant does not yet hold the certifications.
Ability to read and interpret documents and policies established by the Iowa Department of Human Services, CARF, and other governing bodies.
Ability to communicate effectively with participants, caregivers, and coworkers.
Ability to apply common-sense understanding to written, oral, or diagrammed instructions and solve problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
Ability to perform the essential duties, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.
Ability to regularly sit, use hands, and talk or hear; occasionally stand, walk, reach, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and occasionally lift or move up to 60 pounds.
Ability to work around approved cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing chemicals in a moderately loud to loud environment.
Must maintain a valid driver’s license and insurance and possess reliable transportation.
Ability to use Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word.

Nice To Haves

Working toward or completion of a GED or high school diploma.
Experience working with children and adults with disabilities in a direct-care setting.
Knowledge of State of Iowa childcare licensing rules and regulations.
Experience using behavior-modification techniques.
Knowledge of early childhood development and inclusive education strategies.
Cultural competency, behavior-management, communication, collaboration, adaptability, observation and assessment, empathy, patience, family-engagement, emotional-intelligence, conflict-management, coaching, initiative, and commitment to ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

Support the safety and well-being of all children, including constant visual and auditory supervision and compliance with staff-to-participant ratios.
Support the lead teacher in executing weekly lesson plans and adapting activities to children’s needs and interests.
Follow sanitary procedures, including handwashing, bloodborne-pathogen practices, diapering, and soiled-clothing procedures.
Immediately report suspected child or dependent-adult abuse in accordance with Iowa mandatory-reporting requirements.
Carry out program schedules with flexible, consistent routines and planned transitions.
Communicate respectfully and empathetically with participants, and meet assigned personal-care needs, which may include diapering, catheterization, and g-tube feeding.
Maintain a neat, organized, welcoming, and engaging program space; complete daily housekeeping, including laundry, dishwashing, and cleaning.
Support environmental rating assessments and Teaching Strategies assessments, and implement instructional or environmental adaptations for children with diverse, behavioral-health, or specialized-health needs.
Plan and support engaging activities that foster creativity, inquiry, participant-led learning, and appreciation of diverse cultures and abilities.
Build professional relationships with participants, parents, volunteers, colleagues, and community members; communicate regularly with families using agency-approved methods and advocate for families.
Meet with parents or guardians to discuss progress, incidents, and needs; maintain updated participant progress reports.
Collaborate with the Lead, Director, LC, Director of Behavior Support and Training, and outside professionals to coordinate services and complete required forms and assessments.
Complete paperwork and reports accurately and before the end of each shift, including incident and injury reports, daily activity records, waiver case notes, and timekeeping.
Complete required annual training and renewals, including CPR, First Aid, Mandatory Reporting, Universal Precautions, Safety Care, HIPAA, food safety, and applicable Iowa early-learning training.
Maintain knowledge of Hand in Hand services and communicate ideas, concerns, safety issues, and suggestions to staff and program leadership.
Maintain a valid driver’s license and insurance, and have reliable transportation.
Use technology such as Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and Word effectively.