Classroom Consultant/Trainer First Five

Salary: $87,500

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability insurance
• 5 days of Paid Time Off
• 16 Paid Wellness Days and Holidays (including the week of Christmas off)
• 403b retirement plan
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Year-round employee wellness and appreciation initiatives

About the Role

The First Five program provides trauma-informed care to support children and families by strengthening and enhancing services in early learning centers. The program aims to help early learning center teachers create a trauma-informed culture in their classrooms. Through classroom observation, First Five identifies children needing behavioral support, offering two pathways of service based on the level of complexity and risk of expulsion.

This is a professional position providing clinical consultation in the First Five program. The Classroom Consultant will focus on relationship development with early learning center staff, observations, trainings, technical support, classroom consultation activities, the IDT process, child-specific intervention services, and, if needed, in-home family services. The role primarily supports early learning center staff in practicing tools and skills learned during formal training sessions while fostering a trauma-informed learning environment.

The Classroom Consultant will also work with the Subject Matter Expert (SME) to assist staff in setting up classrooms designed for 1:1 intervention and spaces that facilitate prosocial behaviors (e.g., calm-down spaces, yoga techniques, deep breathing).

Through classroom observation, the Classroom Consultant identifies children needing behavioral support and determines the appropriate service pathway based on complexity (low, moderate, or high). The role also provides immediate on-site access to classroom-based mental health consultation for critical incidents, such as self-harm, harm to others, property destruction, or situations that could lead to expulsion. After addressing incidents, the Consultant drafts necessary communications for families and conducts debriefing sessions with staff to review responses and improve future handling of similar incidents.

This position works closely with the First Five team, including the Behavior Specialist, Clinician, Subject Matter Expert, and Director, as well as early learning center staff to provide comprehensive services. Directions for Living is an essential services provider, and this is a field-based role requiring a minimum of 120 service hours monthly.

All employees must be willing and able to provide vital support and essential services during emergencies, pandemics, or disaster situations.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships with early learning center staff through observations and collaboration
• Provide trainings, technical support, and classroom consultation activities for early learning center staff
• Facilitate the IDT process and deliver child-specific intervention services, including in-home family services when needed
• Assist in creating trauma-informed classroom environments, including spaces for 1:1 intervention and prosocial behavior techniques
• Identify children needing behavioral support through classroom observation and determine appropriate service pathways
• Provide immediate on-site mental health consultation for critical incidents (e.g., self-harm, harm to others, property destruction)
• Draft communications for families following critical incidents and conduct debriefing sessions with staff
• Collaborate with the First Five team and early learning center staff to deliver comprehensive services
• Meet monthly service hour requirements (120 hours) as an essential services provider

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Social Work or a related field from an accredited university
• Minimum of 2 years of experience working with children aged 0-5
• Preferred experience with behavior assessment and modification
• Preferred experience working with at-risk populations, including young children who have experienced trauma and families facing substance misuse, domestic violence, mental health challenges, or emotionally disturbed children
• Previous child welfare or behavioral health experience and/or certification is preferred
• Willingness and ability to provide essential services during emergencies, pandemics, or disaster situations