Epiphany School, Inc Early Relational Health Specialist Dorchester Center, MA · Full time Company website

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Epiphany is an independent school for children of economically disadvantaged families, with scholarships for all. We admit children of diverse faiths, races, cultures, and cognitive profiles, believing in the Episcopal tradition that we find God in and through each other. In close partnership with families and community partners, we are an innovative learning community. We offer structured support to enable children to discover and develop the fullness of their individual gifts and to help their families thrive. Our Early Learning Center serves infants, toddlers and preschoolers through a rich, child-centered curriculum and whole-family program model to ensure kindergarten readiness and family self-sufficiency. Our Middle School offers small classes, individualized curricula, and extended hours providing rigorous academic, moral and social instruction to children in grades five through eight. Our Graduate Support Program provides abiding educational, personal and career guidance and assistance to our graduates, ensuring they are prepared to contribute intelligently, morally, and actively to the society they will inherit. Our Teacher Training Program supports aspiring urban teachers, including many of our own graduates. Our Impact Center shares best practices to improve educational outcomes on a broad scale. Together we are a school that never gives up on a child.

Early Relational Health Specialist

Description

The Epiphany Early Learning Center (“ELC”) is seeking a full-time Early Relational Health Specialist. The Early Relational Health Specialist plays a vital role in fostering the social-emotional well-being of our young children in our Early Learning Center while building the capacity of teachers, staff, and families to create nurturing, inclusive, and trauma-informed learning environments. Grounded in early relational health, early childhood education, attachment, emotional regulation, and relationship-based practice, this position collaborates closely with classroom teams, families, and community partners to promote healthy development, strengthen relationships, and support children in reaching their fullest potential.

The responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Support the healthy social and emotional development of children in early childhood settings.
• Build caregivers' capacity to promote healthy child development, emotional regulation, and effectively manage challenging behaviors.
• Collaborate with teachers and staff to promote resilience and healthy relationships among staff, children, and families by providing a trauma-informed and early relational health and mental health perspective.
• Develop safe and trusting relationships with teachers and staff at the Early Learning Center through observation, reflection, analysis, and collaborative planning.
• Meet with parents and caregivers to share observations and provide guidance regarding children's social-emotional development and behavior.
• Partner with families to identify children's and families' needs and, when appropriate, collaborate with Family Navigator & Inclusion Specialist to connect families to appropriate community resources and services. 
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and community partners to support children and families through an early relational health lens
• Support a multi-tiered approach to social-emotional and behavioral support.
• Be available to support staff during center emergencies.
• Participate as an active member of the Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (I/ECMHC) team.
• Attend departmental staff meetings.
• Provide direct consultation services to infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms.
• Observation, check-ins, follow-up, monthly classroom meetings, and individual consultation on an as-needed basis.
• Develop and work toward annual professional development and personal growth goals.
• Participate in relevant professional learning and program evaluation activities, including communities of practice, as appropriate.

Additional Responsibilities and Expectations

• Return phone calls and respond to emails in a timely manner.
• Attend community events, occasional evening programs, parent conferences, professional development days, and staff retreats.
• Be present for all scheduled school functions and professional days.
• Perform additional duties as assigned, which may include front desk coverage and occasional classroom support.
• This is an in-person position. Employees are expected to work on-site to support collaboration, student, staff, and family engagement, and daily operations. Work location expectations are subject to change based on organizational needs.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Early Education, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, or a related behavioral health field.
• Knowledge of Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) regulations.
• Experience working with infants, toddlers, preschool-aged children, and their families.
• Knowledge of child development, attachment, trauma-informed practices, and social-emotional development and early relational health.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, including teachers, administrators, and families.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, consultation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and serving children and families from historically underserved communities.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position and complete all required background checks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree Preferred
• Experience providing Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC).
• Familiarity with Early Relational Health, attachment-based practices, or Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS).
• Bilingual or multilingual skills are a plus.
• Experience working in nonprofit, school, or early childhood education settings.

Position Details:

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position through June 30, 2027. The position will be evaluated before the contract end date, with the possibility of extension based on program needs, funding, and organizational priorities. Compensation will be prorated based on the employee's start date.

Benefits:

Medical insurance, life, vision, and dental are offered, all subject to a premium split; may participate in our 401(k) retirement program.