Early Interventionist/Developmental Therapist

Easter Seals Tennessee Inc•Lebanon, TN

22h

About The Position

The Early Interventionist/Developmental Therapist provides home- and community-based developmental therapy to infants and toddlers who meet Tennessee’s eligibility definition under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Services are provided, to the greatest extent possible, in each child’s natural environment and in accordance with the child’s Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Therapy reflects family-established goals and builds on family strengths and resources. The role provides families with ongoing information, guidance, and encouragement. Developmental therapy includes family-centered sessions, ongoing six-month progress assessments, and connecting families with resources to support children’s development during their early years. The position requires travel to sessions in children’s natural environments, maintaining detailed program records, collaborating with families and service providers, and representing ESTN in the community. The position does not oversee staff.

Requirements

Hold a degree in early childhood special education, early childhood education, child and family studies (Early Intervention), early intervention, deaf education or visual disabilities, special education K–12, elementary education, communication disorders, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, or a related field.
For a related-field degree, have at least one year of documented experience working with children with disabilities ages 0–5 and their families.
Graduate degrees must be from an institution accredited and listed in the U.S. Department of Education’s database.
Have experience working with young children and families.
Have experience working with children with disabilities or developmental delays.
Have early childhood professional development.
Establish good rapport with caregivers, children, staff members, and community agency or service providers.
Be sensitive to the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the service population.
Have wide knowledge of infant-toddler development.
Have exceptional oral and written communication skills.
Have a good driving record and be insurable.
Represent the program to parents and the community in a courteous and professional manner.
Meet the listed requirements to perform the essential duties satisfactorily, with reasonable accommodations available as described; an equivalent combination of education and experience is acceptable.

Nice To Haves

Experience in early childhood.
Bilingual ability.

Responsibilities

Provide developmental therapy sessions as outlined in each child’s IFSP, including direct services, caregiver coaching, and use of daily routines to support individualized goals.
Conduct or participate in timely evaluations and ongoing assessments for assigned children and child-find activities at childcare centers or in the community.
Collaborate with family members, caregivers, childcare center teachers, therapists, and Point of Entry TEIS staff to help children reach their goals.
Accommodate family appointment requests during normal business hours, Monday through Friday; early evening appointments from 5–6 p.m. may be necessary.
Travel to sessions in children’s natural environments. Provide teleintervention only at a parent or caregiver’s request, such as for after-business-hours services, medical fragility, or severe weather that would cancel an in-person session.
Represent ESTN at community events supporting families and young children.
Encourage families to share successes with ESTN and help identify opportunities to improve quality of life through POM Interviews.
Deliver direct service hours according to each child’s IFSP, including rescheduling missed therapy sessions.
Maintain daily records of direct services in the Tennessee Early Intervention Data System (TEIDS), including service logs and communications with families and the TEIS Service Coordinator; records may be reviewed by the State.
Complete additional program records, including monthly summaries, attendance records, screening summaries, updated calendars, and other requested information.
Ensure records are accurate, thorough, and completed promptly.
Participate in supervisory sessions and monthly staff meetings.
Participate in professional development, including topics such as reflective supervision, coaching, and child development.
Promote public awareness by preparing and distributing information about early intervention services to referral sources, parents, and the public.
Assist other ESTN programs when service hours fall below the minimum needed to maintain full-time status (fewer than 16 developmental therapy service hours per week).
Demonstrate superior knowledge of optimal infant, toddler, and child development and parent-child interaction.
Perform additional duties as required by the position or requested by the supervisor.