Occupational Therapist - Early Years Project - Fee For Service

About the role

You will work within Riverside Early Childhood Services for Cambridge and Somerville, home to two programs: Early Intervention and the Early Years Project. At Riverside Early Childhood Services, we collaborate with the people we serve and with each other as team members to create relationships, experiences, and environments that promote positive development. We are committed to clinical excellence, collaboration, and continual learning, meeting all people where they are, recognizing and nurturing strengths, and addressing challenges.

As a member of the Early Years Project Team, the Occupational Therapist provides consultations in licensed center-based and family childcare settings, typically for individual children from infancy through preschool. Service frequency depends on the level of need and overall caseload. When safety concerns arise, services may be intensive and provided daily. You will also provide classroom consultations, director and family support, and create resource materials such as handouts and workshops.

We use a neuro-relational, brain-body approach to understand behavior as communication, aiming to decrease stress and increase regulation and social-emotional learning. Our work is grounded in cultural humility as we develop relationships with teachers and families, understanding their priorities, pedagogy, values, beliefs, strengths, sources of stress, and intervention needs. We engage in a collaborative process of change with caregivers through generative questions, reflective practice, modeling, and coaching, while offering frameworks and specific suggestions as appropriate.

The Occupational Therapist works alongside EYP Consultants in a collaborative service delivery model, including observation, functional and other assessments, direct service with the child, support plans, and teacher and parent meetings. You will maintain an individual caseload and may lead or support group activities while ensuring the delivery of high-quality, developmentally sound, and progressive services.

Responsibilities

• Provide consultations for individual children (infancy through preschool) in licensed center-based and family childcare settings, with service frequency based on need and caseload.
• Deliver intensive services daily when safety concerns are present.
• Conduct classroom consultations, provide director and family support, and create resource materials such as handouts and workshops.
• Use a neuro-relational, brain-body approach to address behavior as communication, reducing stress and enhancing regulation and social-emotional learning.
• Engage in cultural humility, building relationships with teachers and families to understand their priorities, values, and intervention needs.
• Collaborate with caregivers through generative questions, reflective practice, modeling, and coaching, offering frameworks and specific suggestions.
• Work alongside EYP Consultants in a collaborative service delivery model, including observation, assessments, direct service, support plans, and meetings with teachers and parents.
• Maintain an individual caseload and lead or support group activities.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, developmentally sound, and progressive services.

Requirements

• Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited educational institution.
• Five years' experience working with children six and under and their caregivers.
• Experience working with children with specific sensory needs, dysregulation, and behavioral challenges, including safety concerns and harm to self and/or others.
• Previous experience in coaching childcare staff and providing training to parents and staff preferred.
• Experience in having difficult conversations with adults, including discussions with caregivers about their children and providing feedback and suggestions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of child development principles and familiarity with concepts, practices, and procedures in the field.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to establish rapport and work collaboratively with a diverse group of co-workers, handle multiple tasks, be flexible, and work independently.
• Fluency with computers for required documentation (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, shared calendars, downloading/uploading documents).
• Valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle for local travel.
• Fluency in Spanish preferred.

Benefits

• Comprehensive, high-quality health, dental, and vision insurance options.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and dependent care.
• Eleven paid holidays.
• Separate accruals for vacation (increases with tenure), personal, and sick time.
• Tax-deferred 403(b) retirement savings plan with employer match.
• Employee Assistance Plan / Travel Assistance Plan.
• Employee bonus for referrals resulting in hiring.
• Discounts to movie theaters, sporting, and entertainment events.
• Employee YMCA discount: 10% off monthly membership and 50% off the joiner’s fee.

Pay

$62.74/hour to $71.56/hour depending on years of experience.

Schedule

Fee For Service, Part Time Hours Available.