Youth Care Specialist I

State of Delaware•Dover, DE

About The Position

The Youth Care Specialist oversees and supervises youth in care, models behavior modification skills, and builds interpersonal relationships that encourage social adjustment. The specialist supervises youth during facility and community activities, helping them practice life skills in preparation for returning to their communities. The role also includes assisting youth with daily medication and preparing reports and records about their behavior, treatment, and progress. The specialist takes an active role in daily activities for an assigned group, including recreation, education, treatment, meals, personal hygiene, and maintaining living quarters. They observe youth and communicate observations to staff, teach facility procedures and rules, implement security procedures, and support responses to serious disturbances. Specialists escort youth to activities and appointments, supervise them in all settings, and may drive them when transportation is necessary. This position requires a high school diploma or equivalent, that applicants be at least 21 years old, relevant knowledge of behavior management, youth supervision, and narrative report writing, and a valid driver's license. Employment is subject to work-authorization verification, pre-employment drug testing, and a satisfactory criminal background check. The position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. New hires attend Statewide New Employee Orientation on their first day.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 21 years of age.
Knowledge of behavior management, including understanding, explaining, describing, and predicting behavior; studying connections between behavior and its causes; and identifying appropriate behavior modification strategies for individual situations.
Knowledge of supervising youth during daily activities such as recreation, treatment activities, meals, self-care, transportation, or education.
Knowledge of narrative report writing.
Valid driver's license that is not suspended, revoked, cancelled, or disqualified.
Legally authorized to work in the United States.
Satisfactory criminal background check.
Must undergo pre-employment drug testing upon a conditional offer.

Responsibilities

Oversee and actively participate in daily activities for an assigned group of youth, including recreation, education, rehabilitation and treatment activities, meals, personal hygiene, and maintaining living quarters.
Observe youth behavior and adjustment to programs, and exchange written and oral reports about observations with staff daily.
Establish and maintain interpersonal relationships with youth to encourage and assist with social adjustment.
Interpret and teach facility procedures, rules, and disciplinary policies to youth.
Implement facility security procedures, including regular unit, room, and grounds checks; community and home visits; and frequent observation and monitoring of high-risk youth.
Assist with handling serious disturbances and monitor visitors entering and leaving the facility.
Escort youth to activities and appointments inside or outside the facility, supervising their conduct in all settings.
Operate a motor vehicle when necessary to transport youth to activities and appointments.
Prepare, maintain, and contribute to records and reports about youth, including behavior management documentation, treatment plans, progress notes, population reports, and inventories.
Assist youth in taking daily medication.
Oversee community trips where youth practice life skills learned on the milieu.