Early Childhood Educator

Join us in building a world of possibility! Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital is Canada's largest pediatric rehabilitation hospital, and a top 40 Canadian research hospital. Serving over 8,500 families annually in both inpatient and outpatient programs and services, Holland Bloorview is renowned for its expertise in partnering with clients and families to provide exceptional care and is the only organization to ever achieve 100 per cent in three successive quality surveys by Accreditation Canada.

Holland Bloorview's vision is to support the most meaningful and healthy futures for all children, youth and families. We are an academic hospital, fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. All clinical staff are expected to contribute to the academic agenda through one or more of the following activities: supervising students, teaching, academic service, scholarship and research.

Holland Bloorview has won numerous awards including Greater Toronto's Top Employers, Canada's Top Employers for Young People and Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures. We offer an inspiring, inclusive, innovative, and collaborative work environment with competitive compensation and benefit packages and programs that support ongoing learning and professional growth.

The Position:

The Early Learning and Development department is seeking an Early Childhood Educator to work in an integrated nursery school setting that serves children 18 months to 5 years and their families. Children will have disabilities that include physical, developmental, communication and/or autism.

Our nursery school programs integrate children with and without disabilities, and promote awareness, support and understanding of inclusion for all children.

Our philosophy:

• All children benefit from an early learning environment that supports each child's abilities and respects the importance of family
• We lead and guide all children through natural play-based activities to achieve their personal best

This role requires an educator with strong knowledge of child development theory and current practices in curriculum development that will enable them to develop, plan and implement group and individual programming through play-based opportunities and activities.

The teaching position is five-day a week, half-day morning position.

This role provides opportunities to develop and use a wide range of skills and to work as a valued member of an interprofessional team including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology, resource consultant and music. We are happy to consider applicants for this position who are at different career stages, and who possess the required knowledge, skills, experience, and availability.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a developmentally appropriate play-based classroom that is safe for all children to explore
• Demonstrate ability to multitask and adapt accordingly to support the changing dynamics/needs of the classroom
• Work collaboratively with other educators and therapy staff in all aspects of child and family care
• Use formal and informal assessment tools and keen observation to design and implement individual educational plans (IEPs) for children.
• Integrate goals of other disciplines into IEPs and
• Demonstrate knowledge through the implementation of behaviour guidance practices with children
• Partner with families through Family Team Goal Planning to ensure that family centred care is reflected in all approaches and methods to meet the individual needs, expectations and wishes of the family
• Maintain positive and open communication with staff, clients & families, students, volunteers
• Communicate in a timely and effective manner to the site facilitator to identify safety or other concerns or needs
• Demonstrate a creative approach to problem solving and decision making
• Train, supervise, support, and evaluate new volunteers and students as assigned
• Embrace and exemplify Holland Bloorview's philosophy regarding client and family-centred care practices
• Other duties as assigned

Operations

• The nursery school programs are open from September to June annually. Closed to summer break (July, August), 2 weeks winter break (December),1 week March break (March) and Easter Monday.

Quality and Safety

• Follow all nursery school policies and procedures for licensing and organizational operations
• Maintain an orderly classroom and safe equipment (includes sanitizing/cleaning toys, activity spaces, furniture, etc.)
• Participate in agency/ program meetings as required (i.e. practice council, business/classroom meetings etc.).
• Maintain current knowledge and training in Holland Bloorview's Emergency Action Plans and practice safe program implementation within Patient Safety and Risk Management guidelines
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, support the maintenance of a safe and healthy work environment and advance a culture of client safety through work and daily practices

Qualifications:

Education

• A degree and/or diploma in Early Childhood Education
• Registered and in good standing with the College of Early Childhood Education

Experience

• Minimum two years experience in licensed early childhood setting with children from birth to 5 years of age required
• Knowledge of the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA), The City of Toronto Assessment for Quality Improvement, Toronto Children's Services Operating Criteria, College of Early Childhood Educator Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, and How Does Learning Happen required
• Experience that includes working with children with disabilities (physical, developmental, communication and/or autism) a strong asset
• Knowledge of adaptive equipment (e.g. nursery chairs, walkers, etc.) and assistive technology an asset

Skills

• Manage fluctuating responsibilities and workload to meet deadlines effectively and efficiently
• Be self-directed, take initiative and think creatively
• Demonstrate excellent written and oral communication skills
• Work successfully as a member of a team
• Have understanding of and commitment to client and family privacy and confidentiality
• Ability to communicate in a sensitive, respectful, and courteous manner with children, parents, staff, students and volunteers

Other Requirements

Upon hire, staff are required to complete:

• Vulnerable Sector Check with their local police service (completed at own expense)
• Occupational Health Review including documentation of tuberculosis (TB) testing and vaccination status as per the Child Care Early Years Act (CCEYA)
• Current Basic Cardiac Life Support Certificate - Basic Rescuer (C) as per the Child Care Early Years Act (CCEYA) (completed at own expense)
• New staff orientation at hospital site

Physical and Environmental Demands:

• Fast paced and lively environment, requiring agility and considerable physical activity including significant walking, bending, pushing/pulling of materials and resources, and physical interventions to maintain the safety and participation of children within the environment
• Required to lift/carry materials, resources and/or children weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Required to physically assist other staff to transfer/transport children into specialized and non-specialized equipment for indoor and outdoor play
• Routine use of cleaning and sanitizing solutions and sanitizer equipment (training and applicable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be provided)
• Exposure to childhood illness and bodily fluids

Sensory demands:

• Noise generated within a classroom setting.
• Sights and smells associated with physical care of children.